30 
AMERICAN AGKICULTURtST. 
[January, 
LADIES' COLTTMN. 
JANUARY. 
EXTRACTS FROM AIRS. BRIGHT'S JOURNAL. 
Have spent a pleasant day receiving New-Year's calls, 
and a merry hour at its close comparing experiences with 
my husband. Had the satisfaction of hearing my dress 
pronounced " stylisli," and the pleasure of telling him 
that I made it myself. Thanks lo my Wheeler & Wilson. 
I know nothing of what somebody calls "tlie wife's 
nightmare"— dressmaker's bills I * * * 
This week I have given up to the usual calls of " the 
season." My friends compliment me upon my good 
health and spirits ; and I tliiiik the cause of botli is the 
freedom from anxiety resulting from a well-ordered 
household, which, without vanity, and simply stating a 
fact, I believe mine to lie. The secret of it is that 1 insist 
upon having every thing done in its season, and never 
suffer tlie work of one month to accumulate upon that of 
another ; consequently, I have few " houseUeeper's 
trials," and can enjoy u leisure hour without the uncom- 
fortable sense of something left undone. 
Have just paid my usual evening visit t^ tlie nursery ; 
heard the little prayers, given the good-night kisses, and 
left them to slumber, sure that "all is well " with my 
darlings. Mine shouTd be " a calm and thaniiful heart," 
if a happy home, a loving husband, and sweet, liealiliful 
children can make it so. 
FEBRUARV. 
Went to the concert with my husband. He says that 
m,usic being my only extravagance, he is obliged to in- 
dulge me, in spite of a reproving conscience. This is 
"his Utile joke" at my expense; for the extravagance 
is, to say the least, mutual, and he knows well that I 
should not enjoy mustc. or any tiling else, if he did not 
share it with me. Moreover, he holds with me the doc- 
trine that money is well spent which contributes to lefine 
our tastes and beautify our lives. Therefore, the concert 
and all good music, wherever we meet it, comes under 
the head of "necessary expenses" in our domestic 
economy. ♦ * • 
A quiet, happy evening at home, put on record for 
another proof that the simplest pleasures are often the 
sweetest. A new book read alouit by my dear husband 
was the only entertainment ; and my fingers m ere busy 
meanwiiile— shall I tell it ?— darning stockings ! But that 
homely embroidery fitted ^\eIl with Herbert Spencer's 
genial philosophy, and while I gained new ideas about 
my boy's education, I had a certain satisfaction in feeling 
that I was making comfortable provision for his toes also. 
Dear liltle toes 1 May the feet that own. them stray into 
no by or forbidden paths 
MARCH. 
" A man's work is from sun to sun. and woman's work 
is never done," says the old adage. But if the woman be 
wise enough to make herself mistress of a certain little 
household fairy, whose fingers never weary and never 
wear out, take my word for it her toil need not outrun 
the daylight. It is such a pretly little fairy, too, so 
obedient to all my behests, so swift, and so sure I I take 
a fancy to ornament little Alice's frock with braiding, and 
lo ! the faiiy fingers fly in and out of the complicated 
pattern, reproducing all its curves and angles with math- 
ematical precision. I want a tucked skirt, and in an 
hour the spaces are marked, the tucks folded down, ihe 
neat stitches set like rows of seed-pearls. I have a dozen 
iiandkerchiefs to hem, and before these mortal fingers 
(not clumsy ones, either) could have finished a single 
one. the whole set are cumpleted. The greatest charm 
of this fairy is that it possesses the faculty of mnlliplying 
itself indefinitely, so that every woman may command 
its services for her own househohl. And for my part, I 
would dispense with many luxuries for the sake of secur- 
ing such services, if 1 were not so furlunale as to have 
them at command already. 
APRIL. 
Had a spare ticket for the last Philharmonic rehearsal, 
and called for Mrs. Blank, thinking she would like to ac- 
company me. Found her up lo her eyes in plain sewing 
—"would like to go dearly, but couldn't possibly spare 
the tune ;" wliich I Uiou,^ht very odd indeel. Her family 
is no larger than mine ; her income no smaller ; yet she 
never seems lo have time for the simplest recreation. 
One is tempted to be uncharitable and ask : ^^'hat can 
the reason be, meanness or bad management. 
Spent an hour at my sewing-machine this morning 
braiding a sacque for Charlie. My husband laughs at 
what he calls my propensity for finery. But if I have a 
wcaliness it is to see ray children well dressed. Comfor- 
table and neat, of course, they always are ; and when I 
can make iheir lif.le garmenls tieaiitiful also, at small 
cost of time or money, where is the harm? " Solomon, 
in all his glory, was not arrayed like" tlie lilies of Ihe 
LADIES' COLUMN. 
