The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1851-07-09
LAURA CARSWELL
Or, The Cross Husband.
BY MRS. E. C. LOWERING.

Cd BY MRS. E. C. LOWERING.
Mrs. Carswell had been married but little
more than year, when her friend, Mrs.
Marston, dropped in upon her one morning,
and found her convulsed with weeping.
my dear Laura' exclaimed Mrs. Mars
ton, in astonishment, 'how happens it that
you, who were the most cheerful, light
ed Of maidens, have become an unhappy
wife? Has your brief experience in married
life been so bitter?' e
20, no, replied Laura, drying her tears,
and endeavoring to appear cheerful. j
have been happy am happy, assure
you. My husband is the best Of men-he
loves me, and our dear child is a great source
of joy and comfort o, no, my experience
has not been bitter Aits la
Il am very glad to hear it, rejoined Mrs
Marston. But it seems so strange to see
you weep! Why, before you were married
your heart was as ligbtas robins in spring.
You were all sniles-andI / believe you nev-
Ter knew what it was to shed tears in sober
earnest
True said Laura, smiling family, 4
was a gay and thoughtless creature. I be-
lieye was too happy. I ought TO have been
made to know something about the cares Of
life before marriage. As it was, | entered
matrimony as child flies ioyously into a
garden full Of flowers, only to find there are
sharp thoms among the roses, and bees with
dangerous stings among the sweet thyme
In what have you found the sharp thorns
and spiteful bees of married life to consist .
asked Mrs. Marston. r.
Nothing worth naming-nothing Of i'm
Iportance,' replied Laura, blushing. In
deed ought not to think Of my little trou-
Ibles'
But what are these little troubles?' in
sisted her companion. Come, shall give
you no peace until you tell me; and [ am a
great teascr, you know, when | choose to be
Does Mr.. Carswell spend his evenings away
! from home" .J.s} .ar.
fOh, no.
Does he firt with other ladiesp
No, indeed. He is very attentive to me.
lie never visits or attends the theatre without
Ime.' aafu5 ..fsl
Perhaps, then, he is too attentive. Illus
bands sometimes are, am told, though
am sure the accounts we have of such NOR
tails must be altogether fabulous Fl
Il think So
1t must be so, then, that Mr.. Carswel
does not provide well for his family. But
know he is not penurious'
fPenurioush exclaimed Mrs. Carswel
9 he is the most generous man alive. Ihavc
everything could desire..'
'Ah! itis the extreme which troubles
YOU said Mrs. 8Iarstohs 81 sec-you,
husband is too exCravag9nt. In his eager
ness to make you happy, he ncglects to pay
the butcher and baker, and frequent visits
from certain unwelcome acquaintance an
noy your sensitive nature. lti indeed very
provoking 70 have ones attention called q
dozen times day to some small BILL
Il beg Of you, don't suspect Mr.. Carswel
,of any such neglect, interrupted Laura
His bills arc all settled 'tf "
'Then your domestics torment you. II
they are ill-natured, or stupid, or lazy, or dis
honest, turn them away
Il have been very fortunate with my girls,
l am happy to say
'Then do tell me what troubles you have
Il can think Of nothing else. l should say
you were the happiest woman in the world,
If ! had not caught you crying p
: tell you am happy. | have no trou
Ible-that is, no serious trouble, except wher
Mr.. Carswcll appears--I can't explain my.
self, but you know, suppose, men are no
always in GOOD humor.'
Ha, ha! I've got it at last!' cried Mrs
Marston. I see it-so your husband i:
little cross sometimes, is he?
fOh, notexactly cross-oh, nor murmur
: ed Laura. Indeed he is very kind hearted
but he has got into a way Of finding faul
with everything that is everything excep
me; all this, too, without knowing half The
time what he says. He scolds about Tho
cooking, without suspecting how much he
hurts my feelings for | oversee it myself
and try hard to please him. added Laura
while tears gathered in her eyes. 4
In short rejoined Mrs. Marstop, he i
a downright cross husband
'Oh, nor
Yes he is. Don't attempt tp defend tht
wretch. But if, as you say, he loves you
and finds fault more from habit than am
settled ill7will, he is not past all help.
have known men like him. They ate natu
lrally petulant, but they generally have nj
idea how cross they sometimes arel The,
can govern themselves if they like, for the'
are not incurable.'
my dear Mrs. Marston,' said Lau ra, will
an earnest face, you really appeaH to rln
Iderstand my case, and if you can sugges
any method Of curing George Of this fault
finding, you will remove the only obstaclei il
the way of my perfect happiness 4
'Ah, my dear Laura, you don't under
Istand the men quite as well as dol 7,
remove the rank weed from your husband
heart, you have only to convince him that i
is there, and demonstrate how very hatefu
! it's. Now if you say to him, kindly, "Dea
George, don't, | pray you, find fault Will
everything" he viii reply-kissing you
perhaps that he meyer finds fault. withou
reason, and 60 on thoughtless as ever, vent
ling his spleen at everything
But you would not have me reprove hin
! in an unkind manner p
mo indeed that would make him wois,
still. / say you must aemonstrdte to hin
the hatefulness Of his habit Of fault finding.
But how3 p
| why, when he finds fault, you must hclI
him, Il he scolds at his coffee, You mus
show q disposition to throw it out Of the win
dew, If he complains Of a cold room, you
must SILVER and shake, and scold the girl fol
mot keeping a better fire. When he calls
Ithe bread heavy, You must suggest The ides
iof using It as clock weights. "a save the ex.