The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-12-01
The Contrast.

The tea-things were removed, the children
had gone to- bed, and Charles Lighte, throwing
down his newspaper, seated himself on the sofa
beside his wife. A hand slid into his own,
thinner and less delicate than when, long ago.
it had first met his-but the same con6ding,
loving hand; and out of the fulness of her heart
the good wife spoke:
Il have been thinking, Charles said she,
tas [ watched this bright fire light Pickering
over our comfortable room, how happily we
live; how much we ought to do for others, in
return for the blessings that are daily heaped
upon our heads
Eyes, Carrie" he replied; "but these bless
ings are earned by daily work You women
sit at home by your comfortable fires, and little
think how your husbands and father are toiling
meantime to procure the shelter the fuel, and
| food, for which you are so grateful to Provi
dence''
the wife answered, ''Ah! and you husbands and
fathers enter the orderly house, and eat the well
cooked, punctual meals, and play with the neat,
well l-dressed and well disciplined children, and
enjoy the evening comfort and repose, without
thinking how your wife, with head, and hand,
and heart. must have toiled to bring about these
quiet results. might easily give you practical
proofs of what have asserted; but delight in
having you think of home as place for enjoy
ment and repose-a warm, sunny harbor, after
the storms and chilIs of the world outside;
therefore | take my own rest at the time you
take yours. Is not this better than to be al
ways keeping before you, by help of a little
management, the conviction chat am a weary
victim? Our interests are mutual, and | feel
that the consciousness that am resting, adds
to your repose.''
Mr. Lghte's face glowed with pleasure at
his wife's candid, simple, confding words; she
sympathzed with and understood him. How
he loved her! How good, and true, and gen
tie she had always been! Thus he thought, as
they both sat dreaming by the freside.
Mrs. Lighte awoke first from her revere; she
was not accustomed to waste in dreams.
"Chares," +" said she "while l think of it, for
forgot this morning, the lump sugar is all out
we must have another loaf' They had been
married some years, and the transition from
sentiment to household wants was natural.
This sugar question brought Charles Lighte
back to the purpose for which he had thrown
aside his newspaper. Don't you think, Carrie,
said he, "that now we have SO many children,
and they are all young, we might use moist
sugar instead of lump?'
"What shall do for company" said his
wife; "and, besides, children have, as sensitive
palates as we have. | recollect well how, in
my childhood, dsliked coarse, cheap food. .
"And now your family are all epicures,' said
her husband.
"What!" said Mrs Lighte, "glutton?''
ooh, no. was the reply; "but if meat has
been kept an hour too long, Or bread trife
stale, or eggs not new, or the pudding heavy
nothing will do but you must procure substi
tute. The things not really bad; many
would eat them for the sake of economy"
Is there no good result from my epicurean
: ism?' asked his wife.
eyes," said Lightc. Il am willing to owr
that no man has more nutritious and palatable
food on his table than | have; but, Carrie, the
; times are hard, and we must TO economize."
"Now | understand" said she; ''you have
been talking with Mr. Murke. I thought 20,
meant to dissolve your copartnership in th
spring. That man will spoil you with hi
meanness.'
II cannot afford to dissolve yet," said Nh
| And, besides, am not sure but what you cal
meanness in Murke is, after all, commended
foresight. Do you otremember what spend
thrift he was in his first wife's timen'
/ mo, Charles. | remember that when W.
were lovers we used to admired his generous
disinterested conduct I do not know MAJ
whose position was more truly enviabe thar
his at the time of which we speak,
"What!' exclaimed Mr.. Lighte, ''besieget
by high and low for help-never sure of a mo
ment at his own command! Do you call
envabe to be at every ones beck and call?'
"His pleasure lay in his duty" said Mrs
Lighe How this honest face would glow will
delight, as in his boyish way he walked up ane
down our parlor, relating the success of som
benevolent scheme! What a pity he could no
have died then!-the rough interior woult
have fallen away from strong yet gentle soul
as beautiful and radiant as an angel"
''But Carrie, you little enthusiast, what woult
have happened to his wife and children? Hat
!, William Murke died ten years ago, they nigh
have been in the poor house, for he had no
saved penny then; now they will all inheri
handsome fortune.'
ooh, Charles, you cannot be in earnest! Th'
feel that the wealth in his purse is a poor com
DenSauOn lOT the Wcdtn tlldt Is uS ou
of his soul Think what a cheerIess home
think how his children are neglected, how lgno
rant they are allowed to remain of all the cour
tesies and amenities of life and what little scare
crows in appearance.
"scandal, Carrie, scandal!' said Mr.. Lighte
"Truth!'' she replied. ''But a truth is a
bad as scandal That second wife will be hi
ruin yet mark my prophecy? She has re
trenched, until she has scraped all the beaut
and polish and gliding, all the treasure ant
worth out of his house, and poured them int
his money bags. Is that an advantage? |
t money better than the moneys worth? Miserl
people worship the symbol and forget Or neg
lect the truth it symbolizes.
"You are too hard upon Mrs. Murke," sai
Mr.. Lighte. ''She brought her husband
: small dowry, and had right to demand tha
he should add his share to the family fund
She is saving for his Children
/ ''Of what advantage will money be, whe
i they do not know how to use and enjoy it?'
said Mrs. Lighte. ''Wealtl, only lifts vulgarit
and ignorance upon pedestal, where the
. shall be surer mark for ridicule and contemp
r. D,4 Hl,rloc LOT re loovo tha Murlo to n, an