Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-09-04
M I SCELL A NY
A STORY OF THREE WIVES.
FROM THE GERMAN.

-o-e~~~~>r~~40~O-~o-o-0ooo oooo-ooo-~~ooo~oooo-o,
A STORY OF THREE WIVES.
FROM THE GERMAN
Do not, dear reader, apply the conduct of
either OF the three wives we are going to tell
you about, to yourself, Unless the cap fits.
On bright sunshiDy morning 10 the early
summer, about two hours before noon, q Young
man and a serving maiden, both faithful domes-
tics OF the family in whose household they had
been brought up, were with great care LAYING
the breakfast table of their young master and
mistress, lately married. 1t was evidently la
Dor of love with both of them; for, had not
Miss Emma herself taught Bettina to read and
write, while both teacher and pupil were but
children9 and had not the old squire, Miss En-
mas father, taken Hal, when left an orphan, in
to his house, and made him first-rate serving
man and were not he and Bettina (now be-
trothed) the trusty and loving servants of their
young mistress and her bridegroom So it was
in every sense labor of love, as was evident by
the affectionate looks exchanged by the two
servers, and the playful skirmish of words that
passed between them. And they are arranging
| the table with more than usual care: for the
old squire and his wife are coming to breakfast
with their son and daughter for the first time
since the marriage of the latter.
At length the preparations are completed -
| Halls eyes scan the table up and down and a.
cross with the keen gaze of major-domo, and
stops his tender and lively conversation with
his companion with the words sVery good, the
| teble is set"
4 Bettina, in her turn, gave glance of approy.
/ al, and confirmed it with the single word
| sYes!"
'.Ti,t is not enough" objected Hal, syou
must say as did, Bettina, Very good, the ia,
| Bile is set I"
"What for 2" asked the astonished maiden.
| sit is custom in my part of the country"
returned Hal, ''when one has completed any ap-
pointed task, to say, by way of thanksgiving,
Very good or 1T is well, such or such a bust
ness is done,' or Such an adventure has come
to happy end.'"
Bettina, however, in the levity of her heart.
would not be persuaded that there was any
thing but absurdity in uttering such words, as
applied to the transactions of every day. Hal
entreated her, for his sake at least, to say them
"No"--because he wished it-:'no;' and / am
sorry to say that the young man took his Betti
na urgently by the wrist, squeezing it with a
most rough pressure, in the endeavor to force
her to comply, till she broke away in petulant
anger, and, stamping Der foot, declared that sail
was over between them"
As she rushed out of Halls presence, that
worthy gave utterance to the following senti-
ment:
sCaprice, thy name is Woman! Entreaties,
tears, force, all have been in vain. / might
have beaten her to a jelly, but she would not
yield !" " esl.la A h .sr,
do not spoil Bettina's figure, thus" said a
voice, as the opposite door opened, land let her
live to change her mind!" So saying, the young
squire, Alfred, entered the room, laughing heart
| lily at the recollection of what he lad overheard
sv,1 oh fnip IL,
parlor; for the young couple, in the heat OF
their argument, had raised their voices higher
than was prudent Halls confusion may be bet
ter imagined than described; but his young
master condescended to comfort him, and then
gave directions for the bottle of clarer which
must be put on the table, as his father in-law
liked that accompaniment to his dejeuner
| s. As Hal left the room to visit the cellar, the
| young bride Emma entered, and before long her
husband recounted to her, with much merri-
ment, the conversation he had heard between
| their two servants. fsNs-e -+2 e I.el
ssBettina refused and Hal insisted, till at last
they got into a regular quarrel be tried to force
her to say the words, but to the last she would
not. '9Hl@f 7's y a4s'5 s%a2a
"And quite right,n was the unexpected re.
ply from the lovely bride, zone might ask which
was the most obstinate Of the two"
"Only," said the husband, she requested her
to say it."
"But it was an absurd request" a
"Think yoD it was worth while to persist in
an obstinate refusal of such trifle2'' asked the
husband.
sJust as little was it worth while for him to
persist in the request do not consider Bettina
to blame," returned the lady, with a little
warmth of manner, her foot impatiently tap
ping the foot-stool it rested on as she sat at her
work.
"Well," said the yoang squire, 'do not let as
Quarrel about it; it were to ask you to say
any thing, you would say it. am convinced you
would''
"And suppose | would not9" asked the wife
i in return, after a little laughing hesitation.
ssThe case is not possible let US put it to the
proof" said Alfred.
s'No, no." exclaimed Emma, eagerly; spray
do notl"
81 beg you, Emma, just say once, to please
me, Very good, the table is set'"
But alas! the consequences of this simple re-
quest became even more serious than in the case
already described; for it is we'll known that
when highly educated and polished members of
society condescend to quarrel, their words are
no less cutting, and the wounds inflicted are no
less grievous, than those which are exchanged
between disputants of a lower grade. So, in
this case. the wife insisted upon the folly of the
request, and the husband declared that it was
not now matter of folly or wisdom, but test
Of her affection for him. But she would not
yield. 11 ~
And now the loving bride sat working with
unnecessary diligence, her face turned away
from her husband, while the fond Alfred seized
a newspaper refuge for perplexed hus-
bands; but, after few moments, he glanced
over at his wife who refused to meet his eve !;
then, clearing his throat, and advancing a step
or two he said: