Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-04

Els Wlle InreW In some remark dlSparaglng 10
her as woman. To these Mr. Ashby offered
few mildly spoken excuses but his wife
tore them away with an unseemiy asperity of
manner, that, say the least, was unbeautiful
Her husband changed the subject Again he
mentioned with praise lady friend and again
Mrs. Ashby came in with but" aud ''if,"
yelling the good and exposing the detects of
her character. Two or three times during the
meal Mrs. Ashby spoke impatiently to the
children, and with qnality of tone that left
on the ear an unpleasant impression.
| The friend now recalled these little inhar-
monious incidents. They gave her CLEANERS
of light.
Love is never constrained" she said after
a long pause
Mrs Ashby sighed deeply.
True love is of the soul. Why do you
love your husband ?"
Because" answered Mrs. Ashby, he is,
in my eyes, the embodiment Of all manly per-
fections. He is just pure truthful, full of gen
| tlencsS and goodness
And if such be his qualities, Helen can
he love in wife anything that is not pure
aud gentle, truthful! and good Have you
ever asked yourself question like this {"
| Mrs. AShbys form was lifted 10 a sudden
erectuess. Her brow contracted slightly; her
! eyes lost something of their softened express
sion ; her lips grew firm.
! Forgive me, Helen, if ! hurt or offended
love you too well to give you fruitess pain, p"
said the friend. " was only trying to lead
yonf thoHrhts inward IF, as you seem TO
fear, your husband is receding from you, it
must be in consequence OF inharmonious states
Of e nit
There must be al1nties, Or there can be no
conjunction Oar souls must be beautiful, if
would he truly loved. Have you ever pom
dered these things? If not, the time has
come when you shoId, in ali fnlthtuIness aud
all seriousness, do So
If yonr husband be indeed advancing to-
wards all lrue manly excellahcc, be growing
spiritual 10 slaure, viii he tot, unlesS you also
advance aud grow toward wOmanly excelIance
and peri. i,n rc,e .e from you-get SO far
beyond as to be out of sight ! Are not spir-
itual laws as unfalliug as natural laws =
Mrs Ashby's face had already lost its gath
erng sternncss. Her friend paused.
Why have you said this to me 2"
Because | love you Helen, ard desire
yonr happiness"
Mrs A>hby sighed deeply, dropped her
gaze and sat looking inward for a long time.
Then she sighed again, and looked up into the
face of her friend"
What have YOU seen, Margaret Deal
! with me honestly, as freud"
- A temper and disposition which your bus
band cannot approve"
Margaret p
! Yon have asked me to deal honestly, as
with friend. Shall | go on !"
Yes, yes speak OF all that is in your
MUD"
Your husband is gentle and consderate,
ready TO excuse faults, tree from hardness aud
hardness.
None more so.'
1" | saw that ycur impatient words, when
3 servant spilled water on the table last even
! ing, Jared bis feelings. He was talking cheer
fully at the time but the change i'll his tone
that followed showed depressed state. 1t
was plain 10 me that you hurt him by your
| sharp reproof, more than you hurt the servant.
! Then | noticed that as often Us he spoke IL
tavcr of certain person, you placed evil
against their good, and not in the most amla-
! HE spirit. Ouce OF twice he tried to defend
the good, aud then you set yourself against
| him with uegree of aSperity that mnst have
produ ed in his mind a sense of pain. He
did hot contend though, | fear had h9 done
| so, YOU would have been ready for shary
| conflict Before tea was ended, your huS
band, who conVerSed at the begInnlng in an
easy, cheerful way, was sitting almost silent.
Evidently you had reacted upon him IN a man
nea to depress his feelings | did not compre-
bend this at the time, but it is plain enough
now"
| :hiuk, Margaret" said Mrs. Ashby, as
her friend ceased, " that you had on magnify
ing glasses last evening. A stranger listening
to your speech, would set me down as ill ua'
tured, if not quarelSome.
Henry would smile to hear you. [ am not
perfect, | know, and my husband understands
this, and makes all due allowance for infrmi-
ties of temper.
" Can he in spirit, Helen, conjoin himself
to these or any other iufrmaties Does their
! indulgence draw him nearer or away from
you Can he love them 2"
Mrs Ashby's couutenance changed she did
not reply
Would he choose to live forever conjOn-
ed 10 a disturbing and inharmoneous Splrit!-
No matter how feeble the disturbing or slight
the lack of harmony i: conjunction must be
eterual, would not con JUNCTION be avoided as
a calamity We cannot bind the soul, my
friend 10y any laws but its own. Love is
drawn by likeness of quality. Your hearts
must so beat that the flow of life is reciprocal,
aud the pulse moves in unity.-Iou must be-
come like him. or he must become like YOU
la which contingency lies the surer hope p
! Answer to your own soul my friend Ii he is
receeding from you, getting al! the while to a
farther distance, who is it What does it
mean Is he rising or defending Growing
better or worse ? Which is it, Helen ?
He is rising He is growing better"
Aud yet receding y
have felt it for long time, Margaret" F"
Then girl your loins-bind sandals to your
! feet-up. NV friend aud press onward in the