Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-01-29
The Reyerie of an Old Maid.
lC0RckuAd.l {

y. That is no excuse, Mrs. K
would here remark; Hgrace ought
b be strong enough to conquer nature
le T Dear Mrs. K -, / have great I
" spect for your Judgment, great reve
e ence for your opinion ns- but forgiv
me if | cannot quite give in my a,
: herenee to this sentiment of yours n
!, Was there no grief of wounded fec
ing IN the reproachfal look which th
i Siaster turned on Peter who denie
e him?
| snuffed the candle and resume
my musings.
1t is partly my own fault, I salt
partly the fault Of circumstances
that | am thus alone. Certainly it j
not because l never had a chance B
being otherwise. l was young ant
pretty once, and in those days I-hat
my offers as well as other people. =
And there was one; but he is gone
long years ago. OAl there are nc
such men nowadays!
But suppose he had lived; that the
secret, unacknoRledged tenderness
| which we cherished, had been under
stood, ayowed? How would it have
been then?
/ can picture to myself our sanlit
days of courtship; the dark eyes look |
ing into mine with happy fondness,
the hand in which mine is warmly
clasped.
A year passes on, and it is our
wedding day. Westand side by SIDE
in that old parIor, consecrated both
by sweet and mournful memories
He gazes on me with such earnest
affection that | blush and tremble
when | meet his eye.
We are married; with pure, conf
ding love, with humble trust in that
Power stronger than we, and able to
sustain us, we speak the solemn VOWS
which bind us together for all our fu-
ture life. Friends come around us,
kisses are showered on the bride, and
congratulations on the bridegroom.
Then comes the exchange of the
white dress and flowing yell for j
a palmer, soberer attire. We are
whirled away in a travelling carriage;
when the honeymoon is over, We come
back and settle down quietly in our
home. We are happy, for we have
youth and Realth-flith in God and
in each othfr, Perhaps in the first
days of our welded life we have felt
a little saddened and disappointed
that even the full and free possession
of each others love did not bring
that perfect rapture which we had
looked for But we have not S poken /
Of this.and gradually the feeling fades
away; in place of that bliss which
lovers dream of but which not one Of |
them has realized, we have quiet,
eveg-deepening affection, which lights |
up our home and hearts INCREASINGLY.
Our house is small, but pretty;
there is little apartment, half closet, |
half recess which we fill with books, |
and call the Library. There is b
breakfast room, well lighted and at /
ranged, and my own sitting room,
looking out upon the garden. There
are. flowers in profusion about THE |
house, and creeping vines, and fine
old trees. In the kitchen garde b |
there is a goodly array of vegetables, |
from the ruddy beet and pink-eyed d !
potato, to the more delicate celery
and asparagus On these | expen ID |
a vast deal Of culinary skill. / take !
a housewifely pride in preparing
dishes at once sayory and frugal II
My husband smiles at my economy;
or prophesies that | will make him a
rich man before long. /
l can see nd W our breakfast table,
spread with its snowy cloth. There |
are the cups Of steaming coffee, the
warm rolls, the half mackerel nicely
broiled, and the golden butter
Eyerard, in his dressing-gown and
slippers, looks the personification off
Ease and comfort. I wear dark
and a little collar; my hair
is neatly braided, forI remember, !
and as vet | put in practice, the ad-
vice so often bestowed on women, not |
to neglect after marriage the neat
ness which 50 pleased the lovers eye
before it. M !
0 ur meal is finished, yet we linger
At the table TO talk over the various |
-hinrs so inthrasfino I'd MS. so uniIr- |