JAXUARV. 
EXTRACTS FRO^r MRS. BLANK'S JOURNAL. 
Vexed my husband this morning l>y refusing to receive 
New-Vear's calls. He declares that 1 grow more un- 
sociable every year, and I dare say it is true ; but how 
can I help ii ? The new year brings me only new cares, 
and still I sing " wiih a dolorous pitch," the same song of 
"stitch, slid), stitch." * * • 
A call tliis afternoon from Mrs. Bright. She is no 
younger than I, and perhaps no prettier, yet T was con- 
scious of a contrast nut at all to my advantage. How- 
fresh, and handsome, and happy she looked 1 How fad- 
ed, and careworn, and sad I fell. What is the secret of 
the difference, I wonder i * * * 
Am hard at work in mid-winter, upon garmenls which 
should have been finished in the first of the season. Poor 
Utile EUie is still wearing her thin Summer flannfls. 
because the older children must .at least be made respect- 
able for school, and I cannot do everylhin? at once. I 
do my best, yet I seem to be always pursuing my work, 
never al)le to overtake it. * * * 
Liltle EUie is sick lo-night, tossing in her sleep, hot 
with fever. I sit by her crib, sewing upon the flannel 
skirts at last, and feel sorely that the want of them has 
caused her illness. Yet how could I help it ? 
FEBRUARY. 
Tickets for the concert sent unexpectedly by a friend, 
but my husband did not come home, so was unable to use 
them for want of an escort. Got only this, by way of 
comfort, when lie did return: "How could I know you 
wanted to go? You never go anywhere. And what is 
the u?e of my coming home, to sit alone down stairs, 
when you always stay in your own room ? Don't blame 
me for your disappointment; it is your own fault." Is 
this true, really, and am I then so much to blame ? God 
knows it is not for my pleasure that I sit alone evening 
after evening, plying the weary needle ; not for my hap- 
piness that I know him seeking his enjoyment in people 
and things apart from mc. Yet what can I do ? Is it not 
a hard alternative when one has to choose between neg- 
lecting one's husband or one's children ^ * * * 
Nothing pleasant to record this evening, which is, alas, 
nothing new. Busy all day with myjieedie ; too tired 
and dull to welcome my husband at niglit very cheer- 
fully ; considered "cross' in consequence, and tempted 
to deserve the title by being so in reality. Do marriage 
and maternity iiecessarily mean slavery? Taking my 
daily life for example, the answer would be a bitter af- 
firmative. 
MARCH. 
Have accomplished little or nothing this week, owing 
to little EUie's illness. She has been just sick enough lo 
want continual petting and nursing, and of course it is 
only I who can do it to her satisfaction. Why is it that 
children always tyrannize over their mothers. I wonder! 
Looked wofuhy this morning toward the pile of work 
which has accumulated dining Elite's illness. Stockings 
to darn, trow sets to patch, aprons to mend, frocks to 
make, shirts to cut out '. One pair of weary hands to do 
it all— one heavy heart to bear all the complaints and an- 
noyance that aiise when it is not done. Tlieieis a reason 
for all things, it is said, but I confess I cannot see w hy 
my life should be wasted in this hopeless sort of toil. I 
would not complain if the results were adequate to the 
labor; but I h^e so little to show for my days work; 
so much more than I can possibly do is left undone. Yet 
I give myself wholly to these iiousehoM duties, even to 
the neglect of what I feel to be better things. My miml 
is narrowed dow n to the range of my work-basket, my 
aspirations confined to the circle of my needle ; yet even 
that poor ambition meets jjerpetual failure. 
APRIL.. 
Refused an invitation to go to the Philharmonic wilh 
Mrs. Bright, who looked surprised when I gave want of 
time as an excuse She seems to have plenty of time for 
going out, though one would think her family caics would 
confine her as much as mine. Perlians she neglects her 
children to take her pleasure I Wlien a mother goes to 
so mriny concerts and lectures, reads all the new books, 
entertains company, and all that sort of thing, it's 
vciy apt to be tliC case that the children's stockings are 
not darned, nor their petticoats mended ! * * * 
Worked since early morning and till near midnight on 
a Spring dress for Annie to wear to school. Had to go 
to bed at last and leave it unfinished, \\ith the pleasant 
anticipation of her disappointment to-morrow. " She is 
so tired of wearing her old merino'" And no wonder. 
