Litchfield enquirer., 1860-08-30

Squire OldGeld and his wife Catharine were hearty, handsome, elderly couple, who had toiled up the hill of life together successfully, and were now, as the poet ex' presses it, going down it hand in hand, a kindly, honest, loving pair. After the first greetings were over, Catharine rallied her daughter, as mothers will do sometimes, on the fact of making herself sca1ce at the pa rental homestead; but on Emma's attempt ing to apologize, kindly added, "Oh, know how it is, my dear child; young wife has something else to do than to be always run ming after her old mother" "That is how the world wags, wife," said the squire; she must leave father and mother, as the holy writing saith; but you think of us often, my child, am sure"
 So they seated themselves to the amply spread breakfast-table; and, the old gentle. man declaring that his long walk had made him both thirsty and hungry, poured out a glass of wine for each of the party, and pro. posed "many happy returns of the day." Now, it occurred simultaneously to our young couple that many returns Of such a morning as they had passed together would not be desirable; but instead of keeping this consciousness to themselves, and accomplish ing silent reconciliation, Alfred raised his glass with trembling hand, and the more lmpuiSive Emma was obliged to put her own down on the table again while she wiped her eyes, This action did not escape the Dotice of the worthy old man.
 What is this?" asked he; shave ofien ded! My sen in-law, you look embarrassed and Emma is in tears; what has happered?'
 Alfred, finding that the whole matter must come out motioned to Hal to leave the room, and tried to explain: "It is little matter not worth mentioning; only my Elm ma is little too obstinate"
 Unfortunate young man! it certainly might be said of him. on this particular morning, that he could not open his mouth without putting his foot in it." His re- mark re-opened the foodgates of his wife's grief. who declared that she had struggled against it in vain but the sensc of injustice in being styled obstinate, cepricious, aud peryerse, was more than she could bear.
 Great was the confusion amongst that small breakfast party. The father said, Hist! old wife, do not mcddle in young folks quarrcls;" but the mother opined that perhaps, if they Were to hear exactly how matters stood, something satisfactory might be accomplished in the way of arbitration So the point was yielded. and Alfred was requested to tell his story. When it was ended, the young wife appealed: "Tlere, mother! there, father! BOW you hear him; :; you can tell if have ever been pcrvcrsc."
 "Wc! clild," said tie old man, with il misehievous twinkle ;u his eye, aud a studied hesitation, wcIl-perl,aps-
 Now, husband,' intcrposcd Catharine, "you do Emma wrong; she never was per verse. Be easy dear child, do not vcx your self, it will soon l.e all right again."
 An, but he still insists that 1 shall say the words," sobbcd Emma.
 An, my son, is it sop asked the mother, with the faintcst shade of anger ip her tOne
 :" Pray let the matter rest" said the son.
 Let me beg of you not to spoil my breakfast" said Squire Oldfield, good hu- morcdly; "you are q little simpleton, Elm ma; and you, my son, will find it as well to overlook q little sclf-will in young bride She will soon cure herself of it, like my old wife there; you see she exercises no contra diction, she fulfls my slightest wish; and if l were to ask her to say, Very good, the table is set,' she would say it at once"
 " Indeed would not, though" said the elderly dame rather sharply.
 "What! not if were to ask you?"
 Certainly not"
 (" An, wife, you are not in earnest; you would actually refuse me!'
 "I would.'
 Pray let us talk of something else" said Alfred.
 "No," said the father, " wish the mat ter clearly understood. Dear Catharine, just say once, Very good, the table is set "
 "No," stoutly replied the dame.
 The old man coaxed, reasoned, and at last became angry. "Now this is beyond a joke: will you set bad example to your daughter by your perversenessw
 "The old story" exclaimed Catharine ;" " the men all stand by one another when the que ston is the suhjtction of women. Even the father takes part against his own daugh- ter"
 "I take no one's part but my own," re- piled the accused "what my daughter dis cusscs with her husband is not my concern : it is with you that l have to do, and de sire you to say those words"
 How can you ask any thing so foolish of your wife ?"
 {" That is not tle question, dame make this request as test of obedience, just as Gcssler hung up his hat for the Swiss to sa- lute"
 :" And because the hat was made the sub- jcct of an absurd, foolish and degrading command, therefore the Swiss rose up against their tyrants."
 "And we," chimcd in Emma, Eve may also have our opinions, for We are wives, not slaves"
 This very logical deduction from the OK ample of the Tyrolese seems to have inspired fresh courage in her who originated it and the two ladies burst forth into double at- tack regarding the Turkish dispositions of their husbands, with the sentiment, "women never shall be slaves, whcth they sustained long after the enemy's fire had been silenced ; the younger lady winding up with the de- claration, Unreasonable commands we will never obey, will We, dear mother 2" and the elder conf rming the matter with rcsolute Never, never, never, never ]" like the double bar at the end of noisy piece of music.
 I Victory being now decidedly in favor of the two wives, what could the husbands do but propose terms of surrender " This is pretty business" said the son.