The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-12-30
THE DOOR LATCH.
RecoIiections of a Married Han.

| RecOhecfi0nS Qt a Married Uan.
"Go back and shut that door! = roarcd in a voice
ofthunder.
| " How can you, my DEAR" said Julia, with a
J jsupplicating glance, speak UGry loud, when
have just told you that my head is bursting with
pain,"
| +" Because" said I, ' can bear it no longer.
1t is now ten years since we moved into this room,
aud ten times every day have | been compelled to
get up and shut that door after one and another
have talked-and talked--but it is all of no use ;
the door still stands wide open, and | cannot bear
Il--No! and Doh bear it any longer-I'll sell
the house sooner than endure it another week.
Her tiny white hand was pressed against her
throbbing forehead, l finished the sentence with
Ia glance at her of undssembed sernness, and the
mild look of patient suffering and imploring sub
mission with which she returned my angry frown-
it cut me to the heart could read my own death
warrant at this very hour with less pain then | felt
at tlat moment, she Iaised her blue eyes gsteN-
ing with suppressed tears and with all the innocence
and affection of an expiring saint, begged in the
silent eloquenco of nature to spare her whom had
promised to cherish and to love"
81 never have seen you troubled" said she (un-
complaining spirit there emphasts-no
not the least, on the word hOubied y "I have new
or seen you troubled at any thing except that door
and gladly would remedy it, but you know
cannot Were a very little filed from the inside the
the catch it would shut without difficulty u should
think of it," said she, after pause, on my
account, but 1t causes yoa much yeXatIon."
1t was true she had said, that | felt more an
ger in consequence of that unfortunate door than
all the other untoward events which had experen-
ced from the time of my marriage. heary loss
q sore disappointment great cnlamity. could
endure with composure. The trial required philos-
ophy for its support and the exercise of philosophy
was qualification to pride. But II door latch !!
bot tInt riv f,r ,,li
None, and therefore l felt it gall me to the quick
Ii was, as observed easy to shut it with little
care-such Title thing if only nttened to. ''Trucr
whispered philosophy IN my ear " but such little
thing to get angry about such little thing to
make you miserable for hour every day for
shame, Mr.. Plowman 7" To tell the truth be-
gan to feel little ashamed when rccoected how
much unhappiness it had caused not only myself
but through me my dearer wife.
declare, my dearl" said |, " that if that door
latch had only been filed ten years ago, it would
have saved each of us year of pain before this
time ~
Thomas had brough, in file before my speech
was finished, and in few moments the door shut
as easily and firmly rs ever door did. i swung it II
few times the hinges with air of triumph, and
verify believe that the work of that single moment
conferred more happiness on Julia as well as my
self, than all his blood bought triumphs ever yielded
to the con qusror.
g The root of bitterness" said l. I" is removed at
last, and can only wonder at my own stupidity in
not thinking of this simple remedy beioro--but
Heaven forgive me had entirely forgotten your
headache the sound of that file must have been
t0rtare to YOU"
She smiled sweety as she leaned her head on my
shoulder, declaring-although her forehead burnt,
and the blood was raging thongh her veins, that it
was "quite cured since The door shm SO easily ~
Uncomplaining, devoted, self-Sacrciug treasure OF
my heart How could do less than to clasp her
with teniold care, and pray-while kissed away
the tear from her eye-that my own cruel thought
lessuess might never Gil its place with another.
Such pleasure was too rare and valuable to be
destroyed at the moment of the birth--so took my
arm chair from the corner, and sitting down by the
side of Julia, who, while she held my hand, looked
me in the face with very much of that expression of
innocent delight, which so rarely survives childhood.
pursued my cogltations somewhat IN the following
order. s. Life is made up of moments. Our hap
piness or unhappiness during any one of these mo-
ments depends almost invariably upon the merest
tfiRes. Ifthese momentary triiles in the scale
of happiness life is happy. Take care then of tri
hes, and great events will take care ef themselves
Somewhere about here 1 began to think aloud y
lost a grandfather-nn nmahle excellent, and
most aiiectonate grandfather-and my grief was
great Nevertheless, do believe that il the hard
boffomes chair, n. II. 1t was of white, in which
have sat for the last eight--ycs nine years-ifI
this chair had but been well covered with good, !
soft, p-skin-purchased n, the cost of nine
pencc.--would have saved me from greater grief
than the death of my grandfather! !"
e" 1t is mortifying reflection" said Julia, inter-
rupiing my soliloquy, and one which at first (
thought would seem to speak little for your heart
yet a.true one perhaps; aud yet no more true with
you than many Others"
And still" saId l, A" am without the slcepskin.
Why Because the pain endured in a single mo-