Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-04-08
a Beanslfa1 story.
THE rnRsr cnoss WORD.

THE rnRsr cnoss WORD.
You seem happy, Annette. always. / have new
er been in house where the husband and wife
seemed more so.n
aWeIl done. Kate, said Mrs Huntington, laugh
ing, you have used the word only twice in
that short sentence And, now, you have begging
way about you. as if you were really IN earnest 20
hear something about married life before taking the
fatal leap It is well Harry is not here to see the
look of sadness in the eye of his bride elect. he
might fancy her heart was full of misgivings instead
of wedding fpery'
Don't laugh at me, Annette; talk with as
you used to do | love Henry, you know and yet
have many misgivings about married life. | see so
few who really happy in this relation mean
happy as should wish to be. You seem to come
nearer to it than any one else. Do you ever qua"
Quarrel? No, not often now. We had our
breaking in. believe it must come to all, sooner
or later"
Do tell me all about it. will you Annette -
Yes. if you are very DESTROYS of it. You may
learn something from it y
Il was q romantic girl, as you well know. Kate.
these friendships did not quite satisfy my heart
Something more it cravcd | hardly knew what.
until loved my husband. When were married,
used sometimes to ask myself-do | find in this
life all that expected to find am as happy |
thought. [ should be? My heart has al
ways responded yes, and more so With US the ro-
nance OF married life if may so call it, held on a
long time. For my part, was conscious of pleas
urabe excitement of feeling when we were together.
enjoyed walking and riding only with him. The
brightest hours of the day were those in which we
sat down alone together, to talk read For long
time, felt gentle restraint in his presence. !
liked to be becomingly dressed. When dull made
effort to be social and cheerful if he was present.
had great fear Of getting into the way OF sitting
down stupidity with nv husband, or of having no.
thing to talk about but the children and the butch
er's bill. | made business of remembering every
pleasant thing which read, heard, thought, to
tell him. and when all these So i"cts exhaus-
ted we each of US had hol,::, could ride so
that we were never silent for want of something to
say. Thus we lived for year or two. was very
! happy | think peope were often surprised TO see
us continue to enjoy each others society with so
much zest.
" But there was this about it. as vet | had no.
| thing to try me. We were boarding had no care:
and his tenderness and interest sovereign pa
nacea for the little ails and roughness which must
fall to US in our best estate This could not last,
however, forever He became more and more occu-
pied in his business and |, at length, had house
and baby to look after. Then, for the first time,
our mutual forbearance was put to the test. lith-
erto, we had been devoted to each other; the
real cares of life pressed upon as often really
! to absorb energies. | the first 10 feel the
change. 1t seemed to if something was over
shadowng u.s. Sometimes would get sentimental
and think he d not love as he once did. AS
look back now, | am convinced that here was my
fJst acroag step. Indulgence in these moods weak
ened my resolution. 1t was an injustice to him, Of
| which ought not to have been guilty 1t left me
too, with wounded feeling, as II had been wrong
ed, which began to affect my spirits.
! Once, | had for time, carried about this
littl. spot in my heart. | kept the matter al
to myself, for in part ashamed and in part toe
proud to speak of it. Here was another wrong step
There is security of happiness in married life
but in the most perfect confidence.
'There came of damp, chilly weather
n,,o c,,1 49,
taken cold my head ached !; and my baby had beer
worrisome during the night. In my kitchen | haC
cross, ignorant servant girl and on this particu
lar morning she had done her very worst for break
fast The beef-steak was burned to cinder; the
eggs were like bullets the bread was but half ba
Ked and, the coffee. which was our main stay, was
execrable. My husband was very patient with al
this until it to the coffee, and this upset him
He put his cup down, & said in haIf-vexed tone,
do wish we could have good coffee. Annette, VIII,
cannot you have it made as my mother does I! This
was drop toe much for me- and | boiled over
You never think anything on our table fit to be
eaten said and almost started at the sound 0
my voice you had better live at home if 70,
are not satisfied else provide me with decent Ser
wants. | cannot do everything -take care Of ny
baby all night and get breakfast too"
Il did not know before that was so very unrea
sonable,' said he in tone Of injured feeling. II
sat few minutes, then rose, left his untasted break
) fast put his hat and went off.
"Whcn heard tic door shut behind him. all m,
temper left me- | went into my room, locked mysel
in, sat down and cried like child. This was thu
first cross word had spoken to my husband. -
1t seemed to if some sudden calamity had be
; fallen US worked myself up to such pitch o
feeling, that walked about the room wringing m,
/ hands.
'.Oh it is all over with US, thought 1--WE sbal
E never be happy again in this world" This though
made me unspeakably miserable felt as if a blac
pail had fallen around me, and in the future Their
p was only back-darkness. In my misery, sough
. to comfort myself by blaming him. He need no
have spoken to me, at any rate, said out loud
f he might have seen how felt it was too much 70
any one to bear 1t really not one bit kind il
, him It is plain enough that he does not care 70
me as he once did Then to be always telling m
:, what nice things his mother cooks, when he know
: am trying to do my very best to learn to pleas
him p! 1t is really too bad"
Don't look so dreadfulIy sober, Kate My bah
cried at this time. and had to run before | wa
through with my catalogue Of grievances, yet ha
gone far enough to get well on the wrong track a
l. gain. | began to calm myself with the reflection
> that if there had been great wrong done, was nc
the only one to blame for it. very sorry tina
= had spoken cross to him, but | thought he ough
+ TO be sorry too Before my baby had finished cry
S ing, came to the conc usion that would not exh
> bit signs of penience until saw some in him.
SO bathed my face, that no traces of tears mig
e remain, dressed myself with unusual care and wen
- down to old Bridget, to give very particula
! direction about the dinner | did this with a MAJ
- tYr-like spirit meant to try my best to make hir
;, sorry for his injustice. resolved to reproach hin
with first rate dinner. good his mothe
is could cook. TO whet the edge of my delicate II
e proof, made with my own hands, most exec
Is lent cup of coffee.
re, One O'Clock came at last though thought it me-
t, er would the door opened, and heard bis step
ID the hall. Of all things in this world-he was wills