Year: 1874

THE CONFIDENTIAL TALK A YOUNG COUPLE


HAD ABOUT FAULTS, AND WHAT CAME


oP IT.


After having been married some weeks,
1t came into the head of young husband
in this city, one Sunday, when he had but
little to occupy his mind, to suggest to his
wife that they should plainly and honest
ly 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 rehearsal should be made in all
sincerity and with an honest view to the
bettering 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 be was the first to propose the
matter, and as he WIS at 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 didn't keep it secured
as bright as it should be. Ny mother al
ways took great pride in her tinware, and
kept it as bright as a dollar.


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


II have also observed" said the hus-
band, THAT you use your dsh-rags long
time without washing them, and then final
ly throw them away. Now, when at home,
remember that my mother always used
to wash out her dish-rags when she was
done using them, and then hang them up
where they could dry, ready for the next
time she would need them."


Blushing as before the young wife prom
ised to amend this fault.


The husband continued with most for
midible 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 mention.


Now" said he, my dear, you begin
and tell me all the faults you have observ-
ed 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 SEEM
ed to be striving hard TO swallow.


Proceed, my dear; tell me all the faults
you have observed in me, sparing nonew


Arising suddenly from her seat the lit
tie 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 so long as we have been married
1 have never once observed it. In my
eyes you are perfect, and all that you do
seems 10 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, 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, shall at once
begin the work of reform, and try to make
myself worthy of you"


Nonsense, nv dear, you know some-
times l go away and leave you without
any wood cut; stay up town when I
ought to be at home; spend my money
for drinks and cigars when l ought TO
bring it home TO you /"


"No you DON'T" cried his wife "you 90
nothing of the kind. like to see you en-
joy yourself; 1 should be unhappy were
you to do otherwise than just exactly as
you dor'


"God bless you, little wifer 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 remember a word
said " and he kissed away the tears that
still trembled in the little woman's eyes.


Never again did the husband scruti1ize
the tinware nor examine the dish-rag-
never so II. uch as mention one of the faults
he had enumerated but soon after the
neighbor women were wont to say:


at is wonderful how neat Mrs. -
keeps everything about her house. Her
tinware is always as bright as a new dol
lar, and do believe she not only washes,
but irons, her dish-rags r. And the neigh
Dor men were heard to say: "What a
steady fellow M has got to be of late
he don't spend dime where he used to
spend dollars, and can never be kept from
home half an hour when he is not at work.
He seems to worship that wife of his"