Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1854-06-29

expression Of perverted will.
Joseph and / were at length married. II
seemdd to me that had never been so happy
before; weeks passed as days. Surrounded
by an atmosphere of love and kindness, my
faults were not called out, and Joseph in his
mistaken fondness thought me ali that his
warm heart and noble nature could desire. |
Soon after the marriage we commenced
housekeeping in neat, pretty house just suit |
ed 10 our wants. ! was enabled nearly TO fur |
nsh il with The availS of my last years teach
ing, and the kind assistance of mother and sis
lers. Neatness and orrer were largely devel-
oped in my habits, and for some time nothingl
occurred 10 mar the happiness of our daily
life.
One evening had to wait longer than usual
for Joseph TO come to tea, and suffered long
Suppressed feeling of impatience to beray it.
self in the peeyish tones in which | exclaimed
as soon as soon as he entered the dining room,
"The tea is all cold why did you not come
beforeW
al could not, my dear, as there was no one
10 stay in the store" was the mild reply which
should have put the subject at rest, as knew
that Joseph's business must necessarily occupy
his whole time, he being head clerk in the eS-
tabliShment with which he was connected, ex-
pecting in the course of twoor three years to
be taken ito partnership, therefore it was
necessary for him 10 be active and attentive.
All4this knew, but, like too many wives,
btosk little interest in business affairs, and
would not consider that he had any claims
paramount to my convenience,
Small matters like these should have been
lborne patiently, but in the abs ence of any
greater trouble suffered a thousand triling
| things TO annoy and irrltate me to that degree
| that threatened to "turn over new leaf"
which was but another way of saying, unless
| | can have things my own way l shall give
my husband lesson. He bore my oft-reiter-
ated complaints about what appears to me
now to have been trhes light as air without
resenmentS, offering good reasons excuses, |
called them) for not complying with my wish
| es.
One day, after had reproached him with
| lthinkngmore of his business than Of his wife,
he rose TO 90 out, and as be did so, he turned
| TO me with a look that should have sent re-
nentaEce to my heart and fixing on me those
liaud grey eyes, expressive more of sorrow
I than of anger, "Clara," said he, "if you find
il so troublesome waiting for me, do not wait
any more, but take your meals andclear away
had gone, the temper that should have been
cast behind me prompted me TO take him at
his word. Accordingly when the time came,
| prepared the evening meal and, after wait
ing a few moments sat down, ate alone, then
cleared away the table and took up my sew
ing. In few moments Joseph came IN, and
without raising my eyes from my work. told
4 him in an unconcerned manner as possible,
In. H. fny lie tao / had
u ed itaway., Withept Sayinga wota he turned
and left me house.
know my friend, that when you read thi,
YOU will bitterly reproach me for unkindneS'
i. 10 one who loved me better than life; one, too
for who at times, weul Id have laid down m!
, life, and aught else savemy will. His loss a
one time would 5ave broken my heart, bu
, naturally impulsive, that intense love that fo
! time controlled infrmities of temper | hat
suffered them to gain the ascoendency thu
dashing from our lips the cup Of happiness. =
| allowed myself to forget that the same guarC
: over my con6uct, and the same effort was nee
essary to preserv the affections CT the HUSBAND
!, that were there emp Dyed TO win and obtaii
: the lover.
' But 10 return. That night sat up late, ,bu
my husband did not come. All, thought /, h
y ing out latc thing hehad never done before,
: but he will find his mistake. Finding that h
/ had taken the night key, | determined 10 81
a up no longer. retired but could not sleep
: The mild beams of the moon came softly Seal
: ing through the window, filing the room wit
: fantastic shapes of light and shade, bearin
e to my troubled mind Self-examination, S
: long deferred, As the night deepened ant
t mN husband came not, / wept bitter tear
1 of self accusation, and in proportion 10 m
: fears for his safety did my repentance for tn
e past, and resolve for the future 10 deepen an
. expand.
/. knew the storeSad closed some hours be
fore and we had few friends, indeed none wit
s whom he could be spending the evening"
e Where can he be, was the constantlyrecunin
e question. Just as the clock struck one, hear
the click of the night key and his step on tn
e stairs. With my fears, vanished repentanc
d from my volatile heart, and by the time h
e reached the room | was prepared to pour
d storm of inyective on his head. He paused o
n the threshold, and as the moon shone full i
II his face, perceived that.he was pale and ag
/ itated, and in his moonlight presented ghast
u illness that shocked me so much that spran
IS from the bed, excllining, DoSeph, Mr. LIE
l. land what IS the matter? p He stared ot m
J. ah instant, and in an excited tone replied
st "Don't be fool, Clara. Go back to bed an
d let me alone"
e The truth flashed on my mind, and again
II pressed my pillow, where sought-to faste
the blame on him, rather than take any Shar
!. ton myself. The next day nothing was said {
,r line occurrence ncr the proceeding day an
might. In fact there were. few words spoke
It on any subject; l felt injured and glool
5r seemed to have settled on the countenanc
and manner of my husband.
yl 1t was not for years after that. / kne
l. what may as well mention now. When NJ
If Leland left the store on the event full night,f
T. paused a moment on the threshold, uncertai
j. whittier to direct his steps, dreading after tf
toiIlngs of the day 10 encounter the fretflI
i ness OF an arbitrary wife at home. Home !
II home no longer to his gentle and peace lovir
ct Esprit. Just then an acquaintance passed, an
Of accosting him gaily, inviting him to go an
ID partake of an oyster supper at fashionab
ID restaurant. Unhappily his stomach prompte
a his mind to accept the invitation. That nlel
l. the tempting wine cup was held to his lips;
a second and third followed in rapid success
h. ion, and in that state he sought his chanb'
~ as we have already seen.
in Following this, there came a succession
days and months fraught with the deepest mi
+? cry to both ofus. i win drawA veil over Ii
I'd recollections of this period, only mentionlr
ri that bat NJ fe IN months had elapsed before tn
,y hollow cheeks and bloolshot eyes told ta
ly that none who saw him could fail to read. N
Ia SO \ n -. lua1 .