Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-01-01
From the Ladies National Magazine.
WOmasl's Essfluence,
BY ELLEN ASHTON

BY ELLEN ASHTON
:" DEAR Earnest, do lay aside your law pa
pers, | declare shall not suffer you," con-
'inued his wife rlayfully, "to be devoted 10 any,
Thing hut myself" n
Her husband looked up from The huge brief,
with the wearied look of one almost worn out
by incessant mental labor, but a smile Instantly
came over his face as he met the eye of his
sweet wife,
"Then you will break your promise, Belle"
he said, "for you know | told you, when We
married, tha, the law would be thereafter my
mistress, almost as much as yourself"
So you did. But you are running your
health by this close application, and, as made
no contract for that, you mus, give up ,hese pa
pers for tonight. You Toll too hard: did no,
ihlnk of this when We married, or would no,
have been so selfish" she said with sigh.
NAY, nay, Belle" replied her husband
pushing back his chair from the table, and af
fectionately taking The hand of his wife between
both of his. "here is no need 10 reproach your
self Ii work hard il is because am amhi-
,ious. For your sake am resolved to win a
foremost place al the bar, and with it opulence
bu, instead of repining al the toll that lies be-
fore me, bless God lha, you have been the
means 10 force i, on me. What would have
been bu, the idle spendlhrift was fas. 5ecom-
ing, if had remained my uncle's heir and mar
ried Helen Weston! Ii was my love for you,
which procured my disnherilance, made me
what ann
"Ah, had bu, known ii in ,ime-had you
only told me that you sacrificed fortune for
You would have refused me- You have
said the same dozen times before, Belle, and
know you 100 we'll to doubt your word. II
was for that very reason | did not tell you -
Had informed you ,ha, my uncle would cut me
off without shilling if married YOU mis'a
ken pride would have led you to cancel our en-
eagement And what would have been the
consequence Neither of US would have been
happy for ours was not the love of children.
but of adults, an affection founded on knowl-
edge of each others character and moi on boy
ish and girlsh caprice. When God has thus
Joined us together, in spirit, lie, no man put
asunder; and We should have been acting Grim
inally had we broken our plight TO crafty the
unreasonable and iyrannica whm of my uncle. >
I" Blu, he was your nearest relative"
Gran,ed. But had he been my farher, il
would have been the same. No one goes fur
,her than do in upholding the rights of pa
rents; and, as general rule, their commands,
even on the subject of marriage, should be I'M
plici,ly followed. Yet, in this case, there was
no possible objection to you except your pow
ery. New, as look at The matter, this was
nv affair. If choose to toll hard with you
for my wife. instead of living rich drone as
Helen Weson's husband, il was my business
and that of no other person whatever Besides
knew she was moi fl for wife, al least iol
me; vain, naughty, and il-iempered. life with
her would have been a constant scene OF bick
ering Nay, do no, try 10 defend her-l kno"
vour pood-na,ure would make The best of every
one-I will, if j, please you, say no more o
her: bu, thank heaven that you and not iieler
is my wife"
"Ah, Earnest, how shall ever repay yot
for all you have sacrificed 2"
by saying nothing OF it, Why my dear
have sacrificed nothing for you On the con
,rary, all have Of fame or fortune, | owe ''
YOU. When first won your love was al
| idle man of fashion. the heir expeciani OF 'hous
auds year spent my time al the theatre
! The billiard rooms or the race course. WIN
out being actually depfased, ! was iasi hecoin
inc so. II is true had no taste ior tow dissi
nation. bui was idle, and 'Ime hansi Ing hea'
ily ON my hands, sought amusement any ah'
every where. Believe me, the pam oi fic'
vonno manis Sc, thick with temptation. wa
already acquiring passion Tor pay ""e'
ch,oce. threw me ia ,lie circle where yo'
moved. Itwas passing ~hi", | lllen though
4 ~ Ia ma IN nav visit 10 your country 'o"u u