The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-11-03
....s . From Moore's Rural New Yorker,
Mabel Vincenl's warning.
BY KATE CAMERON.

BY KATE CAMERON.
"There (! Harry, that is what call mod
el husband" said the young and beautiful
Mrs. Vincent, looking through the half drawn
Venetian blinds of their pretty cottage par
lors, at a stately mansion across the way the
owners Of which were just seating themselves
in the elegant carriage for their evening
drive
"There's Mr.. Lowrence, who thinks all
the world of his wife I'm sure he does, for
there's no end to the splendid silks he buys
her (; and then, whenever she chooses, she
can have him to wait on her to rides, or to
parties, or the opera, and you never go any
where with me -
"And does my little wife think I love her
less because cannot, like that millionaire
over the way, devote myself exclusively to
her service ?"
Harry spoke kindly, and threw his arm
careessly about his wife,
At any other time, Mabel would have an
swered him with kiss. and dropped the
subject at once, but now the spirit ofdiscon-
tent was aroused, and she replied pettishly
but one likes some proofs of affection oc-
casionally"
'And am not working for you all the
while, darling?" was the response ''but,"
he added, a little sternly, "you shall have
proots-you shall have substantial proofs"
And before Mrs. Vincent could speak, her
husband had gone back to the store,-gonc
without the "Good- night kiss" never before
omitted since he brought his bride to their
humble but tasteful home-gone, with a
weight upon his buoyant spirits, and heavy
feeling in his heart to which he was all un-
used. -. ...
And Mabel? At first she strove to Justify
herself for her cruel wor Is. "At any rate
only spoke the truth Harry never does 90
anywhere with me; he is always delvng in
that old store and only tonight when |
asked him for that blue silk. he told me he
couldn't affordi it. / used to think merchants s
wives could always have their choice out of
their husbands goods, but here, I've only
had two shilling gingham, and four
shilling barege this summer, while Mrs. Law
renee has had at least dozen beautiful and
expensive dresses. Oh, dear it is too bad
and Mabel Vincent leaned her head upon her
hand and wept.
From this painful reverie she was aroused
by ring at the door it was John, her hus-
bands clerk, who brought package from
the store for Mrs. Vincent 1t contained tn e
coveted blue silk, with the rich trimmings
she had so earnestly desired. Surprised and
delighted, Mabel carefully examined the cost
ly fabric, now throwing it over chair and
walking away the better to mark it's effect
then standing before the mirror, she held the
folds around her form, and smiled to see how
very becoming it would be to her clear COM
plcxion and golden hair.
She had not finished admiring It, when
her husband entered and she ran to him ca
gerly, and would have expressed her gratitude
by loving embrace, had he not repulsed
her with the cold words, 81 presume You
would prefer more substantial proofs of my
love than silly kisses, which mean but little
in future you shall be gratiied"
And from that hour there was precepti-
BILE change in the lives of Harry and Mabel.
Scarcely day passed that some costly gift
was not added to the toilette and wardrobe
Of Mrs. Vincent-jewels, such as she had
sighed to possess, glittered upon her fingers
rich silks were bought and made, and worn,
without af'ording her the pleasure that she
used to feel in her simple muslins and ging-
hams.
Ere long they left their little cottage, en-
powered in flowers and trees, for a stylish
mansion cup town,"--they gave dinner par
ties and series they even owned a carriage,
and dashed grandly by their old ncighbors,
the Lawrences.
But was Mabel happy? Did the longed
for wealth and its numerous appliances yield
her true happiness? All, no she wearied,
even to safety, of the hcartless show and
ceremony by which she was surrounded
pined for the quiet comfort which had beeu
hers in their cottage home, for then, Harry
was all devotion to her; now he never spent
an hour of pleasant converse with her-he
had no time for that-he was "a man Of the
world,' she, fashionable lady,"-hc no
longer called her Mabel" or Darling" 1t
was ''Mrs. Vincent" for she was the same