Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-01-01


say to my old friend Nelson, widows are
the pestilent atmosphere of female soci-
ETY.. Avoid them as you would siroc-
co, POLITICALLY speaking. You may al
ways detect them on the instant of their
approach. There is the full blown wi
dow passing for thirty-fve, but in reali-
ty nearly forty. There is your sentiment
tai widow still in weeds, and talking
about sympathy and blasted hopes
There's your dashing young widow who
calls you by your Christian name ten
minutes after you are introduced to her;
and your widow with an interesting
young family are always grouped around
her in an effective tableau Man traps, |
all of them, Nelson, my boy" l would
say, knocking the ashes from my cigar. |
''Mr. Weller, senior, was sound and prac-
teal"
Yet / was obliged to confess it to my
self. Notwithstanding my boosted dis
cernment, even the suspicion of the thing
had not crossed my mind in my late ac
quaintance, and Mary Dean was the first
woman | had ever met who had set me
seriosly to wishing for home. Pass
ing fancies had had my share of; tram
administrations melted by pretty face,
or a dashing manner; but this was such
tranquil, dreamy phase of intrest be-
fore the rude shock which had quicken
ed the latent passion into life that it was
the more dangerous.
There had been a deeper feeling un-
deriving my avoidance of the commun-
ity had denounced. knew that when
ever | did love woman, she would pos
sess heart undivided by pang of rec
objection or regret. asked full equiv
alent for what | gave. / felt that it
would be torture to me to lavish the
freshness of first love on one who had
before tried the same devotion, or be-
tween whose present loving word or
gentle carcsses tone, an echo Of the
past would glide piercingly.
Well, that was all past now. So near
had been to losing all claim upon this
home, suddenly built up and peopled by
my longing fancies, that such as l might
now possess seemed more than would
satisfy me. fl had met her, this haunt
ing vision of my dream, knowing all,
| might have recoilcd, and, passed by
on the opposite side; as it was, sought
for no confessions of past dissatisfaction
in life. | was content to assume that
there had been such. | was more than
satisfied with what remained to me
when, at length, she promised to be my
wife, and to give me that home, rest, and
peace for which | yearned increasingly.
Whatever of lightness or fippancy there
had been in my nature gradually passed
away. My life deepeued, and was made
earnest by her noble companionship.-
| accepted the trust Of rearing her child
with all fathers watchfulness; and l
deceived myself into the belief that
loved the bright little creature as she,
Mary, desired me to do.
)! The world is full of revelations of the
working Of woman's heart. Did it ever
seem strange to you that so few men
come to the confessional? 1t is partly
from the nature of things that / know.
A woman's life is so made up of her at
tections, and their,expression is a natu-
raj gift augmented by habitually dwell
ling upon every variation, and the ne
cessity with most of their sex of a.confd-
ant for whom each emotion is analysed,
/ each phase or diminution Of growth re-
corded:
Mans life, with rare exceptions, is too
turbulent for brooding even over his
sorrows. Few have friendships sufficient
ly close for emotional sympathy after
the business oflife is fairly entered upon.
Love is made jest, earnestncss mat
ter Of ridicule. Stocks, and prices cur
rent, the failure of the day, the arrival
of the steamer, the wavering OF some
political adherency-these are our con-
tidenccs, our topics of congratulation or
coincidence. Thus we enjoy or suffer,
scarcely comprchending the matter our
selves for the lack of utterance, not OF
feeling; and hence it is that when we
read of he life, trials, and triumphs OF
woman-"Agatha's" suspicion of the
unkindess of her"husband, "for instance,
or'Zaidee's's suffering in her self-sacrifice
. we get but glimpses of the tortured
heart of Agatha's undetermined Nathan.
iel, or of Philip Vivian's lonely Indian
life, selfexiled not less bravely than
Zaidee, from home and kindred.
But | forced myself at last to define
the unrest that crept over me when
$ thought my earthly happiness was per
a fected. 1t was not jealousy of the dead
for, accepting the existence of wrong and
sorrows in her early married life from
] my chance informant, it had since beer
! silently confirmed in many ways.
. knew that Mary's confidence in me and
: her content in my devotion were new
= and full experience to her, as fresh a.
> the vivid happiness which every touch
and tone of hers possessed the power t.
: thrill me with; but / was jealous Of he
: child. / was soon to be father.
IL longed for the time to come with all ;
= women's desire, that | might feel The
: velvet check pressed to mine, and thu
: clinging Eaby arms twined around my
;, neck. | pictured the time when the III
= nocent eyes would light up with recog
milton at my voice, when my voice ,wher
> nv hand should guide the lettering fee
, to its mothers knee, and when-oh, JOY
: i should hear Gather" in the falter
= ing utterance of my child's lip. Do you
= think this all unmanly, or that am alone
! among my fellows in these imaginings:
. Nay, ! am alone in the confession; but
promised to tell YOU all.
r How watched the tiny white robes
t which Mary fashioned, and toyed with
the fiuttering ribbons with which she
l0oped them? How wonderful seemed
ali the little gathering of preparation foi
the little expected one? What new
pride, and pleasure, and tenderness
, brought tears to my eyes as sat beside
nv wife in the hush of twilight and
thou.~bt of all these things!