The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-04-03
A Yopng Wife's Sorrow.

thngunknd to her Ihave been greatly deceivedn him"
"There are peculiartes of character and tempera-
ment in every one, that only close intimacy can make
anparent And Martha has these well Edward.
# Is not impossible that something unseen before has
revealed itself since marriage and stands as of
1 irritation between them"
| Mr. Barton sighed. He was very fond of Martha.
She had been pet with him since childhood and this
snnaration in consequence of hermarriage was great
trial The thought Of her being unhappy panied him.
"Suppose . he said ''that send for her to come
home and make us visit. 1t is nearly four months
since she went away.
II was going to suggest something differently"
| ''What?"
,sThat will be ont of the question, least for me-"
said Mr., Barton
81 did not mean," replied Mrs. Barton, smiling 'to
include you in the visit
ooh then YOU propose to take all the pleasure to
Yourself Now ii strikes me as abetter arrangement
ia have Martha to pay us visit 1t will do her great
deal more good than merely to receive visit from you
She will get back for little while into her old home,
and see her father and mother hotl. And then will
come in for portion Of the enjoyment which is to be
considered
owe thought Of that replie Vars. Barton land vet
favor the visit Martha. The reason is this. If go
there and stay week two, viii have an opportu-
nity to see how she and Edward are getting along to-
gether We must live with people, You know, to find
out all about them There may be some little impedi-
ments to happiness lying in their right path, which
NAV help them to pick up and cast aide some little
want Of adaptation in the machinery Of their lives,
which prevents movement in harmony, that l may
show them how to adjust"
II guess you are right taking that ylt6 OF the case
said Mr.. Barton.
The visit of Mrs Barton made accordingly. After
the first brief season Of gladness that flowed with
meeting with her mother had passed. MrthascOunte-
nance showed some lines not written here by sweet
content Themother asked no questions, however, in
I4t o,1,,, a+at Apayy N,pfba t,I1t Ip
wanted little time for observation fhe young hus-
band was bright cheerful attentive AMI fond ashe had
appeared to her before the wedding dy. But on the
second morning after her arrival, she noticed that he
did not talk quite so freely usual at the breakfast
table and had something very muchlike cloud over
the sunshine of his countenance MTthas manner was
little constrained also and her face aite sober. Once
or twice during the meal Edward exhibited feeling OF
ANNOYANCE at things not rightly orde'ed.
Mrs Barton already beginning to see the little
imnednens and distractions to whid she had referred
in talking to her husband But she lid not encourage
Martha to speak on the subject Se wanted to see
more and understand the better On the third day
the cause of trouble between Edward and Martha-fo
dscordant string really jarringin the harmony o
their Iiycs-became more clearly appgcntt the mother
The little external restraint which had been assumed q
the beginning of her visit by both of the young people
was gradually laid aside and she say them in the rea
life they were living.
The basis of the difficulty lay in the total unftness 0
Martha tor the DOSltlO0 ndu OF nOuSt
keeper we mean. And in consequence, her yOun!
husband in whose ideal of home perfect order had bee
Included found everything so different from his antici
pations that graceful acquiesence was impossible
~ don't know what has come over Edward" sat
Martha to her mother the morning of the fourth day
after her husband had left for his place of business
Her ewes were swimming in tears for Edward had spo
ken hastily and with ilnature at the breakfast table
a. Gle used to be so kind so gentle so considerate of III
I comfort and feelings. But lie to be mpa
y tient and harsh in his manner every day"
Has the reason Of this occurred to you?' Mrs.
" Burtons manner grave.
'tHe is disappointed in something, evidently. He doe
= not find YOU all he had expected
n 'rMother!" The young wife had a startled look
"a 1T must be So Martha, else why should he be di
% ferent from what he was? He has had ideal of wifi
% and You have failed to reach this ideal"
Q The face of Martha, which had flushed became a
y most pale.
% "And am free to own" continued the mother 18th,
y You fall considerably below my deal do not wondc
y at Edwards disappointment"
% Tears began to fall over the young wifes cheeks.
N 81 am sure" she said sobbing, that have been
,r him all that know how to be- If love would dra
i upon me favors and kindness he would never look
me as he does speak, in angry impatience, wore
that hurt worse than blows"
" 'But you have not done for him all that you kno
II how to do" said Mrs. Barton.
az fail to comprehend you, mother was replied
this.
u .'You do not make his home as pleasant as it shoul
70 be There seems to be no anticipation Of his want
G and no provision against discomfort Everything
left to your two servants who do pretty much the
please"
"Whv mother"
!. at is true, my daughter / have looked wit
closely observant eyes, since have been here; an
a. must saw that disappointed in you. In every cas-
IS that Edward has shown mpatence in my presence Il
source Of annoyance lay in your neglect of plain hous
Z hold duty 1t was so this morning; and yesterday
= eIIe was annoyed at the burnt steak this morning
Of said Martha in answer. "That wasn't my fault, a
8 sure. I'm not the cook"
at is your place to have competent cook" sa
c Mrs Barton.
"Tf can find one, mother"
"The one you have now is not TO be trusted to pr
pare meal"
Is II know that; but how can help mysclf?'
"And knowing that you never went near the kitcht
to see that she did not spoil the steak intended for yo
:, husbands breakfast 1t might have taken you ten
fifteen minutes to superintend personally, the prepar
"A ton of this mornings meal and so made it worthy
being set before your husband; but instead Of this, "
III sat reading or talking from the time you dress
vi until the bell rang. When went down there
" butter on the table; knife and fork to the dish
s. meat salt any napkin at your husbands plat
ly Thetabecoth soied and you scolded the waiter
not putting on clean one. The meal opened in disc
der, which you might have prevented by little for
thought and progressed and ended in annoyance and b
feeling. Now, who was to blame for all this:'
But, mother,=yon don't expect me to go into Il
kitchen and cook?h said Martha
The captain who undertakes to sail q ship mu
know all about navigation. Itis more reasonable
exnect that who takes upon herself the ob!ie
tons of wife, should know how to conduct househoI
Is woman less responsible in her position than nla
If So what moral laws give the distinction? have T
seen them The captain does not trust the ship who
to the man at the helm He takes observations, eXa
ines charts and sees and knows for himself that ever
thing is done at the right time and in the right pla
Ills thoughts and his viii is active and predominant
every part Of the ship; for on him rests all the respt
sbility And it is everywhere in mans work Ioua
if expect you to 60 into the kitchen to cook? {
swer YES, in case there is else to prepare ye
husbands food. Ifyou have an incompetent cook,
one not to be trusted then it your duty to make
her deficiencies by personal attendance in the kitch
lust as often and just long as the case may requl
,sh You contracted to do this when you became wife
81 don't remember that the subject was even refer
er- to said Martha who did not yet clearly; and
felt that her mothers view of the actually degraG
per the wife into a household drudge.
ooi 'sWas it stipulated" answered Mrs Barton. vt
d. Edward should engage in business, giving hims
IN to daily care and work. in order to secure for
- wife the comforts Of home? ldon'tremember that
subject was even referred to- And yet it was as mi
hs npIied in the act of taking wife, the other was
- +,Fa tl,n raIat at n