Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-01-09

lust as much OF married man as
Brigham Young is; the only difference
between us being that his wives are visi-
bic, or, to speak philosophically, phe-
nomenal, while my wife is not, except as
before said, in the eye of reason-partic-
ularly my reason. l say~again, and
most emphatically, 1 am married man;
/ say SO because know my wife, that's,
l know her name, and have seen her
twice. / have never been introduced to
her, never spoke word to her in the
whole course ofmy life, and never expect
to; she doesn't know me from side of
sole-leather probably never heard of
me; and if l were 10 go up to her and
tell her she was my wife (which is the
fact, would have me put in Jail or a
mad-house But, poor thing that's no
fault of hers she being entirely ignorant
of my theory, and of the eye of rea-
son, also, )and she is my wife, to the con-
trsry Notwithstanding.
The first time, which was the next to
the last time | ever saw her, was about
three years ago-three years ago exact
ly, next February. 1t was in the town
of PlanIationton-a little, old, drowsy
town, situeted on The banks of a little
muddy river, with long, ugly Indian
name. The stage in which l was trav-
cling at the eventful time, stopped in
Plantationton. and the stage passengers
dined there in rusty old tavern. with a
big worm eaten porch, and gangrenOus
cracked bell. l got out of the stage,
feeling very crampedup and dirty, and
straigntway betook myself to tin basin
There were a half dozen more on the
old, hscked-up bench, } full of clear cold
spring-water, by the help of which and
piece Of slippery, turpentine soap, l
managed to make a very respectable alb
luton. My face washed, 1 Iapplied it for
a few minutes to long greasy, ragged,
old tow-linen towel, that hung up on a
roller fastened 10 scabby old weather.
boarding; then 1 parted my hair with
the half of an old horn comb that was
tied to the string, and smoothed it with a
little, old, Wiry, worn-out hair brush,
that was tied to another string and then
1 was ready for dinner, which was not
ready for me. Pending dinner, l sat
down in split-bottomed chair, elevat' d
my heels, leaned back, took out my knife
and commenced pairing my nails. | had
seen the little old town frequently before,
and didn't care to see it again, especially
on miserable, gummy, cloudy, damp,
chilly day in February; and SO confined
my attention for some Time to my fingers,
of which l am rather proud. But fer
tunately for me, 1 heard all old fellow
behind me say, "By dads she's beauti-
ful;" and looking up, saw the young la
dy alluded to. l wish to Heaven l had
never looked down. She was standing
exactly opposite me, in the front door Of
dried-up wooden store; her head was
turned up the street as if she was looking
for somebody-and her little foot was
patting the sill with the sauciest, sweet
est impatience imaginable. Thai young
lady suas my lOife! didn't know it then,
bat know it now.
She was beautiful bewitching!y beau
tiful-so beautiful, tha. for lorg time l
did not know was looking at her
didn't know was looking at anything
didn't know anything. The Joy of her
presence was flowing in one uninter-
rupted stream through all the avenues of
sense, and it was not until my soul be-
came full to the brim Of her beauty that
l could say | saw at al. Whether she
was dressed in silk, bdrege, delaine or
calico, could never tell, and never car
ell remembered only her little bon
net of simple straw-neat, trim and vast
ly becoming, as the bonnets of pretty
women always are. She was young
not more than e;ghteen-rather above
the medium height; of round and per-
feet figure; her hair was golden, and her
eyes were blue; her complexion pure as
light itself, fresh as the dew, and glow
ing as the dawn. She must have felt
the many eyes feeding on her cheek and
brow, for she turned presently, and how
instantly the impatient little foot disap-
peared, how archly modest the smile that
illumined her lightly-blushing face 1
could read her character at a glance
She was warm and tender, and true i
good, wise, merry, healthy, happy.
sweet-tempered, willing, patient, loving,
tidy, thrifty and sincere. and everything
a wife ought to be or could be. Why
didn't I know she was my wife? Why
didn't she come over and tell me so 2
Alas we were both blind-and she re-
mains so still
There sat, drinking my gil of beau
ty-inhaling bliss at every breath. How
little did she dream of what was going
on in my soul How could she tell that
her radiant image was effacing all other
images from my heart, to be itself effac-
ed for time. but only to resppeari in the |