Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-09-17
MORNING LEADER.
THE TWO WIVES.
By HErrY HoLYoKE.

The tea things we're removed, the childrel
had gone TO bed, and Charles Lighte, thrOwin!
down. his. newspaper, seated himself on the 50
IA beside his wife A hand slid into his own
thinner, and less delicate than when, years AGO
1t had first met his; but the same coniiding
loving hand-and out Of the fullness of he
heart the good wife spoke 4" have been think
ing, Charles, as l watched this bright fireligh
Pickering over our comfortable room, how hap
PLY We live how much We ought TO do TO
others, IN return for the blessings that are daily
hsaped upon our heads"
Yes, Carrie, but these blessings are eaneC
by daily labor; you women sit at home BY
your comfortable fires, and little think how
your husbands and fathers are toiling meantime
TO procure the shelter, and fuel, and food o
which you are so grateful to Providence"
An a-eh smile lighted the still pretty face, a:
the wife answered Sc All, and you husbands
and fathers enter the orderly house, and eat the
well-cooked, punctual meals, and play with the
neat, wel-dressed, well disciplined children and
| enjoy the evening comfort and rePose, without
realizing how your wife, with head, and heart,
and hand, must have toied to bring about these
quiet results. Knight give you practical proofs
of what have asserted, but I delight in having
/ you think of home as place Of enjoyment and
repOse, warm sunny harbOr after the storms
and ehills Of the world outside therefore |
take my own rest when YOU take yours. Is not
this better than to be always keeping before you,
by help Of a little management, the conviction
that am a weary victim. Our interests are
mutual, and feel that the knowledge that am
resting adds to your repose"
Mr. Lighte's face glOwed with pleasure at his
wlie's candid, simple, confiding words she
sympathized with and understood him-she on
l. i
her ! How good, and true, and gentle, sue
had always been Thus he thought, as they
both sat dreaming by the freside.
Mrs. Lighte awoke the first from her reverie 4;
she was not accustomed to waste time in
dreams "Charles, while think Of it, for
forgot It this mOrning,the white sugar is all out
(they had been married a great while, and the
transition from sentiment to household wants
was natural for herr we must have another
barrel"
This brought Charles Lighte back to the pur-
pose for which he had thrown aside his news
paper Don't you think Carrie, that now we
have SO many children, and they all so young,
we might use brown sugar, instead of white -
What shall l do for company and besides,
children have as sensitive palates as we re-
collect well how in my childhood l disiiked
coarse, cheap food"
"And your family are all ePicures."
What gluttoHsi"
"Oh, no; but if meat is an hour too old. or
bread trihe done, or eggs the least altered, or
pudding is heavy, nothing will do, but you
must procure a substitute; the things are not
really bad many would eat them for the sake of
economy"
as there no good from my epicureanisml"
"Hes; l am willing to own that no man in
this city has more nutritious and palatable food
on his table than l ; but, Carrie, the times are
hard, and we must begin to economize."
Now, 1 understand you; you have been
talking with Mr. Murke; thought YOU meant
to dissolve your CO. partnership in the Spring;
that man will spoil you with his meanness. -
Il cannot afford to dissolve yet; my family
expenses are too heavy. And besides, am not
sure but what you call meanness in Murke. IS
after all commendable foresight Do you re-
member what a spendthrift be was in his wife's
day 7"
"No, Charles; l remember that when we
were lovers, we used to admire his generous,
disinterested conduct. / do not En0 v a man
in Boston whose position was more truly en-
yiable than his at the time of which we speak. -
"What besieged by high and low for help.
never sure of moment at his own command :
Do you call it enviable to be at every ones
beck and call Was poor family burnt out.
or somebody's nth cousin to be buried, or 4
minister TO be admOnished or supported, OF a re-
turning prOdlgal to make peace with his family,
or lunatic taken TO the hospital, or a city i'm
provement made, no one could accomplish the
object so well as Murke"
land his pleasure lay in his duty; how his
honest face would glow with delight as, in his
boyish days, he walked up and down our parIor,
relating the success Of some benevolent scheme
What pity he could not have died then; the
rough exterior would have fallen away from a
strong yet gentle soul, as beautiful and radient
AS any angel that ever entered Heaven"
"But, Carrie, you little enthusiast, what
would have happened to his wife and children
Had William Murke died ten years ago, they
might have been IN the pOOr-hOuse, for he had
not saved penny then; now they will all in
herit handsome fortunes ="
"Oh, Charles, you cannot be in earnest; the
world has not so blinded you but you must feel
the wealth in his purse Is poor compensation
for the wealth that Is fast dying out Of his soul
Think what a eheerless home-think how his
children are neglected, how ignorant they are
allowed 10 remain of all the eourtesies and
amenities of life, and what little scarecrows in
appearance ]"
" Scandal Carrie; scandal -
4IuLu 0uL a Llulu j. 4s udu as scandal
That second wife is to be his ruin yet, mark my
prophecy. She has retrenched until she has
scraped all the beauty and polish, and gliding
all the treasure and worth out Of his home,
and poured them into his money bags. Is
that an advantage Is money better than the
moneys WORTH Misery people worship the
symbol, and forget or neglect the truth It SYM
bolizes."
" You are too hard upon Mrs Murke she
brought her husband fifteen thousand dollars,
and had right to demand that he should add
his share to the family fund. She is saving for
his children"
"0f what advantage will money be, when
they do not know how to use and enjoy it 7
Wealth only begets vulgarity and ignorance
upon pedestal, where they shall be a sureT
mark to nJicule and contempt. But, Charles,
let Us leave the Murkes to manage in their
own way, and tell me what you think Of
sending the children to dancing school; they
are quite old enough, and if YOU do not feel
able 10 afford the expense, 1 can DO very well
without the silk dress you promised me this
autumn"
&" am tired Of those old dresses you have
turned so many times you must have the silk,
and as for the children, what real need Is there
of their learning to dance ="
" 1t is q pleasant accomplishment I; it makes
them graceful and genteel; prepares them IN
short for the society in which we hope they
will maintain an honorable place"
How AMBITIOUS you are but have your
way, will trust mothers instinct against all
reasoning"
The ghosts Of Mr. and Mrs. Murke had been
allayed, but only for one evening day after
day they returned to weary and PerPleI, but
never vanquish good little Mrs. Lighte. It
was
"Carrie, Murke has taken house far up on