The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-07-14
From the National Era.
THE WIFE'S MISTAKE.

3 THE W1FE'S MISTAKE.
TIE carriage stopped at the door, an,
in few minutes, Margaret Hale entere
the apartment, where her husband sal
wholly absorbed in poring over day book
and ledgers.
"These tlresome accounts still !" ST
exclaimed. "Will you ever find time
foi anything but business, Ralph? Hav
you no taste for anything beyond fig
ures?"
"Margaret ~ but the sadness in th
tone was UNDECIDED, as she continued
"We had such a charming evening a
Mrs C's. Captain Hill related many
interesting incidents of his residence il
Egypt, and Mr.. Warren, the famous
young poet, read Maud and some oi
the most beautiful passages in, "Aurora
Leigh" L must read to you some OF
Romney's "Great Thoughts on Duty"
Sne went hastily to her chamber for
the volume. When she returned, her
quiet entrance was unheard by her hus-
band, whose pen was rapidly moving
over the almost interminable columns OF
figures. With an expression of impa-
thence, almost of scorn, resting on her
face, she hastily turned away.
Sand this is the end of all my dreams
of marriage" she said, as she reached
her room. "He has taste for drudg.
cry. His pursuits are all common place,
and [ must go from home to fud the
sympathy need, to find those who will
appreciate, with me, books L love, and
the beautiful in art, for which he has
neither eye nor ear. Why did he not
marry a woman who had neither heart
uor mind to be continually unsatisfed?"
In the room he had left Ralph Hale
sat hour al Ter hour, till Il his brain was
weary, and his eyelids dropped. Then,
/ laying aside his books, he remained
long time in deep thought
"God bless my Margaret" he prayed,
"give me strength to bear all things
Give me power to make her happy"
Putting far away all thoughts of her
husbands real nobleness of character,
jealousy preserving the memory ofevery
slight difference "a their tastes and pur
suits, Margaret cherished the spirit of
discomfort, till it embittered every hour
of her life, and sent suffering she never
dreamed of to the heart Of her husband,
who would gladly have sacrificed every
earthly good for her happiness.
A sudden and severe sickness came to,
her. while Ralph was in distant city
One day during her slow recovery,
the aged minister, who had baptised her
in Infancy, was sitting by her side
Margaret" he said, after steadfassly
watching her troubled face, "you are
very unhappy. | have seen it a long
time. should not recognize my once
cheerful, happy child. May 1 know
what great sorrow has come to you?"
: Then, with sobs and tears, she told
him all her unhappiness.
After. a short silence the old man
spoke again, and there was sadness, al
most sternness in his voice
Years ago, Margaret, a wealthy
New York merchant became involved in
a speculation, whose failure suddenly
took fl ON him the accumulated wealth
of his years of commercial enterprise.
There were few years of weary,
vain struggling to regain what he had
lost; then deep dependency, linger
ing disease, and death: His wife and
four children were left penniless. The
child, boy of sixteen, had finished his
preparatory studies, and was about to
enter college,. By this stroke, he found
his prospects for the future clouded; but
with noble self-furgetfulness, he turn
ed cheerfully into the way marked out
for him, and walked resolutely in it.
He obtained situation with mer-
chant who had known his father, where
his faithfulness and untiring devotion to |
his duties, won the confidence of all
who knew him. During the first years
of her widowhood, his mother had taught
a private school for young ladies; and
it was the boys highest ambition to re-
lieve her of this necessity, and give her |
the rest her feeble health required. l
cannot tell you of all his privations, his
willing sacrifice of every recreation, his
continued self denial, that he might
tighten the burdens of those so dear to |
him.
Year after year, success crowned bis
efforts. In the village where his moth |
err had passed the years of her childhood |
and the first years of her married life, |
he.-purchased a pleasant residence for |
kef. then a lucrative business beginning |
to rise in the West, he came here.
AT the Hme OF lis TeInOfdt uOiC, az.
cident revealed to him the fact, that the
widow and invalid daughter of one whose
fortune was by his fathers advice, risked
in that unfortunate speculation which |
had 50 changed his own life, were
living in extreme poverty. To him
they are indebted for the pleasant home
that now shelters them, and for the |
delicate, thoughtful ministration to their
daily comfort. ~ -:
Now, when the commercial world is
clouded, and disasters crowd thick and
fast upon him as upon others, his anx,
ious thoughts turn to the mother, and
suffering sister, in the little village
home, whose comfort depends upon him,
to the other lonely ireside, TO which his
constant thoughtfulness imparts itsonly
light, and to his own home, and the
Young wife whose happiness is dearcr to
him than, life. For this, Margaret.
Ralph Hale gives his days to incessant
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