The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1858-02-26
i 5tnstblt 5tutq.
Old Husband5 and Young wives.

Old Husbands and Young Wives,
81 was an old fooll Yes--I was an old
fool; that's all there is about il. oguht
to have known better; she was not 30
blame, poor thiugl she is but a child yet;
and these baubles pleased her ambitious
mothers eye. il was not the old man,
but his mOHey-his money Il might have
known Il. May and Deoember-may
and Deoember--pshawl how could ever
have believed that Mary Terry could lore
an old follow like me?" aud Mark Ware
surveyed himself in the large parlor
mirror
Seel--it reflects a porlly old man Of
sixty, with ruddy face, snow-white hair,
aud eyes from which tho light Of youth
has long since departed. And yet there
is hre VA the old mans veins too; SEQ how
he strides across the carpet. calculating.
with fresh emphasis, "Yes, was an old
fooll--an old fooll But l will be kind to
her; m not the man to tyranuzo over a
young girl because her mother took her
tout OF tho nursery to make her my wife.
| see now it is not in reason for young
girl like her to stay contentedly at home
with my frosty head aud gouty feet
Poor little Maryl No-Ill not punish
her because she cannot love me; she shall
have what she wants, and go where she
likes; her mother is only too proud TO trot
her out, as The wife Of the rich Mark
Ware. If that viii make them both
happy, let them do it; maybe-aud Mark
Ware paused--''may be after she has
seen what Dead Sea applo-the world
is made Of, she will come back and love
the old man -maybe-who knows?
No woman who is believed ia, and well
treated ever makes bad wife: there nev.
er was a bad wife yet, but thore was
bad husband frst, that's gospel-Mark's
gospel, anyhow, and Mark Ware is going
TO act upon it.
Mary shall 60 TO the ball Tonight with
her mother, aud / will stay at home and
nurse my patience and my gouty leg
There's no evil in her;-she's as pure as
a lily, aud il she wants to SEQ the world.
why--she shall see il; and though / can't
go dancing round with her, l never will
dim her bright eyes--no--n
THAT will do, fifty; another pin in
this lace; Tow move that rose in my hair
a little to the left; so that will do"
That will dO." Tame praise for that
small Greoian head, with its crown of
braided tesses; for the full, round throat,
and snowy, sloping shoulders; for the
round. ivory arms. and tapering, rosy
tipped fingers; for the lovely bosom aud
dainty waist. Well might such beauty
dazzle Mark Wares eyes. lill he failed TO
discern the distance between Nay and
December.
Mark Ware had rightly road Mary.
She was guilcless and pure, as he had said
and, child as she was, there was that in
her manner before which the most auda-
cious eye would have shrunk abashed.
When the young bride first realized tn
import Of these words she had been made
20 utter, "till death do US part. " she look
ed forward with shuddering horror at the
long, weary, mouotonous years before.
Her home seemed prison and Mark Ware
the keeper. And she chafed and fretted
in gilded letters, while her restless head
cried out-"Ahywhere but home" Must
she sit there in her prison house, day af.
ter day, listening only to the ropinings Of
her own troubled heart? Must the bee
and the butterfly alon, be free TO revel ia
the sunshine? Had God made her beau
ty to fade in the sitting atmosphere Of
darkeued parlors, listening TO the com
plants Of querulous old age? Every pulse
Of her heart rebelled.
How could her mother have thus sold
herl-How could Mark Ware so unmag.
unanimously have accepted the compulso-
ry sacrifice? Why not have shown her the
world, and lot her choose for herself? Oh,
anywhere, anywhere, from such a home
Th9re was no lack Of invitations abroad,
for Mary had flashed across the fashiona-
bic horizon like some bright comet, ecip.
sing all the reigning beauties. No ball,
no party. no dinner, was thought to be a
success without her.-Night after night
found her enroute TO come gay assem-
blage. To her own astonishment and her
foolish mothers great delight, her hus-
band never remonstrated-on the contra
ry, she often found upon her dressing Ia
Bile some choice little ornament which he
had provided for the occasion; and Mary,
as she fastened It IN her hair or bosom,
would say bitterly. "He is anxious that
l, like the other appendages of his eslab-
lishment, should reflect credit upon her
fauldess tastel"
Mistaken Mary.
Time passed on. Mark Ware was pa.
tient, " as he promised himselfso be. His
evenings were not SO lonely now, for his
babe kept him company: the reprieved
nurse was only too glad TO escape to her
pink ribbons and ''chat with John at the
back gate2 Il was pretty sight-Mark
and the babe. Old age and infancy are
always touching sight together. Not
smile or a cloud passed over that little
face that did not wake up all the father
in Mark Wares heart; and be paced the
room with it, as if it could understand
the strong, deep love Of whish it was the
unconscious object.
al AN weary Of all this" said Marks
young wife, as she stepped into her car
riage. at the close of brilliant ball. 81
ara weary of seeing the same faces and