Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-02-10
From the Home Magazine
1mOGeme's Last Volume.
BY NARY G. GRANNIss.
cHAPT .R I.

cHAPTkR I.
All the gossips of Elderville decided
unanimously that Frank Staunton was
q silly-hcad, to think of marrying such
bookish sort Of q girl as Imogene
May. Not but she might be good
enough in her way; but what could he
do, on clerks salary, towards sup
porting wife, whom they knew
couldn't mend garment or cook o
mealaft to be eaten!
*sThem are kind of gals" (chimed
in Aunt Persy Potter, at the social
tea drinking, where the matter was
being pretty thoroughly discussed, }
s'that's alters readin' and writin' and
talkin' about things in the moon, with
out knowing, maybe, much more of
'em than us common folks, amt just
the kind for young men to marry who
want to git along in the world /; not
that I've anything particular agin Miss
Imogene, only she ANT the sort for
Stanton"
This last sentence was delivered with
emphasis, in an oracular tone. Aunt
Persey pursed her mouth into more
than its usual unylelding primness, as
she took another cup of her fayorite
Souehong from the hands Of her host
ess.
"No more have any disrespect for
the young lady, for it's Ter misfortune,
leastwise, that her head is so full of
notions" responded another Of the
guests. "She takes it naturally from
her father, whose brain was so cramm-
ed with knowledge that he never aUas
like ordinary mortals. But then he was
q good man, and amazing fond of I'm
ogene and I've heard said he took the
whole care of her after her mother
died.'
But Notwithstanding the adverse de-
cision of his case of alliance given by
this neighbor "Court of Errors" Frank
Stanton and pretty, blushing Imogene
May were pronounced one, by the white
haired village clergyman, as side by
side they stood before the altar in the
little brown church, one fragrant June
morning. Even these croaking gossips,
who had been SO ready with their dis
NAL forebodings concerning the match,
were, in spite of themselves, led cap
tive by the happy influences Of the
scene, and forgot all ominous shakes
Of the head, as seated in the carriage
which was to convey them 10 the rail-
road, and thence to their city home,
the happy pair babe adieu to tn crowd
of sympathizing friends, and, amid
smiles and tears, drove away from the
church door, beneath the roseate light
of new summer day-and of new,
and, as they fon lily hoped, richer,
happier life!
Did Frank have cause to regret his
choice? Not bit of it! True, Imo-
gene-or 'Genie,' as he lovingly call
ed her, acould now and then u, ute GER
ses, simply because she couldn't help
flask the lirds if they can help
warbiing on sunny spring morning,
when their little hearts are brimful of
joy)-and Frank, foolish fellow as be
was, thought these illusions charming;
as, also, that no simple stories Of the
heart could excel in true pathos and
beauty those that 80 readily flowed from
her busy pen. But as to housekeeping
.--there, Master Frank, we have you
We will acknowledge the wife's genius
and accomplishments, her sunny face
and winning tenderness but, as Aunt
Persey says Of these quite unpa1dona-
bic attractions, ''they amt jist the kind
for a young man who wants to git alon g
ip the world, eh %
''Housekeeper," replies the happy,
infatuated Frank, with an offended air;
eff you can show me better one you
can work miracles !" So, the old-wives
were at fault for orce in their prognos-
tics and Frank, the fortunate fellow,
rejoices in wife whose good practical
sense and active knowledge Of every
day affairs, are fully equal to her in.
tellectual worth and her amiable social
qualities.
1t was Imogene, the bride Of few
months, who proposed exchanging their
rather expensive boarding place for a
quiet, humble tenement, where they
two might make for themselves peace
full home, in which she was the benefi-
cent fairy whose ready skill and active
hands worked such marvels eff convent
ence and comfort, and even elegance,
out Of a limited portion of her hus-
bands not extensive income, that he
was no less astonishcd than delighted.
':Ah! Genie, darling, you are a ver-
liable witch. Its quite evident that I
am under the wand Of an enchantress.
Who but you could have made such a
splendid Transformations and the as
tonishcd Frank examined with delight
the old, worn office chair, now glowing
in oriental splendor, with its richly
bounced cover of crimson chintz, set off
to the best advantage by a snowy tidy
of delicate network thrown over the
back, while its capacious depth, stuffed
soft and tackled with bright tufts of
worsted, together with the added cas-
tors, made it "quite model affair for
deserving husbands least this was
Franks decision, as he threw himself
into it, with such an air of happy aban-
don that lmogene clapped her hands
and burst into one of those musical
peals Of laughter, calling him grand
old Turk to which he playfully added,
"that if so, she was certainly his Sui
tana,' and must share his throne with
him." and catching her in his arms he
drew her towards him. and thus thew