Kenosha tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1855, 1855-02-01
From the Philadelphia Courier. aa
THE MISSING WIFE.
A TALE OF TIE TINES.

Let contempiativc minds dwell on the
ways of Providence, and it will strike them
with wonder and amazemcnt, how many
are misguided, and straying in the path of
error, by acting from the impulse of the mo-
ment, instead Of reasoning and rejecting.
Providence has formed immense forests,
and gigantic trees tecming with life and Vi
gor; flowers blooming with beauty, mons
tiers Of air, of earth and of ocean, and to
men he has given the power TO rule over
them How great and how awful the re-
sponsibility? and how grateful ought the
members of the human family to be for his
favors? Yet how few there are who do no
more than scan the surface of their acts or
thoughts, and led by the giddy, pass on and
JON in folly.
Thus it was with Mrs. Milton; want of
reflection was her principal fault-good-
hearted. active and benevolent, her we'll
meant deeds lost their virtues, and gener-
ally turned to evil She was directress
of Society for the Relief of Distressed
Seamstresses,' member Of Inc 'Dorcas So
ciety,' an active Abolilionist and a member
Of the Foreign Society," She gave liber-
ally, yet often, perhaps, without true chart
ty, which requires care in the manner of
bestowing it, SO as not to wound the feel
ings of the unfortunate, and a strict inquiry
into the merits ofits object; the sturdy beg
oar needs it less than the shrinking being
who recoils from receiving it.
Mr. Milton was liberal minded man Of
the world; a reasoner, a reflector, and phil
anthropist; sought for happiness by his
frcside, and then at times when disap-
pointed, his disposition was such that it
would .urn aside the evil cause, and find
remedy by persuasion and kindness They
were not long married before several trials
OF his temper were made.
For many evenings did he return from
the counting house TO find his home desc
late and lonely, his house left solely to the
management of servants, and no wife to
receive him. On inquiry-'Whcre is Mrs
Milton?' the usual answer was-'There
was meeting of the Foreign Society, or
the Abolition Society, or as if to give a va
rietv, "a meeting of the Drectres$es for the
Relief of the Distressed Seamstresses.'
''All Societies but my society," tho't Mr..
Milton, until he began to expostu!ate with
her.
Really, Mr.. Milton, you are very alb
surd, think said the lady. i am doing
good
But are you sure you are doing good?'
asked Mr. Milton.
Certainly replied the lady, Il have col
lected hundred dollars for our Foreign
Society. Now, though this sum is but small
it will be a great help-for tbs expense of
sending agents to the South Seas, Sierra
Leone, and the Indies is so very great, that
all we can collect vii! scarcely serve as a
fit-out. am sure | don't know what we
will do, unless we get some liberal Subscrl-
bers-how much are you agolng to contrl-
bute?'
If all YOU can collect will only serve as
fit-out, answered Mr.. Milton, Il think You
had better let it alone altogether. OF what
service can it DO to send persons among
barbarians, to Try to alter their opinions,
while ne have so many suffering Christians
here. that are in want of the common nee
essaries oflife? Let us look to them, and
divide the outfit or the ft-out, as you call
it, amongst them, and | am sure it will be
more gratifying to all parties. Ii you ask
me to subscribe to purse for our own
poor, among which are some of our own
relatives, (for instance, your cousin Maria
Morton. will be happy to place my name
for an equal amount, to any sun, that you
NAV collect This, am sure, viii be more
satisfactory than expanding it to send peo-
pie to try and persuade the owyhee sava-
ges to think as you do
Mrs. Milton blushed deeply at the rebuke
from her husband, and felt that he was right
and promised not TO exert herself so much
in future for the Foreign Society, and more
for his.
Mrs. Morton, the cousin OF Mrs. Milton,
was a widow; her husband had been
wealthy man; during his life they lived in
| spleudor. but misfortunes occurred, and he
died bankrupt-bequeathing their three
children TO her care, without any means o
support Thus driven TO want, her indie
pendent spirit prompted her to excrtion;-