Woman's Influence.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 3082, 6 March 1880, Page 4

Woman's Influence.

PBOVIBENOK Bow consists of a cnll««« little cottages, with long, narrow Si 011 <*' front. • ' . • ■ ' I j B*"Wna | tt Their outward appearance is'invitini>.i». find out what pritty li;fe homes thpv'o tt"» must toke a peep into No. 6-for No » J?*o d'-nca Row, is always id. readiness to r™ tn' visitor. . ""^eWo*, The Dutch clock strikes two; and Maw, r, lnjr begins to fold her wo k as she tava • Go( *- '•I snppose I had better go now m'n*v prm.iEcd Mrs Parkins I would run in? n ,r, r' While as so^n as yuu could spare me » a Ut«» " Very well, my di»r, be off a* soon „ like; and If you can hop her to get w l ro H> a little ft aight, do so." iiel fier hon* Mrs Goolinsc might well make tV« ». and Mary thongbt of her mother's wnM mirlt; entared Mrs Parkins'home, No. i if>4t utes afterward, and rast a glanoo aronnj m' 11----picture of misery it presented. waro^ndatthe As she looked at the nnaweat'sto™ „ j * unwashed breakfast and d nner i'm" 4 ll» thought came into her mind Howdifw 8!' s room wuuld look if these litt'e *m enl"ie attended to 1 The room altojetW s Wer» freshening; there was an unwholoarm,WMte4 nofs that made Mary lon K to thro»«° *«■ window and 10 have a purifvi oe <.„»..*» fresh a:r tftroiigaat o^ico. *-urjeat She had ample ieisnro lor no'.inir «n *~ things; for Mrc. Parkins wa^ a fe w d O OR>? Ke thi Kow, scoenipinK with a neiuhbnnr a.0»» tastes wo o. uaCortunatoly, very miHii,f h?5 own. , uu*eaef On sec'n« Mary tu-n ia at tho cardpn . M rs. Park ns had given her a friendly n?2 81^ ca'ledout: I uvut3alo " You CBn let yo'jraslt in! I'm comiro : m'nuto 1" . L» «i & Bur. the minute extended to twenty bnf n >» could put an end to an interestintj c >nrm.= wßll9 The sight of Mary Sooding, looking'oll--brought ip a frosh subject to talk aW aY Mre. Parknj and her n.-ighboarnai to ° wi a.si a^Ueaopa-cnt ex ravagance i,f m, B o^Jp Li wear nj, and aliwini; her daaght-r tnV, print drea-ei, which, as Mrs. Parki sanrtl*' one clee knew, shewed the dirt at ones n n /°T qu'rei to be washed so fnaqusntty. ' aW"l3ut thensmni people are Ike (hut" •, Mis. ParktLS ; "and if 1 went to those «!«* K a-.ce3, mr >oung man might have caS Vf" comp'a'n of me ; bu; aB lam as'savineir,t to b , I doth'nkit'salltila bard whsi £.*« I?* lasting fault fl.'ding!" ° tYi* "That's just the way I f^el!" snl iha i,.! v bourse tied heraelf a.cinst thn rai 8 in orrt,, be a little more comfortible wh-le she n.'ii,.j" fawof her troubles into Mrs. Parkiab'o.™ .'• I'm sure wo poor w.vea are perfect sl 4 -i.« I " Ye?, nothi"(r bat work !' *W"When atn I ever tidy anddne! wh»n A ■ anyone ever see ma sitting down tire** work?" ' e>"1'- " Ntver!" "No 1 It's a.l much as I can do to get *t:«\ v by tho timo Jones c jmes home, ana then X • away: Kramh int? hcoanso I doa't mira"?' oh lCren'Holcthes.' Bca '« "Alend!" <xc!ainrd Mrs Paikim, "tw not much time for that. Bat I mist wU now." "Yfs. ani I nnrpo33l must EOinandlUtn, fire aga'n: 1 dare say It Is out by this t™ You wouldn't believe tha wood we burn! «ffi Mim Jones, in injured tones, "bu^ my Kr umw. expcc-.s a «oja lire when he cornea hera» S what it wi;l." "' wl" vViih a laugh the two neighbours Beoar»'M UrJ. Pa'kine, with h;r two unwaehedchi'dn." hast-nedd^wntlie dusty Row, rawing on' ..' cloud bo. md her ■■■r the flutteiingot theuM. rags ai t'-u end of hr dew. '"' " i'vogot back atlas:," sheeai'J.asshesfuiwi .nto her OOtlsge. "It^lly, whin Un. }B gets hold of oue, there's nutnowing wle"ta got a a ay. But, Mary, what a-e you abomr' '•Ob, Mra. Pa k ns, I hope yoa vion'tmy. a?d Miry lcokdupfrom the B*,ove a! «i<Mi she hud been ir.du*fio:ialy brnsliiaK, "Cf tbonght I might heT p to clean tip the plaia a "Yes, but you needn'c tate all that trotb'«. and you've taken up all the cicders!" •' I would have s!f:cd them for you, batlcouH not flad a sieve."

