The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-04-03
Not Appreciated.

LT6soS ron uIoUauTLEas Hr6nANpg
The last sad rites were over She had fal-
len by the way, ere lifc's meridian was reach
ed, aud len husband and children 20 a sorrow
that mocks for time that consolation. Sew
en- years khc had been Wiic-sN years q
moiher-and now, lonely hearted man and
three little mothcflcss ONES were left In the
dwelling where the sunshine Of her loving
presence would never again appear,
Mr.. AeWepmb was a aadder man, nov, than
when he followed ,grieying, the palled coffin 10
is final resting place, And there we're rea-
sons why his heart should feel n deeper de-
preston. A few friends and neighbora had
returned with him from the place OF the grave,
and they had fingered for a short time IN the
desolate rooms speaking together In muiiled
tones OF the departed, and OF those she had
left behind her. Two women talked in this
wisci and il 20 happened that Mr. Nrwcomb
heard every word They thought him in one
of the upper chambers, hut he was sitting IN
an adjoining room, and their yoicoa came in
through an open window, aud amote lis ear
with intolerable pain
Poor Alice " said one. g lts a blessed
release % her"
" hut dreadful loss to her children" was
answered. Dear little babes My heart
aches for them, And pity Mr.. Newcomb,
also, 1t il great loss though be never did
rightly appreciate her, poor thing"
" | cant get up much sympathy for him"
said the other, and il isn't much use to try.
His wife was not appreciated, as you SAY
He did not understand her disposition, nor
give her credit for the virtues she possessed
She was faithful and loving, but sensitive
so sensitive that the slightest word OF unkind-
ness was felt as u painful stroke
"And that reminds me- said the ncighbor,
Of one Of the bad habits he indulgcd in, Of
hantcring her in company, and showing of
her little faults or pcculiaritics. | have been
80 pro, okcd with him that | could with dihi-
Guilty keep my tongue from rcproach.'
d" She was plain, and ] think that annoyed
him sometimes"
plain The beauty Of her poor spirit was
ever shining through her face and il his eyes
were not clear enough 10 see IT, lac was un-
worthy of her"
"Shc wus not MS bright Ms some women :
and il always struck me that he INDUCED in
dcprcciating contrasts"
"Shc was good, true, faithful, loving" was
answered and these are better qualities IN
a wife than mere brilliarcy. DO you remcm-
Der that evening at Mrs, Bottoms, about n
a year ago2'
" "Ncry WELL L.
"Sho was there, you know"
" Yes, | recollect IT,"
He Airtcd with pretty Miss Gardner, who
has only her face To recommend her.
81 remember. IL lowered him in my good
opinion. don't like TO see married men too
particular in their attentions to snowy Young
girls"
" Nor |. Well happened to catch the ex-
preston Of Mrs. Ncwcombs face when her
husband was standing at the piano, turning
the music while Miss Gardner sung. She
was looking at him. Oh, il was inexprc.siblv
yIJi.- 4 ffttir wfITir uftrrwurTiS turnrd HE1in
To the place where she had been sitting all
alone but she was not there. What ails
Mrs. Ncwcomb p | heard some lady ask some
minutes later. Dear knows" was the al.
most pcttish reply. She's gone off up stairs
to have a cry all TO hcrsCli-somcthing's gone
wrong, suppose. She's hard body TO get
on with. Il pity her husband pilird her,
poor child, for | could understand her heart"
:" lie went great deal into company with
out his wife
Yes and if YOU asked for her, there was
always an air, or tone, or expression in his
face, that made You feel MS if he did not re.
gard her as of much consequence. Where
is Mrs. NoWcomb ? YOU would inquire. 'Shc
dosn't so out, or she's queer little home
body or the baby's sick or she doesn't en-
JOY company These are the reasons he
times to answer, Why don't you stay at
home and keep her companyp And wish
now that-1 had. 1t might have quickcned
in him perception of duty, and caused few
more rays of light to fall on her not always
sunny pathway"
Mr.. Ncweomb heard no more. But was
not that enough TO give him the heart.achc
for years. No, he had not appreciated his
wife, now lost to him forever. She was neith-
er brilliant nor handsome woman; but true
ns steel TO duty. Love for husband was n
passion that involved all the clements of her
life. But the dclcacy of her perceptions too
soon revealed the sad truth that for some
cause she had failed to win from her husband
a love in degree answering 10 her own
This so shadowed her feelings that she often
appeared unamiable in his eyes. when she
was only in strife with hidden anguish. Grad
ually he grew Indifferent. aud simply because
he did not understand her. lie imagined her
incapable of deep affection which every chord
in her soul was thrilling in too painful sensi-
biity.
And so the dnrkening years went on, and
the tereEed pnlses began to take 81 lomer heat.
MIR. Newcomb grew more and more indifer-
ent to his nervous, aud at times fretful, but
were numbered but he die not take the
ilarm. Mrs. Newcomb looks thin and fee |
blc," remarked friend.
i" She isn't quite so strong as she was, but
she's tough,"replied the husband. Tough |
At the very moment her overstretched heart |
strings were beginning to yield And he |
was in robust health, ruddy- faced cear-eyed, |
and with every muscle in full
vigor. He could not sympathize with the
feeble woman, moving about his house like
shadow, nor comprehend how he 5was daily
life that looked ,yninly to him
for the food upon which it alone-co exist.
'Toughp If she did lingcr on Cor tinoe,
/ was plying love for her babes that kept
1er alive, gave strength to her feeble limbs
md endurance to her sinking heart. And us
she became weaker, he seemed rather to re-
'cde, than draw near-to grow cold towards
ler instead Of tender and compassionate
And so her day went down in clouds and rain.