Year: 1875

7
band in this city, one Sunday, when he
had but 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 had been man and wife. After
some hesitation the wife agreed to the
proposition, but stipulated that the re-
hearsal should be made in all sincerity
and with an honest view to the lettering
of each other, as otherwise 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 his
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 at the head of
the house it was his place to take 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 had good deal neg
lected the tinware. You didn'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 a dol
lar"


/ am glad that you have mentioned
it dear" said the wife, blushing little
hereafter you shall see no speck on cup
or pan. Pray proceed"


i have also observed" said the hus-
band, " that you use your dish-rags a
long time without washing them and
then finally throw them away. Now,
when at home, I remember that my
mother always used to wash out her dish
rags when she was done using them and
hang them up where they could 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 of men
ton.


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


The young housewife sat in silence:
her face flushed to the temples, and a
great lump came in her throat, which
she seemed to be striving hard to swal-
low.


Proceed, my dear; tell me 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 blinded by my
love for you that SO 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"


6 But, my dear" said the husband, his
face reddening and his voice growing
husky with emotion, "just think, l have
gone and found all manner of fault with
you. Now, do tell me some of my
faults; know l have many-ten times
as many as you ever had or ever will
have. Let me hear them"


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


" Nonsense, my dear, you know some
times | go away and leave you without
any wood cut; | stay up town when
ought to be at home ! spend my mon
ey for drinks and cigars when | ought
to bring it home to you; I"


No you don't, cried his wife; you
do nothing of the kind | like to see
you enjoy yourself; should be unhap-
py were you to do otherwise than Just
exactly as you do "


God bless you little wife cried the
now thoroughly subjugated husband
/" from this moment you have not fault
in the world Indeed you never had
fault | was but joking-don't remem-
Der word said and he kissed away
the tears that still trembled in the little
woman's eyes.


Never again did the husband serutin-
ize the tinware nor examine the dish
rag-never so much as mentioned one