To her, the idea of a husband or a wife betraying each other's weaknesses or faults by complaints to a third party seemed something sacrilegious; and she used all her womanly tact and skill to prevent any conversation that might lead to such a result.
"Lillie is entirely knocked up by the affair yesterday; she had a terrible headache this morning," said John.
"Poor child! She is a delicate little thing," said Grace.
"She couldn't have had any labor," continued John, "for I saw to every thing and provided every thing myself; and Bridget and Rosa and all the girls entered into it with real spirit, and Lillie did the best she could, poor girl! but I could see all the time she was worrying about her new fizgigs and folderols in the house.

Hang it! I wish they were all in the Red Sea!" burst out John, glad to find something to vent himself upon.

"If I had known that making the house over was going to be such a restraint on a fellow, I would never have done it." "Oh, well! never mind that now," said Grace.

"Your house will get rubbed down by and by, and the new gloss taken off; and so will your wife, and you will all be cosey and easy as an old shoe.

Young mistresses, you see, have nerves all over their house at first.