Year: 1873

Stanley. formerly Mary Kirk, an old school
companion of mine! Mary had married
Young and was now mistress of fine es-
adjustment What nice visit this will
be for me" | said to myself, and so all the
time | was making preparations for it.
with the assistance of my right hand
maiden, " Fancy" | was mapping out
won9rously pleasant chart of my intended
excursion. which was elaborately finished
and hung in a gilded frame in the gallery
of nv mind. when the carriage that con-
veved me from the cars landed me before
the tasty and rather imposing establish
ment of my friend, Mrs. George Stanley


This compares we'll with my fancy
nicture.'" [ said as | descended from the
carriage; " but | wonder if Mary is not
absent from home, the house has such a
shut-up sort of look D" my mind was re-
lieved from this unwelcome surprise by
the appearance Of my friend at the door,
10 answer to the summons of the bell. |
recognized her at once, though ten years
had gone by since her marriage, and she
recognized me as readily, and her greeting
was rdial. | followed her into the nice
ly furnished hall, when she paused with
troubled look, and said -


"WiIl YOU be kind enough, Hattie, to
use the mat, as it is rather dusty out, and
| have perfect dread Of dust


complied with the request, thinking
that it must be dusty indeed, if in stepping
from the carriage to the house, sufficient
dust had adhered to my boots to soil the
carpets; and then she led the way into the
back parlor. | followed with a sort of
uncomfortable feeling-a sense Of restraint.
Here [ found the stuffed chairs, ottomans
and sofa, closely covered with linen, the
heavy tassels that loOped back the rich
damask curtains from the windows, placed
in muslin bags to preserve them, the piano
covered with two coverings. the outer one
of linen, while the legs of the instrument
were dressed with the same untasty materi-
al, the paintings, which should have
adorned the walls, disfgured with three
thicknesses Of tarletan. the rich Wilton
carpet on The floor dotted here and there
with wooden booking, and the gas fixtures
were as carefully dressed as might be. 1t
took me some time TO discover all this, for
the inside blinds we're as closely drawn
down as the outer oEes.


Mary" l said in a half laughing way,
lit is as dark as Egypt here. Come give
me little more light, for L can scarce tell
how you are looking, and came on pur
pose to see you"


Il cannot yet, was the cool answer.
By-and-by, when the sun gets below the
hill, [ will. but | never draw the blinds in
the broad daylight, and always expect
my visitors to conform to this rule. You
see l am the same plain-hearted Mary
was when a girl Now will show you to
your chamber


That was nice, eommOdious chamber
into which l was shown, with not only the
comforts, but all the luxuries of modern
taste. 1t was altogether too nice to suit me,
for there was no sense Of freedom there,
looked upon the bed with its costly
coverings. and thought :-' What if |
should get fold or a wrinkle upon those
delicate fabrcs-what if | should in any
way disturb the upper drawer look Of the
whole apartment" | longed for my own
simply furnished chamber at home, where
c. uld be at liberty to throw open my
blinds and windows, and enjoy the heaven
born gift of fresh, pure air, and glorious
hcalth-giving sunlight. But it was in vain
for me to wish this, so | dressed myself as
well as might IL the artificial twilight
and descended below stairs, where | found
my friends two children, Harry, sweet
pretty, dark-eyed boy Of eight, and Lucy
a swectly fair girl OF six, Just entering
the room.


There was restrained, half-fearful way
as they came in aud met their mothers
quick inquiring glance, that was painful to
see


Harry there is chalk mark on your
pantaoons, and your collar is awry, and
Lucy your slippers are dusty; 60 out and
wipe them carefully. | am ashamed of
your care, ssness.


The two children left the room to do as
they were bidder, and | could see that they
felt keen.y the censure castupon them, for
they had come to think they could do
nothing more reprehepsible than to appear
with speck or bIemish upon their dress
or person in their mothers presence,


Soon after, Mr. Stanley, my friend
husband came,n. He was OF large build
noble and manly in his appearance, and
said to myself, There is too much char
acter and Independence in him to submi
or be swayed in the least by this mania o
his wife" But he had not crossed tn
apartment before | was convinced by hi
gingerly step, and his uncertain manne1
of placing his hat upon the table, and ther
moving it with a nervous glance at biz
better half that he too stood in fear O
trespassiDg upon the household regulation.
of his slight, girlish-ooling wife; in shor
he wore the appearance ot-shaIl ust
the homely expression "a " hen-peca &c
husband"


Mrs. Stanley left the room to look after
the tea, and / enjoyed pleasant chat with
Mr.. Stanley and found him an uncommonly
sensible and intelligent man, and could not
but wonder that he shoUld allow his wife.
foolish mania to affect his bearing so sen
sibly but, poor man, who does not know
that continual dropping will wear q
stone" Before the close of my visit die
not wonder at all, for it was :-' Frederic
one OF the legs of your chair is off tbc
bockiDg-Frederic, wall you take care tC
close the door quickly when you come il
the street way, so that the flies may no
follow yOu-Frederic, will you read your
paper IN the kitchen, so that we may not
have TO draw blind here and fade tht
carpet? " and in shcrt, time would fail u
to enumerate all the causes of complain
she found in him. His hard labor hao
bought ard furnished the beautiful house
he called home" and yet it was not ;
home to him or his children-they woul,
have been far happier in an humble Gotta ge