Litchfield enquirer., 1860-09-13

: nothing and heard nothing to lead her t. doubt that it was as perfect as could be ex pected in this imperfect world. Indeed, sh knew not, that so far as connubal happi ness was concerned, cloud had ever passed : over her daughters path; and it was long ere Helen herself was aware, that the cloud were darker and more frequent sunshiu } rarer, and of shorter continuance It wa by slow degrees she learned, that she mus submit to her husband in everything. Th' spending an evening in neighbours house. even the most tr;ding matters of taste, mus te as much subjected to his control, as tho most important transactions of life. Heller cheerfully acknowledged her husbands su premacy. Her mother had taught her, ant the Bible taught her, that authority belong ed to him; that it was her duty, and would be for her happiness to obey him in all things Her atfcctjonate heart prompted her to tEiE course; but as she was a human being, slle natutal!y had tastes and incinations of hel oWn, and these were not always, of course in exact accordance with those of another Sometimes in case of collision, she could not help feeling, that if she yielded on all i'm portant points, Mr Howard might occasion ally yield in trifes. eff" she argued witl a sigh, he finds it so hard to conform te the wishes of another sometimes, why canuot he realize how difficult it is for me to do il always? If the haf-formed thought arose III Ter mind, that her husband was selfish She instantly hanished it. "Oh, no," she would say" he is not selfish! Men are used to authority, and are not aware what it oft entlmes costs the subject, l suppose on this poii't they are all much alike" Perfect good nature, aud unwliingncss to detract anything from the perfection with which she had in vested Mr. Howard led to this conclusion Had Helelis own father entered her mind at that moment, she mnst have acknowledged that between some men, there was striking contrast
 With this, however, Helen could have got along very we'll. She had as little obstinacy as any of her species; and if in the moment ot trial, her heart would sometimes rebel, the feeling was soon gone, and she yielded with grace and chcerfuIness. That which was much harder to bear, was, that as Nlr Howard grew older, it was more difficult to appease his displeasure; and sometimes, IIcl en would have to ask forgiveness, for some, perhaps, very trifiEg inadvcrtency, two or three times, before the kiss of cordial recon cIllation would be granted. Beside this, she
 anted for commendation. From her own heart, 1t flowed spontaneously; and however strong Mr. Towards objections might De to beStOW!ng praise on anotAer he never mani tested any reliHynans'e to receiving it him self. !i;,Icn loved to praise her husband She loved 10 repeat to hiin the praise lc- slowed ijy others, it greatly increased her owh happiness. But when her >f ecisl. and sometimes :ahorious efforts to do that which she thought would give MT Howard nec;,- liar satisfaction. wouid fail cf calling forth one word of comneuGation--one look of grateful Satisfaction--tai, even, of attract ing observation, her heart would silk with disappointment, aud to hc quite happy, it WAS Indispensable that slic should Ee very forg"iiul
 But was Mr. Howard the impcccaIlc lc- ing his wife was willing to believe him? On the contrary, he Was far itom it as other well prineipie,! men. Bat he never conttssc a l fault to human auditor; and oftentiincs, when he had given Helen just cause of complaint, if she manifested it--not by upbraiding, (of that her nature was incapable )--hut an ai- fcc:ionate wife may, with all propriety, ex- press disi leasure toward her husband he re- sented it in a high degree; and many times did she, with sjghs and tears, sue for forgiv- ness, when he alone was in fault. She was always prone to believe herself to blame, and peace she must have, on any terms, or be Wrctched
 The power of pleasing, or giving satisfaction, seems to be taken from US .ju4 in proportion as we despair of exercising it. Helen was al most hopeless of securing her husbands appro- bation, and her heart was depr4sed by discour- agement. She remittei none oi her efforts to please-it had become habit oI her mind-but she was scarcely conscious thai her endeavors now arose less from the hope Q receiving com mendation, than for desire to escape reproof and censurc.
 For the first three years of geen's married life, the sunshine had greatly prponderated over the clouds for the last three, Ehe clouds had gradually been gaining the prepnderence over the sunshine: and before anotPr closed, they gathered over her head, to be dispersed again only when the sun of her life ws setting.
 In some way, in which no pnciple of right or wrong was involved, but whee the opinion or will of her husband only was c2cerned, Helen had again transgressed. She saf the cloud on Mir. Towards brow, marked Is firmly com pressed lips, and almost instinctiely endeavored to remove his displeasure. She tined her arms about his neck, but he unclasped them-and- not roughly indeed-but firmly but her from him. This she could hardly endte.
 My dear husband" she cried " do not look so coldly, so sternly on me! Ddbelieve that I never displease you, without feelhg the deepest regret" Again she strove to endcle his neck with her arms, and lay her cheek Spon his, but was again repulsed.
 l eff you had not said as much tousand times before," remarked MT. Howard, II might be- lieve you; but of what use is tlA regret that produces no amendment ?'
 Helen burst into an agony of tars and fall ing at her husbands feet, claspehis hands in hers " Do you doubt my sorrow, she cried, in a voice choked by the violence ofher emotion. "O do not thus break my heart Forget that l have displeased you, now, or evea for 'ciyuAy I would never do so. o, say that is forgiven and forgotten" ]"
 She was looking up into his eJs, but their expression was cold and unfeelingl Is ever. In truth, he was moved for he saw t agony of his wife's feeling; but he thought, &t, perhaps were he less ready to forgive, he sould have less frequent occasion to do so, ande suffered not feature to relax.
 Helen looked steadily at him for ahoment- while her heart was throbblng, and very mus , cle of her face was working with sguish-to catch the first indication of forgivetss and re- conciliation but nothing of the kin was visi- ble. A change came over Ter in mAent. Her muscles ceased to tremble; her hearteased its tbrob obhiDr and she calminroso and