Critics said she ruled her husband; but what
husband would not rejoice in being so ruled? He came home weary and
he did not want to rule. He wanted to be directed, and he gladly saw
the reins in the hands of his "missus," of whom he was justly proud.
She conducted all the conversation; she spent his money, and even
bought him his own clothes; and although she said a sharp thing or
two now and then, she never really quarrelled with him. The eldest
of her six children was only twelve years old, and she was not over
methodical, so that her apartments were rather confused and
disorderly. She was not, however, dirty, and would not tolerate dirt
even in her boys, to whom, by the way, she administered very short
and sharp corrections sometimes. If they came to the table with
grimy paws, the first intimation they had that their mother noticed
it was a rap on the knuckles with the handle of a knife which sent
the bread and butter flying out of their fingers. She read no books,
and, what was odd in those days, did not go to chapel or church; but
she had her "opinions," as she called them, upon everything which was
stirring in the world, and never was behindhand in the news.
Pages:
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180