Alexandria Gazette

From the New York Star.

THE REMEDY:—A DOMESTIC SCENE.

After all said on the subject of the times, of reform, and the necessity of economy in all our outlays, the true way is to set to work forthwith, and carry reform to practical execution, and see how it works. Example is a great guide, and what one will do, the others will imitate. Fashionable extravagance would be at once surrendered, when it is fashionable to be economical. A very large importing house was prostrated by the gales of the storm, and first tried the experiment of extension, finally gave up, and suspended payment. About a fortnight or three weeks after that event had taken place, I called at their magnificent mansion in ——— Place, and found the house closed, and a bill on it, for sale or to let.—I stood musing for a few minutes, calling to mind the splendor of the last party I had been at, in that very house, in January last; the parlors with their magnificent ottomans, damask chairs, rich Persian carpets, candelabras, and costly mirrors—the gay and fluttering crowd of fashionables, the superb supper, and massive plate, and flashing lights, and jocund faces, and, above all, the graceful and delighted mistress of the mansion. Now all was dreary and desolate: the dust had already collected on Venetian blinds, and the plated bell handle looked dark and dingy. An air of desertion and decay lowered on the mansion; the airy dreams of the occupants had vanished. I determined, however, to see my friends. for he who forgets a friend in the hour of adversity is not fit to live in this world, and, on pursuing my enquiry, I traced them to a small street east of the Bowery. and living in a neat two story house.—I rang the bell and was ushered into the parlour by a little girl with a clean check apron. I looked round the rooms. What a contrast! A plain but ingrain carpet, neat rush bottom chairs, a sofa. two small looking glasses in the piers, under which was a plain mahogany table, and plated candlesticks on the mantle piece. Every thing was neat, and directly in the opposite extreme of splendor of their former habitation. The lady of the house met me with a cheerful smile and a cordial shake of the hand. The last time I had seen her she was alighting from her carriage, splendidly dressed, at Stewart's in Broadway: she now had on a neat calico dress. a silk apron, and a plain cap. and she looked exceedingly interesting . "Why how you stare." said she "am I not an altered woman?" "Yes, but altered for the better. How well you do look!" "Do I? Why yes, I think I do I take great exercise—bustle about the house—rub furniture, as you once advised me to do—look after the kitchen am constantly employed; indeed it must be so, for we cannot keep an army of servants, as we formerly did." "It will all work well. be sure of it; the storm will soon blow over, at least with you, because you show yourself to be a skillful pilot; you take in sail in time, and will soon have your ship moored in smooth water." "Well, you do comfort me exceedingly. for I have seen but few of my gay friends of late. Here comes my husband—no you must sit down and take a cheerful family dinner with us " A very white but not very fine table cloth was spread; uncut tumblers— blue plates, buck handle knives and forks— japanned bread basket, &c and the little girl with a check apron waited on us. A beef-steak and a hot potatoe = a couple of slices of fried halibut—an apple dumpling —good white bread and a tumbler of beer, constituted our dinner. "Don't look at me." said the hostess, "for really I eat like a ploughman—of late I have had a most unfashionable appetite; but then I rise with the sun, and the day passes so quickly that night sets in before I have done one half of my work—now don't smile when I say work, for although you know I have not been used to it, yet really I do work, and very hard." "Do you not miss your horses and carriage— your rides up and down Broadway— your visits to Stewart, Boyle and Venables?" "No. not in the least; I do miss my purse occasionally, to be frank with you, but then I accommodate my means to my wants, and all is smooth. We cannot eat gold you know, it only can perform certain offices. which I do not want. I have enough of a rich wardrobe to last me for years, rather too many pocket handkerchiefs that cost me $30 a piece; and as to the carriage and horses, if they brought their gratifications, they were also a source of trouble, vexation and expense, and I am better without them.— Thus I derive consolation from misfortune, and am content and most happy."

All this is the result of practical good sense—of a determined mind, which soars above misfortune—of a happy contented nature. What a treasure, such a wife is to a man in these times. and who instead of increasing his gloom and despondency by frowns, upbraiding and fretfulness, meets him with the smile of —keeps up his energy and inspires him