The Van Buren press., 1859-11-18
Mg Mgistellallg.
My wife's Talent.
BY LEE DARLING,

Twas obliged to go the Sandwich Island.
on business So l packed my valise on,
morning, and said good bye" to as pretty
a wife as ever man had. l was absen,
six months, and returned to find a youngs-
| ter in the cradle three months old.
1t was evening when l arrived at home
My boy was lying in his cradle alone. In
the kitchen found woman entertaining d
couple of red faced beaux OF her l in
quired for my WIFE
Yer wife l don't know your wife,
nor you either she pertly replied.
els Mrs. Searles in ?''
&c May be she is in somewhere, but she
Amt in this here house.
Do you know where she is % l asked
angrily.
" Is it Mr.. Searles yerself is 90
"Yes"
Well, she is gone to the Lyceum to
purfor- rm.''
''To do what %
"To rade, sure"
was quite dubious as to what she meant
and telling her to take care of the baby went
in search of my wife. Concluding she
must be at the Lyceum, FASTENED thither,
and found the large hall crowded.
There was woman on the platform.
did not at first notice who she was Her
voice attracted my attention.
By the Pleiades, it was my wife. She
was reading Shakspeare-beautifullv, too,
must say.
For moment things began to look blue.
| cursed old Shakespeare in my heart Had
he been there, / should have shaken him.
| thought of my bonny, blue-eyed boy, at
home in his cradle. Lucky thought 1t
saved me from mischievous caper, for ]
was nearly desperate. But the thought of
him calmed me, and l went home to nv
boy.
A father, by the cradle of his first born,
feels as proud as if he were the conqueror OF
the world, but my ectasies were, on this
occasion. choked by the reflection t.,at,
while l had gained son, perhaps l had
perhaps, lost wife.
Well, thought l, if she deserts the era
die, the greater the necessity that should
remain by it for, next to the mother, the
father will make the best nurse.
1t was nearly twelve o'clock, when my
wife glided into the room where baby and
were awaiting her.
1hC WClCOuic L TeCelScU was llttlc ike
the one had imagined would greet me on
my return. Not word was said about
her absence
All the next day she was studying atti-
tudes and practicing her voice. In the eve-
ming she invited me to accompany her to the
Hail." She said she had promised to
read " the balcony scene" in Romeo and
Juliet plead with her earnestly.
Here is our boy-hc needs your care
l cannot spare you-you must stay"
Dearest Paul - she replied, "I must
so l cannot disappoint the Association :
| Am reading for the benefit of the orphans
feel it my duty to go. AS for baby, Bridg-
ct takes care of him nicely"
Yes. and does not see him all the eve
ming. She will have party in the kitch-
en- and stuff her guests with pies and cakes
l found the boy alone last night 1t will
be the last time he is left SO. Tomorrow,
l will get some one to take care of him."
| My wife angrily exclaimed that "could
not appreciate her, and that l wished tc
make her slave to my boy" So, with the
air of a highly injured individual, she left
us.
Ny boys lungs were employed in giving
straining tokens of indignation at being
deprived of his natural rights by his givel
mother. who, entertaining sleepy audi
|ence. forgot in her deep devotion to- he
mission in f,e world, her duties to he
child
tried in vain every expedient that mem
ory OF imaginatioLcouids suggest for quiet
ing a crying baby. Including offers of every
eatable to be found IL the cupboard. A
, last. nearly choked HIN to death with
piece of beef steak. Poo babel Though
he would die. thoughthe would die. N
effort of mine could dislodg. the intrudin,
substance Calling franticaly to Bridget
I asked if there was any body in tn
kitchen.
"Only Jim." she answered.
"Get him to run down to the Hall an
tell Mrs. Searles her baby is dying" \
Why. what's the matter with the da
I lint e''