True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-06-16
q Raglan, Editor and Proprietor,


money home-his letters
were full Of hope, and then there came a
blank silence. Vessel after vessel arrived,
and no letter for us; the only trace we
could gain lay in rumor which might be
true or false: some one had seen him on
his way to the mines, and heard Of his
illness there from contact with poison.
GUS weed, and no more.
And l married the widow? Restrain
your impatience a little. How badly
these novelistS have confused our sense
of proprety-that we calculate with such
frightful coolness upon the events which
follow death itself-the young hearts
woful desolation
1t is hard when trouble comes as 1t
come to Mrs. Lester. There was no one
dark hour, no terrible shock and elorm Of
grief, and then the blessed calm that fol-
lows storm. 1t was like long, long
season Of cloudy weather--of cold moist
that no sun could penetrate. The widest
storm were blessing in comparison.
! thought the poor girl would never
smile again she reproached herself con-
stantly for not having accompanied her
husband as he wished, she might at least
have closed his eyes il was so hard TO
die forsaken Besides Mrs. Lester's
bereavement, she allowed herself to be
harassed with the thought of her pecuniary
debt 10 me and withal her health began
to fail. 1t was sad to see the worn and
lstless expression of that face, which
amid care and poverty in other days, had
retained its bright, young joyous look.
And became anxious to restore that
look! You may have it so if you wish.
We were married After three years Of
hope deferred on her part, Of silent pity
and respect on mine, we were married (;
and ah what life she led me!
Yes, she It's astonishing how long
you can live with woman and not find
her out lis astonishing low many
sides there are to woman's character,
how like she is to that strange image in
the Book of Daniel, that had one face Of
woman, and one of lion and one of a
sheep, or some such combination.
She didn't turn upon me the lions face
No, but the sleeps. She was for follow
ing, following-every invention Of her
neighbors; just as when one sheep goes
over a stile, the whole ridiculous flock
must 60 after him. How tired, disgusted
and angry | grew with "improveme nls,
that was her word {; she improved all the
comfort out of my house, all the money
out Of my pocket, all the peace out of my
days!
In what manner ? must begin at The
beginning that's my way. l aattered
myself that there could be no more quiet
and easy method of marriage, than this
which had fallen to me. l had grown
accustomed to providing for a house, to
seeing Mrs. Lester. at the head Of my ia.
ble, to asking her advice with reference
to my affairs. We had driven for years
in the family carriage, occupied the same
pew at church, read the same books,
entertained the same guests.
But on the morning Of our marriage
day, terrible foreboding came over me
"a sudden vision swep. past--in two
scenes, Of Benedict free and Benedict the
married man ..r.......
l rushed into the parlor where Mrs.
Lester sat at work; she looked up. so
radiant yet SO peaceful; she removed the
papers from Ale chair beside her-all in
her quiet way-without a word, and ]
took The seat, and listened while she
talked in her gentle voice-and forgoI
my wise foreboding. Oh, these women
are syrens, Miss Mehitable ! ,a NJ
You think I am trying to work up a
plot, that there was nothing so wretched,
after all! I wish you had seen my house
seen me at the end of a year I! wish
you had seen the new hangngs of shah
by paper in every room because the old
papers were OF q quiet lone-to display
my pictures better. .and Mrs. Lester tho't
gay colors conducive to health and ami
nation. I wish you had seen our hand.
some carpets packed away in summer
for moths 10 eat. with such a dust and
stir! and their place supplied by poverty
stricken mattings And the furniture all
stuck into uphOlsterer's carts to have brass
truckles which would roll. removed fol
wooden truckles that creaked and refused
to stir! Why, she took my fishing tack.
le and guns from the wall, and ,umbled
them into a hogshead Even The family
portraits were sacrificed and the family
group that my mother priced so much
with myself, the youngest, holding a chi.
ma orange, they must all go into the attic,
and / and Mrs. Lester done in crocky
crayons.
But I hated the crayons, with theii
great shadowy eyes; j, always seemed
ss if Jbose in my wife's picture was sta.
E9ing about in search Of a new invention,
Then she was not quarrelsomel Bless
you, she was always as mild as a dove
she didn't threaten, she didn't tease--but
had the most provoking way of carrying
outher designs and inveigling you into
assisting her. a Ta 55t02
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