The Van Buren press., 1859-09-21

ruled I am vanquisAed. and gladly do ]
yield to such victor.
Poor H. sighed, rose, and walked the
floor for some minutes: then approaching
me, he said " Why this difference? Youl
wife is beautiful and gsaceful-so is mine
Your wife says she loves you-so does
mine Yours
"Hold." interrupted l, your wife says
she loves you-mine proves it by consult
ing my happiness. You warned me agains.
my wife's pride and spirit ; I grant she pos
sesses large quantity Of both. and what
would woman be without these traits p
Mary has excellent sense and tact These
teach her how to control those characteris-
tics which might make us both unhappy
Yes, H., any man that has brains at all
must not choose beautiful wife without
intellect rather let him wed one with a
plain face, u warm heart, and good sense. -
shook hands with s4Sopr IL. and pitied
him exceedingly, then ssnseed the hall to
the room where were assembled many mem
bers of the club. l made farewell address,
in which l advised them to follow my ex-
ample, and shook hands with them all
Some bantered me, but the greater number
said their acquaintance with any wife had
half induced tht m to look AROUND for an op-
portunity to do as had done, and they all
promised to accept my wife's invitation to
come freely to our home whenever they felt
like having quiet domestic enjoyment.
hastened home, entered the dining room,
where saw the gas burning; my slippers
were warming before the fire, near which
was drawn great arm chair on the table
were cup and saucer. besides other ar
rangements for comfortable supper.
Irang the bell and the waiter appeared
/ asked who had placed my slippers there.
He smiled and said, Il saw my mistress
put them there, SIR"
AS it was not late hour I was surpris-
ed that my wife was not waiting, although
1 requested her to retire, if sleepy.
I asked, "Has Mrs. B. retired ?" The
servant replied, " No. sir, she is in the kitch-
en-, teaching Nancy and Ellen to read.'
told the waiter not to disturb his mis-
tress, but to wait in the buttery until call
ed him.
then stole quietly down to the kitchen,
and peeped through the glass over the door.
The large pine table contained books, states.
etc. There sat my wife between two black
females one was reading to her, and the
eyes of the other were gazing on the face OF
her mistress as if she considered her being
from better world.
returned to the dining room, rang the
bell, and when the waiter reappeared bade
him inform his mistress that | had arrived
l fear some long word was left half pro-
nounced, for in less than two minute she was
in my arms.
"Oh, how good youare to return so ear
ly ~ cried che; "but why did you? Was
it not pleasant with your club %
"No. my wife," Ireplied, 81 shall go to
it no more. 1t answered very we'll while ]
had no home Of my own; but now / have
dear, sensible, loving wife, who is more
attractive than all the clubs in Chrisen
DOM
Mary blushed at the compliment, and bu-
rying her face in my bosom to hide the tears
that would come in spite of the smile, said,
"may l ever deserve such praise and love
from you, my husband; when you left me
this evening, l sat one moment on the lounge
and shed tears because felt SO lonely; then
l thought this would not do Charles must
sometimes leave me !; l will improve useful.
ly every hour of his absence So after pre-
pairing for your return, l went to the kitch-
en- to instruct our women
| My wife insisted upon my going to the
club once week, lest my bachelor friends
became jealous of her, but they have wit.
messed so much Of our happiness that think
the club room will not much longer be the
resort of any but miserable rejected bache
lors and unhappy hus stands.
PERPETUAL YoUrH-It is an old legend
| hot toI1 of knsr Il
fortunate as to find and drink of it, has the
power of bestowing perpetual youth. Nc
student of history is unfamiliar with the
story of the chivalric Spaniard, Ponce DE-
Leon, who pursued the rumored trail of this
wizard fountain through the wilderness o.
Florida. Alas. like many another as gal
liant and enthusiastic soul, searching fol
that alchemic myth, the Philosopher
Stone." De Leon, wearied in body and
withered in spirit, died ere he could gain 6
glimpse of the fabled fount. And so hav.
died all searches for life's renewal, who
sought the elixir in the outer, visible world
Ever as the footstep seemed to tread close
upon the happy spot, some night-shade o.
sorrow or death interposed-and the track
of the fountain was forever lost. Yet thers
IS an accessible fountain of virtue, whose
waters, deeply quaffed by the soul, was thu
wrinkles of age and the stains of time from
the heart, and make life-the longest lift
bloom with all the beauty of its first ven
dure. They are ever young who retain thu
innocency, the trust, and the loving feryo,
of youth. 1t is not the years that make u.
old. it is the crisping fame of our sensu
GUS desires-our lusts. our hatreds, oul
1 prides. our ambitions. He who drinks OBJ
livion to these, and his fill of peace and con
tent with the lot God vouchsafes him, ma,
grow gray as Msthuselah. and yet be young
as the morning of life ere one cloud ha,
fecked it's sky.
LAYING UP FOR CMLDREN-Afany an un
wise parent works hard, and lives spar
ingly all his life. for the purpose ofleavine
enongh to his chiliren start in the world
as it is called. Setting young man afloa
with the money left him by his relatives, i
like tying bladders under the arms of ON
I who cannot swim-ten chances to one h
will lose his bladders. and go to the bot
tom. Teach him to swim and he will no
Al =