True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-07-15

steadiness OfVOice betrayed itself on the
last word.
"Say on, love. Only what"
"Have patience with me. New les
sons are not learned in day. l shall
often forget--often act but imperfecty."
"And will you have patience with me
also, Katy :"
"With you ! in what -
"Patience with r.y impatience. One
of my besetting sins lies here. l feel
quickly and speak quickly. When things
are not just to my mind, anger stirs in my
heart" .''.
"It will be very hard for me to bear
with your disp!eaSure," said Katy, grow
ing mole serious. "If you speak to me
harshly or unkindly, l shall not be able
to keep back the tears. Will you have
patience with them, dear 7"
Eyes, yes {; and kiss them away, OF
smile them into ranbows," replied the
husband with love.like ardOr.
Here was good beginning. Katv's
reaction upon Edward--a reaction thai
surprised herself almost as much as il
surprised him--had brought him back tC
reason She had held up mirror before
his eyes, and rather startled him with his
own distorted image.
But the world was not made in day
as the old adage has it, and habits of mind
are too real things to be overcome, ant
set aside on the fist earnest effort
Katy's want of order and punctuality
and Edwards Impotence, came into raIh
er strong conflict eie week had passed
and there was frowns and anger on one
side. and tears upon the other. After ;
brief eslrangement, good sense and righ
feeling brought back the discordanl strings
of their life into harmony again.
One of the little, things that annoyed
/ Edward Cleveland, was his wife's habi
of lingering in conversation with friends
when she knew that he was waiting 70
her Al for instance /: They were at
social party, and the hour for returning
home had come. They left the parlors
together, he going to the gentleman;
dressing.room for his hat and overcoat
and she to one of the chambers for hel
bonnet and lurs. Of course, he was ready
first. 1t did not take him two minutes
to draw on bic coat, and take up his hat
At the end of the fourth minute, he be
gan to think it time for Katy TO make hel
appearance. But, Katy and an old frienc
/ were in earnest conversation about some
matter in which both had an interest, ant
she had not at the end of five minutes
/ even taken her bonnet from the bed. A
the end of ten minutes. she said. 81 mus
be going. Edward is waiting for me-"
And she drew on her bonnet and tieC
the strings.
"How becoming ~ said the friend, re
ferring to the bonnet. 81 never saw yol
look so well IN any thing"
This turned their talk into a new chan
mel. and five minutes more were consum
ed at the end of which period, Katy
! said. as she took up hastily her furs--
"I'm forgetting myself! Edward il
waiting"
But, the friend started a new subject
and five minutes more were consumed. -
, When Katy came, at last, with slow steps
talking still to her friend, and her hus
J band met her on the stars--she saw tha
his face was clouded. To him, tn
, time he had been walking impatiently tn
dressing room floor seemed full an hour
a to her, the time she had been chatting
with friend, not over five minutes.
Edward was able to keep back fror
> his tongue an indignant rebuke onl
long enough to get fairly out of tn
house. Then he said
n "Katyl This is insuferable And
g you treat me so again, III leave you I
: get home as best you can y
g Upon the pleasant state of feelings le
e by the evenings social recreations, VIII;
g a chilling pail was this 10 fling! Kat
: had drawn her hand within his arm, an
t, was leaning toward him; but, the pres
sure of her hand relaxed Instantly.
Q "More than half an hour have 20
Il kept me waiting, with my heavy coat OF
1t momently expecting you to appear |"
# "No, Edward; twas not ten minutes,
y r epled Kaly, in a husky voice.
1t beg your pardon Il was three time
% ten minutes But, one ten would hav
y been more than twice too long. l nevt
g saw such thoughtless creature !"
Katy had done wrong, and she sa
10 it; but not TO an extent that warrantt
such an angry state of feeling in her hu
!. band. The time she had talked with h
r. friend passed quickly, that she could n
!; believe more than Ten minutes had flow
ii awayAAbut even to keep her husbar
wailing, under the circumstances, for t.
= minutes, she felt to be wrong, and hi
b he not spoken so angerily, she wou
.e have acknowledged her error, and pror
ised never again to offend in simil
y way. As it was, she simply remain
e. silent, while he, in the excitement Of b
s, unhappy state, added other words Of ]
s; buke no more carefully chosen.
" It was very, very hard, under the g
3. cumstances, for Katy suffering as she W
from the indignant rebuke Of her hu
n, band, to think clearly, and feel rightly.