Eastern times., 1853-04-21
CHAPTER II.

The winter that followed the marriage of
Cora was decidedly comfortable one. The
quiet pair occupied the front rooms, as the
Rackets though their lease had expired were
The little bride brought some plants from home,
and some pretty rugs of her own manufacture,
some embroidered crckets too, and crimson
curtains through which the bright snn seemed
TO shine the whole winter. Mr.. Simmons
kept the hottest of maple fires, and the old
brass andirons, which for years had rused in
the garret, were made to shine till Jacob de-
clared he could actually count his wife's curls
| in them. No wonder Mr.. Simmons thought
old things had past away and old things had
become new. Even Cora's friends began to
think SO too, when at Christmas they were all
invited to a nice dinner.
To think, said her kind mother, after the
gentlemen had retired to smoke and chat in the
other parIor, to think that our baby should
come to be snch housewife and the old la
dy wiped her eyes and fondled her youngest
darling.
'And to think said Cora, 'that you thought
| was going 10 be so wretched,' and her clear
ringing laugh showed how all untamed was the
joyous spirit within.
After that dinner the whole family decided
that Cora had made very good match. But
everything has an end, even the first winter af-
ter marriage. The spring came on, bringing
new cares and duties TO the farmhouse, and
Cora began to be perplexed with them. Hith-
erto her tasks had been light and pleasant
She loved TO keep her stting-room neat and
bright and to prepare their nice little meals.
and TO brush her husbands Sunday coat and
plat his linen. She had knit him pair of
warm yarn mittens of fox and geese pattern,
and he had declared that Mistress Racket, with
all her hustle was nothing the wife she was
But for her new duties, Cora had no experience.
How those flowing pals Of milk were to be
transformed into hard waxen balls Of butter,
moulded and stamped to suit the taste of the
most fastdous purchaser, and above all how
the tall screen was to be filled with large gol-
den cheese, (such as Mrs. Racket was wont to
exhibit 10 her admiring visitors) was pro-
found mystery to the little wife. By the aid of
a strong efficient servant, Cora might have
got along comparatively easy, instead OF
which her husband brought home a little
dumpy girl Of fourteen to increase her per-
plexty, one who would stand for hours with
folded hands waiting tor Miss Simmons, as
she called her, to tell her what to do. Poor
Mrs. Simmons, she knew as little as herself
what ought TO be done especially whea a
frown had begun TO gather on the brow Of
her husband, which was every day deepen
ing. AT first Cora had been able.to remove
it, by pIayfully getting her smoothing iron
and affecting to pass it over the lowering FORE
head. But latterly he had babe her leave
her fooIeries and try to be of some use to
him. 4 see, soliloquised Jacob, that have
done wrong to humor her so. | ought 10
have let her known what was what at first
but LII fetch her into her place. There is no
reason she should not be as useful and capa-
BILE as that Racket woman, and she must be
so; allow no half way measures-no soft
solder for me- Thus reasoned Simmons,
and henceforth the spoiled petted girl Of six
teen was to eynce the decision and efficiency
of the experienced and toil-burdened matron,
or never more repose in the sunlight of her
husbands smiles. Poor Cora, it was now
that she began 10 shed bitter scalding tears
in her secret places, more bitter that her
grief could not be impaired to another
Child as she was, Cora felt that wifs's grief
could not be divided. In this she was right.
Ihe sorrows of childhood may be sobbed
forth on the maternal bosom. Youthful
grief may find redress in the sanctuary Of
home. Loves tale even, may be breathed
into the ear of friendship, but the deep heart
wilhering canker born of iil-assorted mar
riages, lei the parties learn TO bear in silence
especially should the aggrieved wife lock her
sorrows within her own bosom, and forever
hide the key beneath quiet exterior. Blu
happily for the sorrOwing Cora. there wa'
one refuge, and 10 her weary loneliness, she
was driven there. ..-,.f-5f
The married pair had already passed 4
IL a - - l..