Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-02-24
Our Social Oirfle,
The Wife's Mistake.

The carriage stopped at the door, and, in
few minutes, Margaret Hale entered the
apartment where her husband sat, wholly alb
sorbed in porting over day books and ledgers.
"Those tiresome accounts STILL she ex-
claimed Will you never find time for
anything but business, Ralph? Have you
no taste for anything beyond figures ?"
Margaret" but the sadness of the tone
was UNDECIDED, as she continued:
"We had such acharming evening at Mrs.
C.'s Captain Hill related many interesting
incidents Of his residence in Egypt. and Mr..
Warren, the famous young peet, read Maud
and some of the most beautiful passages in
Aurora Leigh l must read to you some
of Romney's Great Thoughts on Duty"
She went hastily to her chamber for the
volume. When she returned, her quiet en-.
trance was unheard by her husband, whose
pen was rapidly moving over the almost in
termiuable columns of figures. With an ex-
preston Of impotence, almost of scorn, rest.
ing on her face, she hastily turned away.
"And this is the end to all my dreams of
marriage" said she, as she reached her room.
" lie has taste for drudgery. His pursuits
and tastes are all common place, and | must
go from home to find the sympathy | need, to
find those who will appreciate, with me, the
books I love, and the beautiful in art, for
which he has neither eye nor ear. Why did
be not marry woman who had neither heart
nor mind to be continually unsatisfed 2"
In the room she had left, Ralph Hale sat,
hour after hour, till his brain was weary and
his cyelids dropped Then, laying asidd his
books, he remained long time in deep
thought.
"God bless my Margaret" he prayed,
and give me strength to bear all things
Give me power to make her happy"
Putting awayall thoughts of her husbands
real nobleness of character, jealousy presery.
ing the memory of every slig ht difference in
their tastes and pursuits, Margaret cherished
the spirit of discomfort, till it embittered
every hour of her life, and sent suffering she
had never dreamed Of, to the heart Of her
husband, who would gladly have sacrificed
every earthly good for her happiness.
A sudden and severe illness came 70 bor
while Ralph was in distant CITY, One day
during her slow recovery, the aged minister,
who had baptized her in infancy, was sitting
by her side.
Margaret" he said, after steadfasty
watching her troubled face, "you arc unhap.
Ply. l have seen it a long time. l should
not recognize in you my once cheerful, happ,
child. May not know what great sorrow
has come to you?"
Then, with sobs and tears, she told him al
her unhappiness.
After short silence, the old man spok,
again, and there was sadness, almost sternness
in his voice. Years ago, Margaret,
wealthy New York merchant became involved
in speculation whose failure suddenly tool
from him the accumulated wealth of years o
commercial enterprise. There were a few
years Of weary, vain struggling to regal,
what he had lost; then deep dependency,
lingering disease and death. His wife an
four children were left penniless The eldes
child, a boy of sixteen, had finished his pre-
paratory studies, and was about to enter col
lege. By this stroke, he found his prospect
for the future clouded; but with a nobl