nk there was any
great harm in that."

"Of course there was harm in using other people's things without
their consent," I replied, severely. "And I don't wonder that Mrs.
Jackson accused you of stealing. But what cause had you for thinking
this letter was from Mrs. Jackson?"

"The two names are so near alike, and then Mrs. Jackson speaks
about--."

Here Mary caught herself, and crimsoned still deeper.

"That is," said I, "you took the liberty of peeping into my letter
before you gave it to me; and this is not your first offence of the
kind."

Mary was too much confounded to speak, or make any effort to excuse
herself; and so thought it best to retire.

I called to see Mrs. Jackson that day. She gave Mary a good
character, as far as honesty was concerned; but stated plainly her
faults, especially her bad habit of wearing her clothes and
trinkets, for which offence, in a moment of indignation, she had
dismissed her from her service.

I saw no reason to send Mary away. But I gave her a "good talking."
I think she is pretty well cured of her propensity of reading other
people's letters.

CHAPTER XVI.

HOUSE-CLEANING.

I LIKE a clean house. So does Mr. Smith, and so do all men, if they
would acknowledge it. At any rate, when their dwellings seem a
little dingy or dusty--a very thin coat of dinginess or dust over
the whole, producing a decidedly bad effect--I say when their
dwellings appear to them out of order--though ever so little--_we_
are sure to find it out. The dull look of the house appears to be
communicated to the countenance of the master thereof. I confess
that I have often been half inclined to wax and cork my husband's
visage, or at least to whisk over it with the duster, and see if
that experiment would not restore its sunny look.

But though men like clean houses, they do not like house-cleaning.
They have certain absurd notions which they would wish to carry out;
such, for instance, as that constant-quiet, preventive care, or
frequent topical applications, carefully applied, would gradually
renovate the whole interior. But who wishes to be cleaning all the
time? Who wishes to be always dusting? Indeed, at the best, we are
constantly with broom, brush, or besom in hand; but the men will not
perceive it, and we receive no credit for our tidiness. What is to
be done, then? Evidently there is nothing better than a
"demonstration," as the politicians say--a demonstration that may be
felt;