I had the consciousness that the work _must_ be completed before my husband's return; and he had engaged to be with me at dinner.

I felt it an imperative duty to welcome him with a cheerful house, and a pleasant repast after his journey; but as the time of his arrival drew near, I was more and more convinced of the impossibility.

Like a drove of wild beasts forced into a corner by a hunting party, we forced our unmanageable matters to a crisis.

The area for old brooms and brushes, tubs, litter, and slops, was at last narrowed down to the kitchen, and all that remained of our house-cleaning was to put that place into something like the semblance of an apartment devoted to culinary purposes.

Dinner, as yet, was unthought of--but the house was clean! Wearied rather than refreshed by my night of unrest, my arms sore, and my limbs heavy, I labored with double zeal to get up an excitement, which should carry me through the remainder of the day.
My head began to feel sensations of giddiness--for I had hardly eaten since my husband left.