Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-08-22


the Caudle family, has taken to the
Hermit Of Bepyfule. Here is speci-
men -
"You heard US talking? Ay, sir,
the old story the old grievance, sir,
twixt man and woman" said the her.
NIT.
The hermit, shaking his head and
|groaning, cried" Buttons"
Buttons - said we.
The hermit drew himself closer to
the table, and spread his arms upon it.
leaned forward with the serious air Of
a man preparing to discuss a grave
thing. Buttons" and then clearing
his throat, he began, In the course Of
your long, and | hope well spent life
has it never come with the thunderboli
conviction upon you, that all washer
women, clear-starchers, getters-up Of
fine linen, or under whatever name
Ewes daughters--for as Eve brought
upon us the stern necessity of shirt.
it is but just that her girls should wash
thunder whatever name they cleanse
and beautify flax and cotton. that they
are all under some compact, implied or
solemnly entered upon among them
selves and their non-washing, non
starching, non-getting-up sisterhood,
that by means subtle and almost NOR
ally certain they shall coax, worry,
drive all old bachelors and widower:
soever into the pond Of irredeemable
wedlock Has this truth, sir, never
struck you ?"
GLOW, by what means % we asked
"Simply by buttons," answered the
hermit, bringing down his clenched fis,
upon the table.
We knew tive looked incredu.
lous.
"See here, sir, said the hermit, lean
ling still farther upon the table. II
will take a man in the outstart OF life,
set his hat acock at matrimony--a man
who de6es hymen and all his wicked
wiles. Nevertheless, sir, the man mus
wear a shirt the man must have {
washerwoman. Think you that shirt
returning from the tub, never wants
one, two, three buttons ? Always, sir
always. Sir, though / am now an an
chorite, have lived in your bustline
world, and seen, ay, about as much as
any one of its manifold wickedness.-
Well, the man, the buttonless man, al
first calmly demonstrates with his laun.
dress. He pathetically wrings his
wrists at her, and shows his condition.
The woman turns upon him her vain
scot face, and promises amendment
The thing shall never happen again.
The week revolves. Think you the
next shirt has its just and lawful num-
Der of buttons Devil bit"
Starting at the word we looked, we
fear, reproachfully in the hermiPs
face.
"Pardon me let it be as if it never
had been said," cried the anchorite, a
deeper tint dawning on his cheek, and
his eye looking suddenly moist. "Par-
don me, but the heart has strange
chords, and even buttons may some
times shatter them"
We bowed, and begged the hermit
to proceed.
Well, SIR" said our host, after an
effort, "week after week the poor man
wranglcs with his wasberwoman ; from
the very gentleness Of even maiden
complaint, the remonstrance rises TO a
hurricane of abuse and still the wash
erwoman il would seem, bound by an
oath to her unmarried sisterhood, brings
home no shirt complete in all its but
tons. Man-the fercest Of his kind
cannot always rage. He becomes
tired ashamed Of clamor. He signs
and bears a buttonless fate. His
thoughts take a new turn. His heart
opens /; he is softened, subdued and
in this, his hour Of weakness, voice
a demon voice--whispers to him,
Fond, foolish man why trust thy
buttons to an alien ? Why helplessly
depend upon the needle and thread Of
one who loves not thee, but thy shil-
ling 2 Take a wife have a woman Of
thine own, and one who shall care for
thy buttons ~ The temper is strong.
Man smiles distrustfully, but still he
smiles. That very night-it so hap
pens-he goes to house warming
He is partner at cards with Miss Kitty.
She never did look SO toothsOme. And
then her voice-'twould coax a nail
on, of a heart Of oak. The man thinks
Of his buttons; and before he leaves
the house Kitty has been brought to
nnnfess that she doesn't know what she