The cididien are known by onedre^s before 1 iiave time 
to make them another ; although they have no superflu- 
ous work on them either. Annie complains sometimes, 
poor child, of her untriramed frocks ; ami I answer her 
field ; but are not the lilies of the field, and all the other 
blossoms that God has clothed with beauty, examples in 
a certain sense, and excuses for personal adornment? 
MAY. 
A great misfortune happened to day. Poor liltle Alice 
experienced her first grief in the loss of a tiny black-and- 
tan terrier, "Jet" by name, who died suddenly this 
morning. Tlic liltle creature has been her pet for a year, 
and slie is heart-broken at his death. Have been trying 
to devise something for her consolation, and think I will 
take her with me this afternoon, wlien I make my dona- 
tion-visit to the Church Charily Foundation. * * * 
Found my idea a good one. Alice was delighted with 
our excursion, quite falling in love with the poor old 
larlies and helpless little orphans at the "Home." It is 
her first glimpse into such an institution, and 1 was sui- 
piised to see the intelligent interest she manifested. One 
child attracted her special attention — a bright-eyed little 
thing called Jessie, and, singularly enough, nicknamed 
"Jet." I saw Alice's eyes fill up at the familiar sound, 
and presently her little hand stole into mine: " I should 
like to give her something, mamma; may I?" So al- 
lowed her to choose a book from my basket, and watched 
the presentation, whicli gave at least as much pleasure 
to the giver as the recipient. 
JUNE. 
A delightful afternoon at the Academy of Design- 
Frank and Alice with me, as they have been every year 
since old enough to go out with me at all. 1 think one 
cannot cultivate artistic tastes too soon in children, so 
take pains lo have mine see pictures, statues, curiosities— 
everything hea\itifiil that is wilhin our reach ; and, from 
the first, I make a point of teacliing them to observe and 
discriminate, that Ihey may enjoy things intelligently— 
not merely for show or glitter. The reward of my trouble 
comes to me already ; fuAFrank's comments and criti- 
cisms this afternoon were (w ithout being in the least prig- 
gish or unchildlike) so sensible as to make him a most 
agreeable companion. * * * 
Celebrated little Helen's fifth birthday with a doll's tea- 
party. Invited ten little girls with their dolls, and gave 
up the afternoon to the entertainment, which passed off 
without a cloud. Confirmed in my creed that any outlay 
of time and trouble which goes to make children happy 
is a profitable investment. 
JIJJLY. 
Practised industriously for two hours this morning, 
" making up," as H ■ mischievously says, " for time 
lost at the sewing-machine." Tlie "household fairy" 
has just accomplished, under my supervision, six new 
shirts for his lordsliip ; not to speak of a host of brown 
hoUand aprons for Charlie and Helen, and some siout 
gingham frocks for Alice— these last for country ^\ ear. 
Which, according to my practical view of things, was 
time very well "lost!" Still, I must not neglect my 
music, for I know its value too well as one of " the lies 
tliatbind" us in household unity and harmony. * * ♦ 
A busy day packing for the country. We have been 
fortunate enough to secure board so near the city that my 
husband can attend to his business, and still spend the 
evenings with his family. My house is in order, my Sum- 
mer sewing all done, tiie children provided with every- 
thing needful : and I look forward to a happy holiday. 
Have arranged our little apartments so that they begin 
lo look homelike. Two or three engravings on the walls, 
some books, my work-basket, and Alice's canary in the 
window, give the familiar aspect ; while the lovely out- 
side views of woods and river, upland and meadow, atone 
for all deficiencies witliin. 
AUOUST. 
Went down to the river for a swimming lesson to-day. 
Frank learned to swim last summer, and has undertaken 
now to teach the children and myself. No great progress 
as yet ; but we all splashed about, and had a merry lime. 
A sudden cloud came up while we were still in the river, 
and gave us a shower-bath in addition to the plunge. 
Tlie efl'ect of the rain-drops upon the water, seen from 
the midst of them, was exceedingly beautiful. * * * 
Some new arrivals from the city this afternoon, among 
them an acquaintance— Mrs. Blank. Met her unexpect- 
edly on the piazza, and had the pleasure of rendering her 
some little service, which she appreciated almost too 
gratefully. Am glad of the opportunity to improve my 
acquaintance with her. * * * 
Went up to Mrs. Blank's room, to ask her lo ioin us in 
a "crabbing" expedition. Found lier sewing, as usual, 
and too busy to go. I discovered at last, however, Ihe 
reason why she never has time for anything: she at- 
tempts to do her family sewing without a sev\ing-ma 
chine ! No wonder her work is never done. Gave up 
the crabbing party, and told her of my experience of Ihe 
"household fairy;" which so astonished and dellghtcil 
her that she is determined, at any sacrifice, to have one 
for herself. 
