Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-02-19

time and energies and he meets so many objects
aboad TO divide his attention that his home may
become only like his boarding house. so that how
ever unpleasant such state of affairs NAV be, his
is not an absorbing grief he does not lose caste in
the world, but continues to occupy that position TO
which his wealth or condition may entitlc him. and
may select his own associates. On the contrary
the wife becomes chatel in the eve of the law. a
creature TO be supplied with the necessary comforts
of life but as his ability may procure them for her,
to enjoy such society only as his condition in life
may afford for she sinks at once to his grade, and
perhaps becomes the inmate of his relations All
this requires very devoted degree of attachment
and unless woman can truly say in the touching
language of Ruth, my country shall be thy coun-
try, and whittier thou goest will 90 Also she had
better pause, for cpinng after marriage is as hope
less ungracein and never able to avail itself
of the sympathy it may excite. This man is, | adj
init, handsome and agreeable, but he is stranger
of whose connexions we know nothing, but with
whose habits and preiudices, for everybody has
preiudices, you arc unacquainted. Dearest Flora,
be sure you love him with that true love that adj
mits no dminution, and let me think when | lose
my daughter that her happiness at least is secured
by the sacrifice" and the tears which she could no
longer suppress rolled down the mothers check
Flora leaned her head on her hands and wept al
So but she spoke no word.
"Tell ne truly, my daughter, do you love this
Freeman well enough to abandon all that is now
dear 10 you, lor new ana uhtfled lrlends ana
scenes 2"
8 Dear mother it is very VERY hard to part with
you, but"
" But harder to part with Freeman. Be it so,
Flora-and may the Father of the orphan bless
you, my daughter" and Mrs. Worthington hasten
ed to shut herself in her chamber to give vent to
her sorrow and anxiety in tears.
Flora was the Youngest of four sisters who were
all married but herself She was just Twenty-Five
rather handsome, very agreeable, and favorte in
the circle in which she moved but slight vein of
satire that sometimes spoiled her conversation, gave
evidence of latent temper that the vexaIions OF life
had not yet drawn out The flash of her dark eye
and the naughty curl of her crimson lip, when eros
sed in any little plan she had formed, told too of a
spirit that would Joy in the stormy elements oflife !;
but that life had hitherto flowed so placidy that
even she fancied herself good tempered.
few months previous to the date of our story,
she had been introduced, by one of her brothers
ln-law to young stranger from the extreme west
OF our country--or rather what rus the extreme
west some years since-who was on mission of
some public nature connected with State affairs,
from his section to Congress. By one of those IN
accountable freaks that people puzzle themselves
to give rational for, Flora fell in love, and
the stranger fell in love too especially after hear
ing she was possessed of few thousand dollars
He was soon Flora's declared and accepted lover
and as he assured her "he could not live" with
ed she should die" if she had to remain all win
ter in the city without seeing hint was arrang-
ed they should Immediately be married, and Mrs
Wouhington having given a reluctant consent
Flora prepared to follow him with the confding
trust of woman, and thus give another commenta-
ry on the old saying Of marry in haste and repent
at leisure"
1t was a beautiful autumn evening when the CITY,
bred girl arrived at her husbands home. They had
taken carriage at the landing on the river, and
the blllowy prairie spread its living carpet of green
far as the eye could reach, while the scarcely per-
ceptibe road wound on through its blooming lux
urance Soon q tall forest lifted its unduatnr
line along the horizon, and as they iourneyed on a
clearing began 10 be visible the long waving curl
of blue smoke ascending far up into the serene
ether. AT first appeared large corn fields, then
barn, and lastly log cabin built on the verge of
the wood, but not close enough to be benefited by
its shade, while fclled timber and corn-cribs wood
sheds and pig-pens obsructed the path TO the door
of the rude and lowly dwelling There was
dark red spot on Ffeeman's cheek as he approach
ed his home, and to Floras eager questions rea-
tive to his family, he gave such brief and unsatis
factory answers that long silence had sunk down
over them, and Flora felt chilled by his reserve
A lad ran out of field and in joyful haste hailed
his brother, while his white head, bare logs and
arms and ragged trowsers excited surprised stare
from Flora. Throwing the reins, Freeman lifted
his bride to the ground-and in that moment, an
old woman in a red-hannel dress, white cambria
cap and lilac apron came to the door, and sticking
her thumb into the short semmed pipe she was
smoking, she gave a loud cry of Joy and grasped
the hand of Freeman. Flora shrunk back as she
extended her hand the next moment to her, and on
ly permitted the tips of her gloved fingers to come
in contact with the hardened and sinewy hand that
so cordially welcomed her. 1t never occurred to
her that those limbs might once have been as soft
as hers until exposed to toll and hardshps for hun,
whom she had preferred to all the world and that
hers, in turn, might become as rigid in time. She
only felt disgust and surprise at her uncouth cos
tune, and stopped not to reflect how many sterling
virtues might be covered by the coarse, homespun
garb. Several fine, sun burned young men, all in
country garb, came crowdng in and as Freeman
presented each i'll turn she formally curteysied to
each, and with flushed cheek and contracted brow
sunk on the chair the mother of the family offered
her. AS she looked round on the humble, but neat
dwelling, the plain useful furniture, the nicely ar
ranged beds and implements of female industry,
her angry passions were awakened at what she
thought had been trick played on her by Free
man, and she internally resolved to maintain her
own habits and manners, and as early as possible
dlsengage herself from all connection with her hus-
bands family. The elder Mrs. Freeman now APP
preached and in kind voice invited her to take of
her things While disrobmg, the boys placed a
large pile of wood on the ample hearth, and calling
on their mother " to make the fire." followed their
! 4N'" iNN'ANN "iD ulSldy at ulr hedp
OF logs, sufficient she thought, to dress dozen
dinners; but the old dame soon rolled them into
order, and blazing fire and the clean hearth
spread an air of comfort over the apartment Mrs
Freeman, with the deXterity of back-wood's cook.
soon produced supper that astonished even Flora
by It's variety and plenty; and tine kind and afec-
tonate manner Of the old lady to her sons, and
their frank, good humor would have conciliated
ny heart but hers. She sat sulleny brooding over
her tancied wrongs until real headache, which
was at first only an excuse for not eating, drove
her to bed, Freeman and his mother sat long con
versing together, and Flora saw tears believing the
venerable cheek Of the old toil-worn mot er, but