Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-08-18
A FAMILY JAR.
BIT A. c. BURDICK.

mar when the fault IL all on one side, but this
!. not generally the case If all the wars of
tbisdescriptiOn could be thoroughly sifted down.
II would be found that the whole trouble ha
resulted from some slight cause to begin with,
tbough this might not always be the case. 1t
!. amusing as well as mortifying, to observe
how sympathy can sway the public mind in re-
gard to such matters, and how ready people are
70 denounce this one or that one, according as
mere sympathy or prejudice may dictate.
Among my carly friend was o Ned Cruden.
lie was a steady, Industrious, noble-hearted
fellow. and one of the most faithful and true
friends Among our school mates was n girl
named Abby Bicknell. She a kind playmate,
avnrm-hearted companion, and good d-natured
loving. accommodating friend When she grew
M she became Ned Cruden's wife, and the
newly married couple moved away. ~
Some years passed, and we that had been
school-mates in youth, had become separated,
and amid new scenes and new associations the
friends of earlier years were gradually passing
from memory, when one spring, business called
me to the village of l., in Vermont. I
had been there some days. and was entering q
store one afternoon, when / met man coming
out whose cOuntenance was familiar. He
passed on without noticing me, and went into
the store. For some time my mind was busy
trying to recall the face had just seen, but
ere could solve the question, my attention
was called to a conversation which was going
on among number of mon who sat on some
boxes and barrels in one corner of the store.
Il know anybody wouldn't suspect such n
thing to look at him, said dried up man who
was smoking pipe, - but ii 8 a fact. L had it
from his next door neighbor. He actually
kicked his wife out of the house only three days
ago"
10 they live drefful unhappy" chimed in
tall gawkyish looking fellow, who reminded me
Of an old cider barrel Ned beats her and
kicks her the worst kind. One day when was
there to work-ye see we'd just gone in to din
ner-I seed Ned take her by the nap of the
neck an chuck her into the little bedroom.
By mitey, he was savage, now, you d better be-
heve-"
Well, guess his wife amt one of the best
women as ever was" remarked the third
speaker.
"Gee-whittaker, reckon she amt" ex-
claimed a youthful smoker. 'sMy eyes
shouldn't like to have the handling of that
woman about a month -
And what would ye do'" asked the first
speaker, rather obviously.
"Do? Why, I'd trim her down I'd larn
her manners"
" reckon she'd larn you manners, or else
take the hair out of yer head" observed an.
other. "Why, L tell ye she's a perfect satan
"a real she-devil-when she gets goin'''
stood and listened to the conversation, and
ere long I made out that they were talking
about Ned Cruden, and then 1 knew that it
must have been Ned whom / met in the door
way. was assured, from what heard, that
Ned and his wife lived unhappily together, and
the thing surprised me not a little If Ned
Cruden and Abby Bicknell make an unhappy
match then what sort Of people must be re-
CURED for happy one, thought to myself
L knew that Ned was proud-spirited, inde-
pendent fellow. but then what possible quality
ROrrId hhx-h tl,nk
with this Icould think of nothing In short,
/ began to discredit the truth of what had heard
On the very next day L found where Ned
lived, and called upon him. found him in his
barn, and he was glad to see me, and after
awhile his joy increased beyond all thought of
care and trouble.
And how is Abby ?" asked, after we had
eonversed on other topics.
His eountenance fell in a moment, but
could see that he was struggling to hide his real
feelings from me.
20, she's $685." he replied at length
/" She'll be glad to see you"
In a little while We went to the house, and
when / saw Abby, was at first struck with the
wOndrous change that had been wrought in her
cOuntenance. She had grown older to be sure,
but then she looked twenty years older than
when l had last seen her before. 1t required
but single glance for me TO see that there was
difficulty somewhere. Atlength however, after
Abby had got warmed up, she was as kind and
genial as Of old, and her eyes sparkled with the
same old fire
II was now in the forenoon, and they would
not listen to my going away that day. Abby
assured me that they had room for true friends,
and declared that should not escape her so
easily as to come and 90 on the same day. /
had no particular business to call me away
shd, as soon &c l was assured that / should
nave pleasant visit, agreed to stop. The
afternoon L spent with Ned along the trout
brook, and the evening We spent at homo.
When L went to bed 1 had made up my mind
that Ned and his wife were two good souls and
that they ought to live happily together. And
YET knew that they did not. Awake to every
l0ok and motion, had seen enough to assure
NE mat they wore miserable at times could
translate every look, and knew what it mcant
knew all the while how Ned's thoughts were
running, while he was silently wishing that bis
we would always be as good as she was then
ana could read Abby's every thought while
pleasant
Inere was only one disagrceablc thing in the
nyuSe 10 me, ard that was the strong stencil Of
- poseco smoke that pervaded every part of it.
L'en my chamber smelled so strong Of it that
ss forced 10 sit at the open window some time
before retiring
Vn the following morning, after breakfast,
a. -. =. "ith -Neu 10 the Darn and resolved
nim the question that lay upon me with
bpaini9l force. l had the best reasons, for
eIe'ed :" could help him. Moreover, we used
,o, oe most intimate, and knew be would not
AAe offence, 50 broached the matter.
von veg, you viii excuse me, but / must ask
you lew questions.
VIII, LOOK ,OoAed at me uneasily as though he knew
it, neard some strange stories in one Of the
r. uay before yesterday, and I must know
ns Hutn oil them. l know you will pardon
mo,ira ,or i 1 assure you I have only q generous
b,d bdTeGPon L went on and told him what 1
- . ae4rd Ned looked like one stricken.
Ing bis hands 0'f
end.J kd knat = | asked, fearing that he was Of
Td Tl because had spoken Of it.
sEered Pu"iieiJ 'nus' ne au
n, ,t ~ has' Ned, / said, as kindly as could,
Won ,o'dl anne time taking his hand And now
1Uu NV must tell me all You and Abby were once
fsi, .a SrN friends, and when you were married
Nov sI you would be as happy as could be.
wat does this mean 30