The Portland daily press., 1862-06-23
Husbands and Wives.

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Husbands are often thoughtlessly exacting,
and impose such q variety Of petty duties on
their uncomplaining wives that the color fades
from the cheek, and joy dies out Of the heart.
A little more thOughtfulness and tender syrn-
pathy would change the entire aspect Of many
homes. Acontributor to Life Hustrqted tells
story which has good moral:
1t was the freshest of April mornings, with
soft wind that had rifled all manner OF sweet
scents from dimpled hollows, purpled over
with young violets, and solitary brook-sides.
ringed with white anemone stars, and waited
them into the city streets, to revive many 4
wearied dweller among paving stones Mrs.
Arden, standing at her window, looked down
at the few feet of earth that city people digni-
fed with the title of garden" and felt the
sunny spring influence even there.
.What a lovely morning r. said she to her
self, this is the very time to put my dahlias
into the ground, and take care Of the roses
how fortunate that to-day win be a compafa-
lively leisure time to me- Women don't often
get released from the domestic treadmill, and
what with spring sewing, company and house
cleaning, have been literally slave for the
last three months. Once out in the open air,
among the fower.roots, and shall feel as
though was entering a new lifer
Ignorant Mrs. Arden! Had she lived to be
thirty years old without knowing that a mar
ried woman ought not even to breathe with
out first asking her husband II 1t was proper
and convenient? Mr.. Arden had laid out an
entirely different programme for his lady-wife /;
and In he came, discontentedly eyeing the new
overcoat he had been buying
~Nellie, can't you fix this overcoat some
how? There is something hitchy about the
collar-you can tell where the trouble is, you
are so smart with your needler'
Mr. A rS}on ff<,l- ofk bo.,<az 4
looked at 1t despairingly-ther was full three
hours work about it.
4And Nellie-if you wouldn't mind altering
these irt-bosoDcs-they all in wrinkle
the pattern was bad one"
"You insisted on having them made accord
Ing to the very pattern, entirely against my
swell, / know did, , said Mr.. Arden, rather
sheepishly; @Martin said It was good one,
but Martin don't know everything"
Il wish you had found that out before the
shirts were made," said Mrs. Arden, petu-
lantly.
Il say" interposed her spouse, apparently
rather desirous Of changing the subject, "what
are you going to have for dinner ?"
Il don't know, I'm sure" was the vexed re-
ply. Il believe men are always thinking about
eating no sooner Is breakfast over than din
ner begins to trouble them"
Il wish you would make one Of those pud-
dings, like-make It yourself, for Susan al
ways mangies it. We haven't had one for q
long time now.p
There goes my day Of leisure that was to
have put my garden in such beautiful order,'
sighed Mrs. Arden.
20, pshawv' said her husband, contemplate
ing his whiskers in the glass, "what do you
care about garden-work? A woman ought to
find her chief happiness IN domestic duties. 1
don't approve Of this everlasting fdgeting
about flowerss'
'sHarry,r said his wife, Ayou would not be at
all contented IL your Office work was so endless
that you never get . moments time to smoke
a cigar, or read book or newspaper
"N-no,s replied Mr.. Arden, hesitatingly I;
Sbut then you are not man."
~No--l know am not,' said Mrs. Arden,
quickly, IF were, my wife should have
q little leisure to breathe occasionally"
Mr.. Arden went out, shutting the door with
some yehemence behind him.
Il never did see such q complaining set n
wonacn.aTe,' Z WIS his internal reflection, as he
walked rapidly down the street.
Two or three hours steady work soon dis
posed of the press of ofIice-business awaiting
him, and he threw himself back in chair to
rest, and look over his newspaper. But the
balmy wind famed his forehead ike narcotic
incense, and the sensation OF dolce far niente
was inexpressibly delightful--the closely print
ed columns became confused blur, and the
first Mr.. Arden knew, he was-not exactly
asleep, perhaps, but certainly not very wide
awake.
Something carried him back to the time
when Nellie had been bride--fresh and
blooming as q rose How well he remembered
the blue light her eyes, and the satin bright
ness OF her complexion. She had grown wan
and weary looking since those days. Was It
possible that he had been lacking in care and
tenderness? 1t was rather an uneasy twinge
of conscience, for he did love her, rattle
Drained and thoughtless though he was.
de thought Of her, sitting alone through the
glorious April day, bending over the work he
had assigned to her, until the pallor deepened
on her cheek, and the eyes grew dim and lus-
terlcss-he remembered the many, many days
she had spent in the same wearisome occupa-
ton. No wonder that the little garden was y
sunny spot to her-no wonder that she loved
the flowers, whose freshness seemed to revive
her whole nature.
man may be very cruel to a woman with
out even beating her, or denying her the
necessities of life.
Suppose she should drift away from him, like
delicate leaf upon a swilt-rnnning stream!
He shuddered at the very idea. She was not
strong-the time might come when narrow
grave and white headstone would be all that
remained Of his little wife, And then-should
he not remember all these things?
He started up from the troubled network of
fancy that had woven itselfinto vague dream I;
the sunshine lay brightly on the door, and the
fingers Of the Office clock pointed home to dim
ner.
The pudding was made-the coat in prime
order, the unsatisfactory shirts ripped apart,
and Nellie, though pale and tired looking,
came to the door with a smile, to greet her
husband.
awhy, Harry, what on earth have you got
there ?" she exclaimed. as Mr.. Arden came sp
the steps, really staggering under the weight
Of two or three bl0ssoming geraniums and yer-
benas, which he had brought from down town
with incredible difficulty
Thought you'd like some flowers for your
garden, my dear" exclaimed he; and Nellie
straightway gave him a pleased, happy look,
which he did not soon forget.
'And now,r said he, after dinner, @there isn't
much to do at the office to-day, suppose you
and l devote the afternoon to garden work {?
We can make the little place as neat as a
pink"
20, Harry, that would be delightful!" but
those shirts
20, no matter about the shirts let 'em wait !!
want to see your cheeks a little redder, my
lover
Mrs. Arden wondered in her secret heart
what had wrought this agreeable change--she
didn't know anything about her husbands
dream.
Some years ago, the Duke of Wellington
was sitting at his library table, when the door
opened, and, without any announcement in
stalked figure Of singularly ill-omen.
Who're you?" asked the Duke, in his
short, dry manner, looking up, without the