Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-10-27

| Simpson aud Augusta were in a state of mind
abhorent from the coarse but comfortable sub.
stantials before them. Mr. Simpson played with
his knife aud fork, but allowed his rasher to
grow cold before him untasted. After MeSSrs
Grindles' letter had been discussed, they had
been rather a silent party. The first dreams
OF sudden afflueuce were too vague and luxuri-
ant to shape into words The ladies were in
little fairy-aud of their own, in which Wis
ions of smart carriages and unlimited millinery
| flashed before the eyes of their fancy. The
husband felt, on the whole, almost as much
puzzled as pleased He had not yet succeeded
in combining to his own satisfaction, the pro-
prietorShip of Barton End-So uncle Sans
country house was named-with the warehous
es in Aldermanbury. A snug place at Wands
worth, or any other favorite locality few
miles out of town, where he might have a run
down every day to dinner, and spend his Sun
| days with au old friend or two for company
this bad long been an object of innocent am
bition with him. and favorable castle-in-the
air when he was in the mood for that kind of
building which, to do him justice, was but sell
| dom and if ever he had been inclined to tres
pass on the tenth commandment, it was as Of
ten as he passed a certain smart new villa on
the Harrow Road, belonging to a retired tobac-
conist of his acquaintance, where the pillars at
the entrance-gate presented two enormous ci-
gars, aud which bore the name of Havanuah
Cottage That was very much Mr.. Simpsons
pattern of rual elegance aud felicity. 81
should like such a little place as Snufson's
very we'll" had been the nearest approach to
enthuastc admiration which he had ever been
| heard to utter with regard to that or any 9th
! er of the numerous snug retreats of British iu-
dustry which he and Mrs. Simpson noticed in
their summerevening drives but it had been
repeated more than once, and was evidently q
pet dream of his Mrs. Simpsons ambition
had always been on grander scale. and more
comprehensive in its objects indeed, it had
varied from the possession of Buckingham
Palace, Life Guards included, to the occupa-
ton of No. ! in their own terrace, which had
a second drawing room and plate-glaSs win
dowS Either sphere, she felt she could adorn !;
meanwhile she was content to make an ex-
cellent wife, in her present contracted orbit
An excellent wife, as Simpson often said TO
himself and his city friends, in social confden-
ces Did she not insist upon his always wear
ing worsted hose and flannel waist coats from
a given date which was assumed as the begin
ming of winter? And if the peculiar irrita-
bility of Mr. Simpsons skin made this style
of clothing especially disagreeabie to him,
could that be laid to her charge? Was he
to catch cold, and risk his precious life, be-
cause he "ddn't like the feel' of what was
good for him? All Mr.. Simpsons shirts were
made at home, either 10y her own hands or by
those of her daughters They did not cost
much less, than was admitted the collars
being made after an old and approved pattern
/ belonging to Mrs Simpsons papa, treasured
/ up as a sort Of standard of what u collar sho'd
/ be-did, as Mr.. Simpson ayerred, cut him uu-
der the ears, and double over behind but
/ Mr.. Simpson had short neck, which was GER
;ainly no fault either or Girs. S, or the col
lars She put the cayenne pepper to which
/ Mr.. S, was rather addicted, carefully out of
reach at dinner time-it was so bad for his
digestion she woke him up ruthlesSIy from
| his sfter-dinner nap-thoSe things grew upon
old people, aud We're bad for man of his full
habit. She hid mis- snuff box, banished his old
''down-at heel' slippers and worked him smart
| tight pair instead and, in short, tried as far
as possible TO keep him in the way in which
he should 90 Mrs Simpson, it must be said
| was uRgrateful for some Of these attentions
| and evaded her well meant efforts with per-
verse ingenuity. He continually ignored or
disputed the date of resumiLg the flannel aud
worsted, wore the new slippers down at heel,
/ kept snuff in his waiSt-coat pocket. and had
gradually acquired the faculty of sleeping, like
| fish, with his eyes open. But Simpson, was
/ the beSt-tempered man i'll the world and he
aud his wife in spite of these little antagonis
| TIC pecularities might have almost been claim
ants for the fitch at Dunmow. He had q
| quiet will of his own, too in more important
matters, which the lady, content with ack
/ nowledged sovereignty in what she considered
/ her own departments of government, had sense
enough seldom to try TO interfere with. They
I had two Mary, the eldest, who
had been to good school. and was now on a
visit to a maiden aunt at Blixton, and who
was tacitly admitted to be rather the fathers
pet-having a good deal Of his quiet good
sense, and very sweet disposition; and Au-
/ gusta, who had left home, and might be con-
.idered TO have adopted more entirely her moth
| eF's tastes aud manners. In Master Samuel.
| the only son, now about twelve, the hopes OF
! both parents We're alike centred ; and his 60
| ing to school had been delayed from time 10
time-to that young gentemaa's dISadTan-
/ tage, stranger might have thought-hrst,
/ upon one pretext, aud then another, partly be-
cause Of the expense, but in fact chiefly be-
cause reither father nor mother could make
up their minds to part with him There were
moments, no doubt, when some unusual fit Of
/ troubleSoneneSs caused sentence of immediate
deportation TO be passed but it had never
I been put into execution, and be went on pick
| ing up such scraps of learning-good and evil
as the little suburban day school offered.
You'll give up the business, Of course,
Simpson," ?" said :he wife after pause, follow
! ing up one of her own trains of thought
NO, Sally think not" quietly replied
the husband.
| Mrs Simpson had been thinking not. too