Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-08-04
The Selfish Wife.

|
feathers into your bonnet. my dear Mary?"
said Edward Burgess to his young and
pretty, but somewhat wilful and vain wife.
"And why not?" was the petulant reply.
"What ails the feathers, pray9"
"Nothing ails them. as far rs l can
judge said her husband; ''only that they
are quite unfit for you to wear"
"Unft! why unfit! am sure can see
no thing unfit in plume of black feathers
for nae any more than any one else =
Unfit, inoeed!"
"Why, my dear Mary, surely you must
allow that they do not agree, with our
situation in life. Feathers, flowers, and
such inery are, in my opinion, quite out of
place onthe wife of a man just commenc-
ing business>> And besides, love, when |
tell you that disapprove Of them, | am
sure you will readily give them up.''
''lndeed, | shall do no such thing. Very
pretty, trulyI Because you have taken a
dislike to the feathers, am forbidden to
wear them. 1t is downright tyranny, and
what will never submit to - :. s.--.
"Well, if you prefer feathers to me,
wear them by all means" And the disap-
pointed husband left the room. .l !
Meantime, Mrs. Burgess proceeded with
her work, but although on trying on her
bonnet, decorated with the really handsome
black plume. she exclaimed with delight,
Beautiful exquisite she could not but be
sensible of ON uneasy sensation at her
heart, as if all were not quite right there.
Mary Burgess had not been wife more
than two months when the colloquy above
related occurred. Without being exactly
evil disposed, she unfortunately possessed
many unariable qualities. among which,
the most prominent were vanity-an over
whelmlng opinion Of her own mental and
personal superiority-and the most pro-
found selfshness. .l. a5f !.
Her vanity and self conceit had been
cherished by the injudicious training of a
week minded mother, ns she was really a
pretty girl, they had been encouraged in no
slight degree by the attentions and hattery
of the other sex. .... j. -..........se
It is no wonder, therefore, that Mrs
Burgess conceived she conferred an honor
on the man she accepted for husband, and
hence her determination to exact from him
oil the devotion and homage she had been
accustomed to receive from her lovers.
3 AS said before, they were but just
/ married and Edward had opened shop in
q respectable street in the oil and Italian
business. He was q clever tradeslnan
! sober and industrious, and devotedly attach
ed to his wife, whom he ardently desired tc
: keep like a lady. Thus he had not ye
, hinted wish that she could serve in the
} shop although this forbearance involved the
{ necessity of keeping a shop.nan as well a:
!, a boy, and these added to q servant girl
!; rendered their establishment very expen
sive for young beginners. s~
To resume whence | digressed. MARY
:. sought her husband. her work being finish
, ed-for though she was fully resolved tt
, have her own way, she felt liltle anxiou.
> to know how far he would resent her disc
t bedience . ,as a "a.
Il But Edward, who was too amiable t.
fond affection, which smote even her selfsI
, heart, and SO completely disarmed her, tha
, she inwardly resolved to remove the feath
, ers from her bonnet and substitute pec,
( of unpretending black ribbon. :
The evening passed happily away, ant
although Mary did not effect the mediate,
' change on her bonnet that night, she said tt
!. herself that she would only wear it ath'
. next day to visit her friend Susan Cook
and then 1os. .a--Har s......l-.:
Alas, for our wisest resolves, Susa,
D Cook admired the black plume excessively
: and protested it would ruin the bonnet t.
: alter it, and besides, she said, sit would b.
e giving Burgess his own way," which sh
; persuaded Mary ofall things to avoid
d ''For,'' she remarked, 'syou must begin a
you mean to go on; and if you suffer hin
n to interfere with your dress, there will b
u no end to it, So it was at last agreed t
u let the bonnet remain rs it was.
This triAing circumstance was but tn
:, commencement of q system Of female way
wardness and despotism. From the desir
it to have her own way sometimes, she deter
If mined never TO give up to her husband o
y any occasion; and so artfully did the prett
IS desPot disguise and veil her tyranny wit
the Establishments Of pretended affection