Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-06-10
A MANS STORY.
by Roa1ELIA L. CLAPP.

When sinners truly repent, believe
the first thing they do is to confess their
sins.
Well, that is what I am going to do
now.
Ihave often talked with my wife Of the
poetry and sentiment of the home, and
have tried to impress upon her that it
should be the abode OF peace and har-
mony, and that she is the priestess who
must keep the sacred fire ever burning
upon its altar.
The duties which fall to her lot in our
copartnership seem to me to be so light
and easy that have often wondered,
and, indeed, have sometimes felt veXed
that she should look so weary when
came home at night. have always be-
lieyed, and have often said it, that wom-
en- have by far the better part of the
bargain, with so little to do, and such
opportunities for enjoyment.
Consequently have been rather crit
ical of what have considered her lack
of system in her way of managing her
affairs, and have shown my annoyance
at q spot on the tablecloth, an overdone
beefsteak, smudge on tumbler, or at
finding dust on the top shelf Of the
beaufet. But Winnie is cheerful little
soul, and always makes the best of
things, even if am sometimes little
censorious.
But you are waiting to hear my expe-
rience, and what brought about my
change of heart.
First, then, I must tell you that am
clerk in banking house, at salary
of $1,000 per annum, and that before
Winnie and I were married we carefully
counted the cost, but, calculate as we
would, we could not make out that we
could live on it and go in the set in which
we had always moved, without prac-
ticing the strictest economy. Butin the
heyday of our bright hopes, we thought
nll things possible, and so we started In.
1 will do Winnie the justice to say
that she has bravely done her part, hav-
ing always kept the household expenses
within our income. and she made us
very comfortable, often with very little
money; but what has irked me is that
she should have looked pale and weary,
and apparently full of care, when, in
my opinion, she has had so little COM
paratively to do.
We hired a modest fiat when we We're
first married, and for two years we were
.oble to keep an inexperienced servant at
small wages, so that Winnie had an OPP
portunity to learn by experience many
of the ways of housekeeping and cook
ing. But, dear me! that was almost
four years ago, and now we have Philip;
and how proud we are of our little three
years old son! never could bring my
self to think, much less toacknowledge,
that Philip ever brought anything into
the family but wealth of joy and hap
.piness. It seems almost sacrilegious
TO think that he is any trouble to u.s.
and yet, since he came into it, he has
slowly but undoubtedly revolutionized
our household. Our lives, our char
Goters, and our belongings bear marks
of the energy of this little life which
cannot be bottled up, and of the spirit
which is ever rebelling against the linn.
itations of fiat; for we still live in @
fat. We have been obliged to dispense
with the maid. We now hire q woman
who comes in two mornings in week
one morning to do the washing and the
other to do the cleaning, and some cook
ing as WELL such as a piece Of corned
beef, or roast of beef, or O pair Of
chickens, which is great help to Win
ME, and makes possible little soups and
.made-dishes, which she has learned to
make so tasty and toothsome.
Last night Winnie had telegram
from her mother, who was to come from
Buffalo to take the steamer to-day al
10 o'clock for Europe (she had expected
to come earlier and spend the night
with u.s.; and could she not come
down in the morning and visit with her
on board, until the steamer sailedT
Of course she must go, and we were up
bright and early this morning, and by
seven o'clock we had had our break
fast, and Winnie had cleared the table
made the beds, dressed herself and
Philip, and was off. Yet there was
weary look in her face when she kissed
me good-by that irritated me. Good
BY. dear boy" she said. gayly. "Wher