The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1857-08-27

cape the searching scrutiny.
"You are not well, Edward" Ida look.
cd serious-a almost concerned.
don't trouble yourself. I'm very WE'LL"
He smiled. and patted her cheek, playful.
ly-or rather, with an attempt at playful
ness. Ida was not deceived. A change
had passed over her husband. Something
was wrong. He was not as he had been.
In due time tea was announced. and the
little family party Of two gathered around
the table in the neat breakfast room.
Burnt toast and dishwater tea, as usu
nj J" These were the first words spoken bv
the young husband, after sitting down to
the table; and the manner In which they
were uttered, left Ida in no doubt as to his
state of feeling. How suddenly was the fine
gold dmmed.
A few hours earlier the young husband had
called in 10 see his mother, an orderly. in
dustrious woman, and notable house. keep
er. As usual. lie was full of The praise OF his
beautiful Young wife. in whom he had seen
nothing to blnrne-nothing below perfec.
tion. But his mother had looked on her
with different eyes. Living in the world
was, with her, no holiday affair, and mar
riage no honeymoon. She was too serious
In all her views and feelings to have much
patience with what she esteemed mere play
day life. A little jealous Of her sons atfec-
tion, she was, witha and its going forth to
another, with ap ardor so different from
what it had ever gone forth to herself, made
her feel cold toward the dear little wife of
Edward, who was its favored Object.
" IL is time," she said, with distance of
manner that surprised her son. "for vou
and Ida 10 be little serious. The honey
moon is over, and the quicker you come
down to sober realities tie better. There
is one thing about Ida that rather disap.
points me-"
Edward was too much surprised at this
unexpected annunciation TO speak. His
mother went on,
shes no Eousekeeper -"
She's young, mother. She'll learn" he
said, interrupting her.
"She had no right TO marry until she
knew how to make cup of tea" The Old
lady spoke with considerable asperily.
Another !"
' say just what I mean. Not n single
cup Of tea have yet tasted in your house
that was fit to drink ! don't know how
you can put up with such stuff. You
wouldn't have dole it at my table, I'm very
sure"
Please, mother, don't talk so any more
about Ida can't bear 10 hear it,"
"You can't bear to hear the truth, Ed.
ward. l speak for Tda'S good and your
own, too. She's wife, now not mere
sweetheart. And she's your housekeeper.
besides, with something more to do and to
care for, than dress, music, party going and
enjoyment. must say, as | said a little
while ago, that am disappointed in her.
What are girls thinking about nowadays,
when they get married? Surely, not OF
their husbands household comforts"
"lf you please mother, we will change
the subject" said the young man, who was
exceedingly panied 10y the strong language
he had heard. He spoke SO firmly that the
matter was dropped, and not again alluded
to at the time.
We have, now, an explanation Of the
change in the young husbands state of
mind. There were some truths in what his
mother had said, and this made it so much
the harder to bear. The first shadow bad
fallen, that dimmed the brightness Of hi>
new and happy life.
Still the defects in Ida-very small to his
eyes. even after they were pointed out by
his mother were things Of no moment
He had not intended her for a household
drudge. Was she not loving hearted. &C.
compished and beautiful What more
could he ask . True, he had intended her
for the presiding genius Of his home; and
there were sober, matter.of fact things to be
done in all homes. But her devotion 10
these would come in good time.
How Edward came to speak as he did
about the tea and toast, was, almost on the
instant he had given utterance to his words,
mystery to himself He started with the
start lie gave his young wife, and trembled
for the effect of bis uhkindly uttered words.
He would have given much could lie have
recalled them. But they were said beyond
any power Of unsaying.
The reference Of his mother 10 the indif.
fereni lea with which si,e had been served
ut his table, had.not only mortified him. bul
made some things distinct in his memory.
which before, were only seen dimly, and ~
matters of Indifference. Where all was SO
bright. why should he turn his eyes upon
few fragments Of clouds skirting the fair llo.
rizoni He would not have done SO IL lef;
TO himself. The clouds might have spread
antl very much larger than mans hand
kE.