Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-03-13
MOT APPRECIATED.


: -
had fallen by the way, ere life's me.
ridian Was reached, and left husband
and children to o sorrow that mocks
fosa time ut consolation. Seven
years she had been a wife-six years
. ,mother-and now, a lonely-hearted
man and three little motherless ones
were left in the dwelling where the
sunshine Of her loving presence would
never again appear.
Mr.. Newcomb was sadder man,
now, than when be followed, grieving,
the palled coffin to its final resting
place. And there were reasons why
his heart should feel a deeper dspres-
sion. A few friends and ncighbors
had returned with him from the place
Of graves, and they had fingered for
y short time in the desolate rooms,
speaking together in mufled tones of
the departed, and of those she had
left behind her. Two woman talked
in this wise and it so happened that
Ar. Newcomb heard every word
They thought him in one of the upper
chambers, but lie was sitting in an
adjoining room, and their voices came
in through an open window, and
smotc his ears with intolerable pain.
"Poor Alice 20 said one. sit is =
lesscd release to her.
''But dreadful loss to her children"
sas answered. "Dear little babies.
y heart aches for them. And pity
MIR. Newcomb, also. 1t is great
.oss. though he never did rightly appre-
slate her, poor thing"
81 can't get up much sympathy for
him." said the other, sand it 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 possess
ed. She was faithful and loving but
sensitive-se sensitive that the light
est word of unkindnes, was felt as a
painful stroke.''
"And that reminds me-" said the
neighbor, "of one of the bad habits
he INDUCED in, Of bantering her in
company, and showing off her little
faults and peculiarlties. l have been
SO provoked with him that | could with
difficulty keep my tongue from re-
proach.''
She was plain; and l think that
annoyed him sometimes
Plain. The beauty Of her pure
spirit was ever shining through hel
face, and if his eyes were not clear
4er.''
{" She was not as bright as som'
other women and it always struck M
that he INDUCED in depreciating con
trasts.'
Z" She was good, true, faithful, low
ing," was answered, land these ar
better qualities in wife than mer
brllliancy. Do you remember tina
evening at Mrs. Bottoms, about yea
ago?''
"Very wells
''She was there, you know -
i" Yes. l recollect ito
=" He firted with pretty Miss Gard
Her, who has only her face to recon-
mend herr
81 remember. It lowered him in m,
good opinion. | don't like to see mar
ried men too particular in their atten
tions to Snowy young girls.''
s. Nor |. Well, 1 happened to catcl
the expression Of Mrs. Newcomb's fac,
when her husband was standing at tn
piano, turning the music while Mis-
Gardner sung. She was looking a
him. Oh, it was inexpressibly sad
A little while afterwards turned agail
to the place where she had been sittin!
alone; but she was not there sWha
ails Mrs. Newcomb ? 1 heard lad
ask some minutes later. Dear knows!
was the almost pettsh reply. 'She'
gone off up stairs to have cry all t
aerself-something's gone wrong sup
pose. She's hard body to get on with
| pity her husband / pitied her, poo
child! for | could understand he
heart.''
=" lie went groat deal into compan
without his wife,
SC Yes and if you asked for he1
there was always an air, or tone, 0
expression in his face, that made 70,
feel DIS if he did not regard her as
much consequence. Where is Mrs
Newcomb p you would inquire. Ssh
doesn't 60 OUT or, 'shc's queer littl
home body or, the baby's sick,' or
she doesn't enjoy company Thes,
were the reasons he would give. 1t ha
been on my lips dozen times to an
swer, why don't you stay at HON,
and keep her company?' And I wisl
now that had. 1t might have quick
ened in him perception Of duty, anl
caused few more rays Of light to fal
on her not always sunny pathway"
MIR. Newcomb heard no more. Blu
wasn't that enough to give him the heart.
acne for years No, he had not ap'
preciated his wife, now lost to him for
ever. She was neither brilliant nor ;
handsome woman but true as steel t.
duty. Love for her husband was a pas
sion that involved all the elements o.
her life. But the delicacy Of her per.
ceptlons too soon revealed the sad truth
that for some cause she had failed tt
win from her husband love in any de-
gree answering to her own. This sc
shadowed her feelings that she otter
appeared unamiable in his eyes, When
she was only in strife with hidden an
guish. Gradually he grew Indifferent
and simply because he did not under.
stanl her. He imagined her incapable