The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-02-28

household machinery out Of gear. Don
you know that a man hates to be followed
round with a mop or dust pan? He
feels as if he had-or ought to have, at
any rate-some privileges of his own
house -
But Marcia was not there to listen to
what her husband said. She had taken
an indignant departure, and as he went
out he saw her dusting in the sitting room,
which had not been opened for the last
three days, to his knowledge.
One day he had headache, and he
came in from the field before dinner was
ready, and laid down on the sitting room
lounge thinking little rest in the cool,
shaded room might end the pain. When
he went to get his hat, after dinner, he
discovered that Marcia had found time to
cover the lounge with an old blanket.
His eyes blazed with anger. So he was
not to make use of the furniture he had
bought for the comfort that could be got
out Of it without it had a covering to pro
tect it?
Very well, that settles it, he said,
and went out. By and by, Marcia saw
him carry boards into the woodshed, and
presently she heard the sound Of a saw and
hammer
What are you doing, John p she
asked, going to tue kitchen door.
Il m fitting up my room, he answer
ed. And | want to tell you, now, that
if you bring mop or dust pan into it, |
will throw them out of doors | will take
care Of it myself. am not doing it to make
You more work, but to save you work. |
will not inirude on your part Of the house,
except in 80 far as | have to. at meal-time
Then viii not venture beyond the kitchen
You viii only have your own dirt to clean
up. and that ought not to make YOU such
a slave 10 broom. and mop, and dusting
cloth a. you have been Of late Maybe
you viii get time to look into book or
paper. Aud John went on with his work
Marcia was terribly angry. But she
saw that it was no use to talk to him in
hi- present mood 30 she went back to
her work. and as she worked, she thought
it all over
After all, was it necessary TO make a
household drudge Of herself? And was
she not doing that The more she thought
Of it, the more truth she recognized in some
Of the severe things John had said. She
Thought of other homes where neatness
prevailed without what John had called
..fussins,s. She began to understand,
a. she pondered over the matter, that a
woman can easily make life very uncom
Portable for man by doing just the things
she had done, aud excusing her actions TO
herself a. being done in the interest Of
neatuess And when she came to think
of 1t. what was a house for # not to enjoy
What wss the use of rooms made eomtor
table by pretty furnishing and good turni-
ture, ii they were kept shut up oil the time2
Aud was John unreasonable in his ideas
about taking the good Of things, as he
went along Wasn't that what ought
e. be done nu>ed things were unuec-
essary things, and the money that went
into them might better be saved When
she came to think Of it, WASH it just as
much to one credit to be misery a. 1t
was to invest money in things that were
never made use Of
Marcia did a world Of thinking that af
ternoon She was 4 sensible little woman,
in spite Of her wrong training, and she
wanted To do right by John. How kind
he had been She understood now how
her ways had yexed him, but he had never
seolded her, and had never tried to exert
his authority in dictatorial fashion, as some
men would
He Is night, she said, by and by.
/ Il au settling down into just such house
hold drudge as mother was 1t is getting
to be a habit-a foolish habit-with me.
! | haven looked into book for a month.
| do not know the frst thing about what
i going on outside the threshold. am
/ going to turn over 4 new leaf. | am going
to do 1t now
When she called John to supper, the
meal was spread in the diningroom. The
shades were up. The door was open to
the cool breeze. \ bowl Of roses stood on
the table. The room had look about it
that had never been there before-for the
strips OF old carpet had disappeared and
there was no rug under the chair set for
John
Il didn' know you had company, he
said ''yVho is he p
1t is you, she answered. And then
she went up to him and put her arms about
his neck, and said
We been thinking it all over while
you have been at work on your room in the
shed, and guess you are right about 1t !!
am going to begin oyer-your way!
Such a glad light as came into his face.
He bent down and kissed her
Perhaps | said more than | ought to
more than meant to, he said. For
give me, Marcia, if hurt your feelings,
But when you spread that old blanket over
the lounge why, that was the straw that
broke the camel 5 back, and | made up my
mind | would have place of my own that
could feel at home in But would
rather have it herewith you, if | could
without feeling that made too much
work.
sStnn riubt there John - she said