St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-11-10
THE GOOD WIFE,
By DONALD O. MITHELL.

The heart of man, with whom af.
tection is not name, and love mere
passion Of the hour, ycarns toward tho
quiet of home, as toward the goal
Of his earthly JOY and hope. And az
you fasten there your thought, an in:
dulgent, yet dreamy fancy paints the
loved image that is to adorn it, and to
make it sacred.
She is there to bid you God speed!
and an adieu, that hangs like music
on your ear, as you go out to the
everyday labor of life. At evening
she is there to greet you, as you come
back wearied with days toll and
her look so full of gladness, cheats
you of your fatigue /; and she steals
her arm around you, with soul Of
welcome, that beams like sunshine on
her brow and that fills your eyes with
tears of twin grattudc--to her, and
Heaven.
She is not unmindful of those old
fashioned virtues of cleanliness and
of order, which give an air of quiet,
and which secure content. Your
wants are all anticipated the fire ia
burning brightly the clean hearth
flashes under the joyous blaze tho
old elbow-chair is in its place. Your
very unworthiness Of all this haunts
you like an accusing spirit, and yet
penctratcs your heart with a new de-
votion, toward the loved one who is
thus watchful Of your comfort.
Sbn j.. frnny1n l-no,,inpr lava
as she has won it, by a thousand
nameless and modest virtues, which
radiatc from her whole life and action.
She steals upon your affections like
summer wind breathing softly over
sleeping valleys. She gains amaste-
ry over your stcrner nature, by very
contrast and wins you unwittingly
to her lightcst wish And yet her
wishes are guided by that delicate
tact, which avoids conflict with your
manly pride she subducs by seeming
to yield. By single soft word of APP
peal, she robs your vexation Of its
anger and with slight touch Of that
fair hand, and one pleading look Of
that earnest eye, she disarms your
stcrncst pride.
She is kind ;-shedding her kind.
ness, as Heaven sheds dew. Who
indeed could doubt it ?-least of all,
you who are living on her kindness,
day by day, as flowers live on light =?
There is none of that officious parade
which blunts the point of benevolence:
but it tempers every action with
blessing.
If trouble has come upon you, she
knows that her voice, beguiling you
into cheerfulness, will lay your fears
and as she draws her chair beside you,
she knows that the tender and con-
fiding way with which she takes your
hand, and looks up into your earnest
face, will drive away from your an
noyance all its weight. As she lin
gers, leading off your thought with
pleasant words, she knows well that
she is rcdeeming you from care, aud
soothing you to that sweet calm, which
such home and such wife can alone
bestow.
And in sickness,-sickness that you
almost covet for the sympathy it
brings, s,--that had of hers resting on
your fevercd forehead, or those fingers
playing with the scattered locks, are
more full of kindness than the loudest
vaunt of friends and when your fall
ing strength will permit no more, you
grasp that cherished hand, with full
ness of joy, of thankfulness, and Of
love, which your tears only can tell.
She is good her hopes live where
the angels live. Her kindness and
gentleness are swectly tempered with
that meckness and forbearance which
arc born of Faith. Trust comes into
her heart as rivers come to the sea.
And in the dark hours of doubt and
foreboding, you rest fondly upon her
buoyant faith, as the treasure Of your
common life and in your holicr mu-
sings, you look to that frail hand, and
that gentle spirit, to lead you away
from the vanitics of worldly ambition,
to the fullncss Of that joy which the
good inherit.