Year: 1874




it came into the head of young hus-
band, one Sunday, while he had little to
occupy his mind, to suggest to his wife
that they should plainly and honestly
state the faults that each had discovered
in the other since they were man and
wife. After some hesitation, both stip-
ulated that the rehearsal should be made
in all sincerity, and with an honest view
to the lettering of each other, as other
wise it would be of no use to speak of the
faults to which marriage had opened their
eyes. The husband was of the same mind,
and the wife asked him to begin with her
faults. He was somewhat reluctant, but
his wife insisted that he was the first to
propose the matter, and as he was the
head of the house, it was his place to
take the lead. Thus urged, he began the
recital. He said:


"My dear, one of the first faults OBJ
served in you after we began keeping
house was, that you good deal neglected
the tinware. You don't keep it secured
as bright as it should be. My mother
always took great pride in her tinware
and kept it as bright as dollar"


Il am glad that you mentioned it,
DEAR" said the wife, blushing a little;
hereafter you shall see no speck on cup or
pan. Pray proceed"


81 have often observed" said the hus-
band, that you often use your dish-rags
long time without washing them, and
finally throw them away. Now, when
at home, l remember that my mother al
ways used to wash out her dish-rags when
she was done using them, and then hang
them up where they would dry ready for
the next time she would need them.


Blushing, as before, the young wife
promised to amend this fault.


The husband continued with a most
formidable list of similar faults, many
more than we have space to enumerate,
when he declared that he could think of
nothing more that was worthy Ofmention.


"Now," said he, "my dear, you begin
and tell me all the faults you have OBJ
served in me since we have been married"


The young housewife sat in silence;
her face flushed to the temples, and
great lump came in her throat which she
seemed to be striving hard to swallow.


"Proceed, my dear tell me of all the
faults you have observed in me, sparing
none"


Arising suddenly from her seat, the
little wife burst into tears, and throwing
both arms about her husbands neck,
cried:


"My dear husband, you have not a
fault in the world. If you have even
one my eyes have been so blinded by my
love for you that, as long as we have been
married, l have never once observed it.
In my eyes you are perfect, and all that
you do seems to me to be done in the best
manner and just what should be DONE"


"But, my DEAR" said the husband, his
face reddening and his voice growing
husky with emotion, "just think; Ihave
gone and found all manner of faults with
you. / know / have many-ten times as
many as you ever had or ever will have.
Let me hear them"


Indeed, husband, it is as tell you
you have not single fault that l can
see. Whatever you do seems right in my
eyes, andnow that / know what good
for-nothing little wretch that / am,
shall at once begin the work of reform
and try to make myself more worthy of
you"


"Nonsense, my dear; you know l
any wood cut; stay up town when l
OuSlI W Dc at HOllc spcIu hioney iol
drinks and cigars when ought to bring
it home to you; L"


"No you DON'T" cried the wife, "you
do nothing of the kind. like to see you
enjoy yourself; l should be unhappy
were you to do otherwise than just ex-
actly as you doW


"God bless you, little wife" cried the
now subjugated husband; " from this
moment you have not fault; l was but
joking-don't remember word l said +"
and he kissed away the tears that still
trembled in the little woman's eyes.


Never again did the husband scrutinize
the tinware nor examine the dish rags
never so much as mentioned one of the
faults he had enumerated, but soon after
the neighborhood women were wont to
say. =,


"It is wonderful how neat Mrs. Smith
keeps everything about her house. Her
tinware is always as bright as a new dol
lar, and / do believe she not only washes
but even irons her dish-ragsp And the
neighboring men were heard to say:
"What steady fellow NJ has got to
be of late; he don't spend a dime now
where he used to spend dollars, and never
be kept from home half an hour when he
is not at work. Heseems almost to wor-
ship that wife of his"