"Uh, we're no sifter. "Wei, wfl a! ff ays burn onr cindcn. Molher f? dij-s it Hfcucli a. faring of cca^s; it makes them I lasi as long again." M~s. Park.ns mads no ans ffer to this; ht It H a moment she said: "Well itdoeaeeemashaaietoletj-oudoilut a for me, with your clean drees on." "I brought m/la rg';, coarse apron with k» 1 (or I knew you-wanted to get abitstfaight fej I whenMr. Parkins come! h*me." "sb, that I do, for of lats he has teen more I than uuially grumblng, and ho has ihreateted ;: ;o- be off to the public-flou-.e, so I thoughtc! H doing up a little more, to see if '.hit wonldmria I him p'.caiei, but the Unw goes on, snd flutfj H such a ocal to do." "Oh, we^iallhavc time," interrupted Muy. B briskly: " Wecanm»lM the place look so n!t» I before bo'si toms: he'll be so jurprhci" ■" Well you arc mating me f<e so bustlingl H answe-ed M-s Parkins, p'eaaintly.aseheitt) U (rum her chair. Buih eet to work with a w.ll, and in lea But H an hour quite a change, bad taken place to tij ii home. >ot r.n.y was the cottage itseltimrta I .o rece've ita matter, but ta-i wife and Etl s$ OQC3 presented tuch a trim appearance ifc, Svji" Air Parkins himself would scarcely hiverecag- M nised them. No cottage home could look more cimfcrUU.' B The tca-thingi wtrc s-t, and the curtains wjj H drawn; an las Mrs Parkins eat enjoying fe g fire -w hose cheerful blaz; lighted up very cone fe of the liille room, khe began to look back ova if the ycaiM o£ hcrpast life, chehal time toil p so, for the 'ittle ones were nsua-ly good, tti H Mary, after alt her kindness, had tikenhetdt- I parturo But the good sty? had dons icmnitd ■ behind her. Its healthy influence w«satwiik M in tho cottage homo that November evening. I Guardi.-.n iins;e s mo it hive drawn near«nd brought ahoy ro we r with them! I There sboald be no more gossiiaoß -withiiait ; bours! Th's ahesaw, wastijofoundatioiiofbs puntidy home, and also the ciuse of many (par- fe: rola that bad taken place between hendtuj ■ husband. ' his bad habit, given up, wouldlmj ■ plenty of time for l;eo> iug h;_r house in otfc, ft: and for attending to her duties is a wife ml |H : m°But'where i? Tom?' sh9 aiksh'rsslf afleri I long and thoughtful pause; ''he certainly ou#l | to be home by this t:me." With a look of a* xiety onhn- fuccsVieglanoeS B at tho large Dutch clock, and savr tint it wa H half fen hour ovtr nis limo already. Sho went to the do- r aad tr ed to look im tho Row. but tho fog th»t had been eattsirg I when she l«t Mary out had become so <?eos»thu 9 sbo could only see a f^w yar !sb-fore her. •Yes, thefoijhad 'ncreaecd and walking™ X most uncomfortable. Along lhe emU ■ thoroughfares pcop'o wer? hastenin? tarn, cheered by the loring fae> s which would net ■ c me them at the end of their, journey, ml p which made home to limn. , „,,•;! ■■■ It wai doc with any of these pleamrabMe l H ing 3 that Tom -Parkins turned hia face horn- ■ ward; indeed, tlic nearer he approached hia I own neighbourhood, ihe heavier giow thefrowi I upon his trow. , I "i'to bnrun it as long as I can-wrats.fh ■ «cod of toiling and Eavin?? I miffht justaifcl M pn'iifi a bit of money ou myself,' tc«B | ; thougLts. ~ i Just in this moment he camo toatajcm.tln i bright ligh-. from which shore full on hia gloomy i face Three men were going in at lhe door ■ but one of them catching eight o! Tom. stepped I back, and grasped him warmly by the hand, v ■ ' "Weli. old fellow-It is you! I thought Icon!! I not ba roistskor." 