The Secret of a Happy Home (1896)

the leaders told, as illustrative of the topic under discussion, an incident of her childh

ved, "it is all f

ughter, lo

aces. The roof, and the rough chimney, were complete, but, on close scrutiny, one could s

hanks for the story, for, she said, she had come to the conclusion that she

nal systems, that he grasped large plans and theories, but had no talent for minuti?. What would his majestic outlines be with

ystal pane, but what would become of the costly plate-glass were there no put

no one occupation in which she excels and who feels that her only sphere in life is to go through the world doing the little things left undone by people with Missio

repare some dainty for that member of the household who is "not quite up to the mark" in appetite-in fact, undertakes those tasks, so many of which show for little when done, but which are painfully conspicuous when neglected. Does she bewail herself that her sphere is small-limited? Let her pause and consider how it would affect the family were the hat and gloves to be out of place, the chair undusted, the blurred window-glass overlooked, the coat unmended, the bastings allowed to stand in all their hideous white prominence, the invalid's appetite untempted. Like a good spirit, our chink-filler glides in and out among the fallen threads in the tangled web of life, picking up dropped st

little k

leave undon

at sets one h

happines

teeméd in

es, verses and proverbs innumerable which aim to impress mankind with the importance of the horse-shoe na

er, knows what a great part of life is

on the

eing r

with a

clumsy B

sullen

ining c

ing rece

n's

nexpected friend, you will observe that she glories in Rembrandt-like effects,-which, when viewed at a distance, assume a respectable appearance. You, with brains back of your hands, will notice th

ay be only that a teacup or plate is sticky or rough to the touch, a fork or a knife needed, the steel or one of the c

e plates warmed, and the sugar-dishes and salt-cellars filled. One housekeeper says that attention to these duties always reminds her of the task of washing o

is departure for the office, you descend to the apartment which you had already dusted and darkened, and find it filled with heat and buzz! If that big boy of yours could remember to strip the covers from his bed when he arises and if your pretty daughter could cultivate her bump of order sufficiently to refrain from leaving a hat of some description in every room on the first floor, and her jacket on the banisters! Nobody but yourself knows how many precious minutes you expend in righting

ved out of order. By the time this rule had been established for twenty-four hours, the house would be immaculate, and the mother fin

just the mood for writing. Husband and sons had gone to their various occupations. She had a splendid day for work ahead of her. She

wa

the door.

kins,-them as I was to wash agin the company you're expectin' to

to the sew

nday meal was dispatched. At four o'clock, with the waitress' assistance, the task was completed. About the same time a note arrived from John saying he would be obliged to bring two of his old friends-"swell bachelors"-who were spending the day in town, to dine with him that night. She "must not put herself to any trouble about dinner, and he would take them to the theatre in the evening." To the dinner already ordered were added oyster-patés, salad, with mayonnaise dressing, salted almonds, and, instead of the plain pudding that John liked, was a pie of which he was still more fond, capped by black coffee, all of which articles, except the last-named, were prepared by the hostess, who, in faultless toi

wa

gone and the

down and wrote with tire

morning. He

that she was a genuine wife, mother, h