Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1851-08-07
From -3rthsr's Home Gazette.
SOCIAL SINS.
A DAY OF SINCERITY.
BY ALICE 3. NEAL.


I wish-r'
We'll my dear, 60 on" said Mr.. Max
well, looking up from the last number of
the Living Age
Well, then--I do wish Henry, that
people would speak the truth"
1t was a pleasant little home scene plea
SAINT enough to have made any bachelor
friend waver in his resolution Of single
blessedness, or at least to 90 home and
find an additional dreariness in his lonely
apartments. There was the open piano
the round table with it's solar lamp, aud
Mrs. MaXwell's well ordered work box,
which displayed shining implements of in
dustry upon its crimson lining Books
were near title ;ast magazines and the
evening paper aud on one side lounged the
master OF the mansion. as comfortable as
a good bank account and quiet conscience
could make him
Mrs, Maxwell was hemming some very
diInlnutive ruffies, and her husband had
been reading aloud but pause ensued
which was broken by the exclamation we
have recorded.
[ had supposed" said Mr.. Maxwell
twirling his paper knife, " that every one
in polite society told the truth, at least
after they left the counting house"
That's the very thing I complain Of
The more polite the more insincere l
get so that | dIstrust any one who has a
show of cordiality [ used to ask when
was introduced to q new acquaintance, is
she clever 2 But now I say, do you think
her sincere q
-, Ia Il 7
must the morality your sex be reduced >
Now you will see why l prefer the
country am fairly sick of such hollow
ness, she continued earnestly
! Mr. Maxwell looked grave He had
I long suspected that his wife endured ra-
ther than enjoyed her city life Yet she
/ left her home so willingly for him, and
novice as she was had made a most favor
able impression in the society to which he
had introduced her
"You know, Anna how willingly would
/ give you country home if it were possi-
/ bic, but just now. my business forbids it ;
and besides, [ doubt if after having been
accustomed to the variety of city life, for
so long time, you would be contented in
a village once more And YOU cannot
have forgotten the bitter dislike YOU once
profcssed to the gossip, which is the fault
of all small communities
Now, Harry, that's almost Ike reproof
Indeed am contcnted with whatever
may be your fortune But you don't know
how this one thing troubles me It's not
actual story telling | mean, though there
Is one person we often see that [ never
give the least credenee to. But these i'm
piled falsehoods, these conventional un-
truths Why scarcely day passed, that
| do not meet with one or more"
"Well, what put all these sombre re
tiections into your mind just now"
"A real untruth this time 4 white
lie [ suppose half the world would call
it Susie Lane told it to me this morn
ing as 4 capital joke, bat I could not laugh
She has Just been in Baltimore on a visit.
and while there was invited to pass an
evening in - Square. The lady made
many apologies for her husband not call
ing at the same time, saying that lie would
be delighted to see her on the evening na-
med. But when the hostess rushed into
the dressing room to meet her,-rllsh is
the only word that describes that style Of
reception. know it perfcctly-she told
her between a shower of kisses. that she
was 50 Sorr4-tlat Mr.. L. had been called
away on important business. but be had
left his kind regards, aud said he was too
much disappeared Mr. L. admires you
50 much" concluded the apology
Susie said she could not help feeling all
this warmth was not exactly real. for the
lady was slight acquaintance, though
her husband had been her early friend
So she shrugged her shoulders inwardly-
as she would do, and calculated '.Ah ind
eed as they entered the drawing room"
The evening proved to be very pleasant
and Susie had certainly forgotten Mr. L 5
absence and its cause, when in be walked
She half rose to meet him, thinking
that in compliment to her he had dispatch
ed his pressing business-but to her sur
prise he spoke to every one in the room,
first At last he came upon her, sitting
in corner near the piano, and met her
with the greatest cordiality.
Oh, Miss Lane is it possible Why
when did you come to Baltimore. Laura
my love, this is an unexpected pleasure -
Why did you rot tell me Miss Lane was
in town 2"
Madame blushed, as we'll she might and
stammered something about his return
having been quite as unexpected while
he explained that the gentleman had not
kept his appointments although he should
not have made it, had he known his old
friend Susie was expected
You can imagine how Susie, with her
keen sense of the ludicrous. enjoyed this
But she had good feeling enough not to
expose the wife before her husband -
Mrs. l.. looked very uncomfortable. the
rest of the evening, and accompanied Su
sic to the dressing room, where, as she as
sisted her on with her cloak, she explained
that being annoyed with some domestic
disarrangement that morning, she had for
gotten to mention her expected visit, but
thought it Of no consequence as he would
return cary At dinner, however. came a