Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-01-21

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him that my efforts were deserving o.
recognition, and from that time hi
amendment begun. He was aroused
in the first instance to the fact thai
he had nice garden, and ought tc
look after it. The man he had en-
gagged was expensive, and about as
useless as a jobbing gardner could be-
So Tom bought a guide book and
went to work. The first results, il
amusing to others, were gratifying
to himself. People laughed at his
work, but he laughed with them.
Tom is conceited about some things
land what man is not y but not about
everything. When he exhibited at
our local horticultural show he saw
at once that he had not reached the
top of the gardening tree. His things
undoubtedly attracted considerable
attention, but not of the nature most
cultivators expect and delight in.
From gardening he naturally came to
do certain things in the house which
every man of moderate means ought
to do. l did not tell him that he had
a right to brush his own clothes, or
that the cool way he had left it to
others had aggravated" me at times,
but | brought coat and brush to
him and said: 1.-THE girl is busy this
morning; can you find time to brush
this YOURSELF" He said he hated
brushing clothes, but he did it, and
after one or two suggestions of this
nature brushed his clothes without
being asked. He fell into it easy
enough, as he did into little odd jobs
about the house. Perhaps he does
these things more as matter of duty
than pleasure, but he does them with
out grumbling, and that is all l re-
quire. l have always studied the
comfort of the house. From the first
/ set myself the task of making the
best of everything had, and to put
palatable things nicely on the table.
Men like comfort, they marry for it,
and if you make it a reproach and
call them selfish, you are very foolish.
What is marriage expected to do, un-
less it increases the material comforts
of husband and wife ? Be assured of
this, if the mind is at rest with regard
to domestic matters, it will soon be
occupied by higher things. A man
who has no worry has time to think
of the beauties of life, its great pur-
pose, and of the share he ought to
take in making for himself and those
around him.
1t was not many months ere Toms
old habits and thoughts really became
things of the past. He took to his
home, and never cared to leave except
on business, or for a walk or drive
with me. Lawn Tennis ceased to
have charm for him, dinner parties
he learnt to dislike, and an evening
at home in the summer time in his
garden, in the winter by his Preside.
more than contents him. There is,
however, one time in the year, when
he temporarily shows signs of break
ing out again, and that is the spring.
My annual extra cleaning, which he
says is quite needless, l cannot forego.
and have a mind at rest. l know
that opinions vary as to the necessity
of it, but my mother did it, and
learnt it from her. Tom somew hat
irreverently calls her the Champion
Spring Muddler; and all the time
my turning out is going on he goes
about like bouncing bomshell that
may burst at any moment. / can't
say I'm right in persistently indulg-
ing in the annual soap and water sat
urnalia, but cannot admit that l am
wrong. Cleanliness is the finest pre-
sentative of q house of furniture, and
/ hope tn have a clean house while
have one at all. Experience has
taught me that few men can be driven,
but they can be led by woman. II
you desire domestic peace, how can
you hope to get it by entering into
war with your husband? That sort
of thing once begun has no real end
ing, until the grave claims one or
both. Lulls and truces there may be,
but peace never comes. l don't want
you to think that have got perfect
husband, or that l am a perfect
woman. l dare say that we are very
ordinary pair, but the majority of
people are ordinary, and It is the ma.
jority / appeal to. The fact that
neither of us has succeeded in start
ling any portion of the world, ought
not to make us unworthy of your no.
tice. l simply wish to point out that
men can be domesticated if they are
not so by nature, or from outside in
Auences. He must be taught to APP