1 hon as tho oth' r two eamo up. tearly grea- I inss were excuftngtd nil round. I "Thoro's norca-ouformtosUndontintlns ; fog," said tho first sp 2* ker; " we'rej-i tgomjß ;;, knock the balls about a bt, and to cay-aM ; —j ou'll make ono of us, Parkins, wou tjobF The other two joined in with, •'Corny n w, do; yes, you must—youiirenotgO" I ing to get oifin tha 1- wsy." - . tv lorn hesitated and said no, ho could not, t(H H be nni-t get hornet-" his wife, bu'as he spose, • the misorablj picture ot his comfortless home rosa tcforehißi; and»s he glanced at the W open eoorof tho tavern, lhe light and tfar«jiii snemed to encourago him to yield to the wisoa m of his tempter1. , ~ ' i ; "Come no*; dol Never mind about the Hue, shß can spare you for an hour or two. I "Oh, yes; shocansp^re me wellenougnrn- m piled Tom, w th somo bitterness, f . . . i "Well, then, what'- to prevent youhavij)!!» i game or two at baßatelle-got somothingaW ryoulcaresay that you would _hke to iwW. ■ And the speaker gave a knowing look nm I conipnuoDS, whilst Tom answered openly. | "Yes, I've my week's wages, lut I shoots ■ more afraid of. losing it than of donblmgit Hoppnkevery firmly, ana at he same m held out his hand, ani wi.hcd his temple mi nipht; but they had no intention pflettagw I proy Blip through their fingers, and the?^renew ■ their persuasions that he should maKe on(H | Tom waverea, ond he began to argne wift || "Jf I.do go in this onre, I'm notobtodM» g como a drinking man, mi 6'irelr the nmn will be moro comfortable tnan my mum |: home?'' But speaking alond, ho said: •■ jj 'ft; " Well at any rate, home I must go first,»™, » I como back I sha I be with you m haU-an-hotr. m "Hotter come at once!" : ■ " No, I must ro home first , Mi _,.f Tom was a kind hear'od man, »naasiong» ». ho was in his sober ssnsesho would«M» li is only reason for going horna was tOiam . wife'know of hi'i whereabouts for, being a « ■ night, ho taought slio would bo unaasyaow But this night Tom Parkirs. without too* ■ it. is on the edgd of aprecpicP. l? n 9."S that he thinks of spending will be in thecw"! I selot tho ungo.ilr." and among tho gH,; Not that ho tbiuka thus of the oonpaniojjw |j whom he has just parted-bo tries to v™™ himself that they nro his friend?. JM' - Parkins cannot think himself into » " state of mind; paying with edKe fl dJ o?' 3uujt I, ways dangerous! ana so many find to w» | cost. . .. ,p» *iW.

***** A aisW ft Anothor quarter of an hour toaspassotts^ Mrs.Park:ns looked out at her do<r, anau mind is getting seriouely unewy. , tW! Tho unused tea-lhings »« still on thow but, thobliuo has died out, and Jin., »« begin* almost to give up her Meaof *at "? g . for her husband; for she is afro d dron, who are, as yet, «*»«• 'S fractious if kept, longer without their «*. tomed irea!. , ~ j-,,,. a«l : But hark ! and she hasten* to the •™f'& I listonsamomentto make quite «'r^)^ ial toowe the step, and before lorn 1 """Ujj knock his anxious wife at the door to row. him. But ho niters not. »mnote°W "Don'tstand in tbo fog, a--I,rlw, 0 ffi» in! I'm going to spend an l>our or i«^ some friends to-night-so you nocan t ;o* r^ t If I'm a bit late," he says, before she can »p»* , ™Mr3 Parkins' heart sints, as shejrees^J* little plan ot surprise falling thro. af £.5? voice is full of disappointment oai she saj " Oh, Tom! you would be better at d« such a night as this." ..j thats''l' Jt flashed into her husband s mira™ hon»: might if his home were anything j"" " but he only says, a little inipahentiy ( . "'• Then, make haste out of the log ■ ff Turning on his heel, he was W.'^m *'' out even a look at tho comfortoDie i 1 t v eD tlio had been made ready for him; w jus* and tP cop Is in the grate gave »,8» nd«'?gaianni"»; sprang a bright flame, making suoh«£» „,<£ tion, and showing Mrs. P^^faS BWOdW to such advantage, that her hus^V , half a second, in speechless amazemen fi( , Withoit a word. Tom rf'S,!,"ll*1 into the cottage, and closing the ouy > pIJC o etarinKatthe alterations that haa i» . ho0I c; in his home-his homo? Yes it Yf. t aod»«W end th» neat looklni? young wonia '»» (ares his side firmly icaolved that the lu)»' she was ab!e to keep it-should neTer attraetivo than it did to night; antt es . band kissea her, she askei; Tom?''*?. I " You won't g > out again t^-nigW, 1 $1 | a' feeling of delight went througn v | he»rd the answer— iv«,.nieht, as'1 "* ■ "No indeed, lass-nor any otter nignt. R ns home looks as cosy as this. . sa vei»?: I So Mrs. Parkiiif, by a T^r ionm, .M | husband from gambiing and a P^ D"£ y c oam^ § us hope that the good thus beeun fflay^ |