The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-02-28
%.

saying TO himself, for the first time since he had
known her, with sigh, "Ah, she is very
young
Mounting to his books, and descending with
his cigar This, then, was the excellent house
keeping of which Mrs Hathaway had talked
SO much and from which he had promised
himselfso much comfort
As time wore on, however, the lover became
merged in the natural selfshness of the man
andinthe growing requirements of middle age,
and Fanny found that her husband could stoutly
insist upon his own wishes and thwarted her
little plans with the utmost coolness, in spite of
all her pretty willfulness, which had triumphed
SO successfully in the earlier days Of their mar
rage Partly from carelessness, and partly
from resolution, however, she did many things
without consulting him that secured her much
larger portion of her own wishes than he would
otherwise have allowed her. And in fact it
soon came to this-where she could have her
own way in spite of him, she had it, and where
she could not she had to yield It is true, in
many things he INDUCED her to an extreme
But then it was the indulgence that is extended
to spoiled child Sometimes to an excess,
and sometimes as unrcasonably withheld as at
other times granted. In short, it was Just ac-
cordiEg to his humor and like a true spoiled
child she considered herself most ll-treaed
whenever she had not all she wanted. Money
was one of the sources of her ve1ations. Not
but that her husband was liberal to fault
that is, in permitting her to run up bills. But
he never gave her money. Now every woman
knows that fifty dollars gives more pleasure in
the hand than a hundred in accounts. But he
had some old fashioned notion about her not
knowing its value, or that she would lose it, as
if the best way to teach was not to intrust her
with what she must necessarily expend.
And this was one Of hermany complaints to
her mother, and even to some of her friends,
for Fanny was very communicative, much more
so than suited her husbands taste, and many
time he yielded at once when Fanny would
begin to say to some guest, in a tone Of expos
tulation-
Now can you see what difference it can
possibly make to Mr.. Hughes if I so to Long
Branch this summer instead of Rockaway? He
can come to see me but once week wherever
| am
70 which he would hastily interpose with,
II am sure, Fanny, have no objections to your
doing as you please about it,
To which she was very apt to answer, 81 am
very glad you have changed your mind, for the
other day you We're SO cross about it,
But notwithstanding, the complaints were
constant Of ''my husband will" and my hus-
band won't"
Ten years thus passed. and time did not
soften the obstinacy and selhshness of Mr..
Hughes, who was really now adding the wants
Of increasing years to the Incidence of natural
temperament, nor did it supply Mrs. Hughes
with the affection and consideration she had
never felt for him in her younger days. Conse
Quently all the causes of discomfort which she
had then felt were in full existence now, joined
to which, the woman had awoke in her heart,
and she yearned for that sympathy she could
not hope to find in a man of her husbands
years.
Ills true, she was proud of him. Proud of
his talents and his station, but, as we have said
before, she had no imagination which could
make those talents throw charm over more
unpleasantq qualities. Her sense of disappont-
ment was ineautiously, and perhaps uncon-
scously, expressed to young friend one day,
who was admling some of her ornaments, and
exclaimed with enthusiasm
ooh, Mrs. Hughes, I mean to marry just
such man as Mr.. Hughes, whenever | can
find him." to which she replied with earnest
sadness in her eyes, and true mournfulness in
her voice
s'No, no, Henrietta, never marry an old man.
Don't be the fool | was.''
Did every married woman who has made
similar sacrifice express herself with equal
frankness, we believe there are none who would
not be found uttering the same sentiment.
That her husband often repeats to himself
and always with sigh, "She is very young
is no less true. But whether the reproach is
uttered with the same bitterness with which
she made hers, we think doubtful, as we are in
cned to believe that her beauty is still some
compensation for heryouth
But now that he is 'tgetting into years. far
past the ''middle age" his comforts neglected,
his wishes uncared for, could the spirits of the
departed look down upon earth, what would be
the feelings of that wife whose whole study
during life had been to promote his happiness
and pleasure, and whose place had been sup
planted in little more than one short year.
Could that be, would there not then be heard
ayoice whispering in accents all mournful and
low: s'My poor Zimmerman, who does now ull-
dcrstand thee?''
WASHINGTON IN A RAGE.-Griswold in bis
Republican Court" relates the following an
ecdote of Washington:
Edmund Randolph had been an object of
Washington's kindly interest from his youth;
his powerful influence had caused him to be
elected governor Of Virginia; he had appoint
ed him successfully attorney general and sec
rotary Of state, and had treated him in every
way with unlimited confidence and almost pa
rental fondness. The vulgar and violent abuse
with which he was assailed in tie disgraced
minister's 'Vindication," therefore incensed
him to an extraordinary degree;Ithe occasion
was one of those in which his feelings for a
obtained mastery of bis habtual self
control. We have from unquestionable author
ty an anecdote Illustrating this, which has not
been hitherto published. Upon the settlement
Of the boundry between Pennsylvania and Vir
5lnia, some of Washington's lands fell within
5he former State and the late Mr.. James Ross,
Of Pittsburg, was his agent for the sale ofthem.
He came to Philadelphialto settle his account
and sending word to the president that he
would wait on him at bis pleasure, was invited