The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-04-25


Iner for ne. Mrs. Payson is delight.
ed at the thought Of seeing you
How long is II since You were herep
About ten years, II 1 mistake not
You'll find my daughters quite
lgrown MP. Clara is 10 her twentieth
year. You, Of course, recollect her
|. only as Q schoolgirl. Alb mel how
) time does fyl"
/ found my friend living in q
handsome house In franklin Street.
1t was showily, not tastefulfy, fur.
nished, and the ssme might he said
Of his wife and daughters. When l
last dined with them-it WAS many
years before-they were living in a
modest, but very comfortable way,
and the whole air Of their dwelling
was that Of cheefulness and comfort.
Now, though their ample parlors
were gay with rich brussels, Grim
con damask and brocatelle, there was
no genuine homo ieclip9 there Mrs.
Payson, the last time | saw her.
wore a muslin de laine, Of subdued
colors, q neat lace collar around her
neck, fastened with small diamond
, pin, the marriage gift Of her father.
Her hair, which curlcd naturally,
was drawn behind her ears in q few
gracefully falling ringlets. She
needed no othur ornament. Any
thing beyond would have taken
from the chiefest OF her attractions,
her bright animated countensncs. in
which her friends ever read a hearty
welcome.
!, How changed from this was the
rather stately woman. whose real
pleasure at seeing an old friend was
hardly warm enough to melt through
|, the ice Of an imposed formslity.-
How changed from this the pale.
cold, worn face, where selHshness
and false pride had been doing a
sad work. Ah! the rich Honiton
lace cap and costly cape; the profu.
sion Of gay ribbons, and glitter OF
jewelry; the ample folds Of glossy
!. satin; how poor compensation were
, they for the true woman | had part
, cd with years ago and now sought
happiness beneath these snowy
adornmcnts in vain!
Two grown up daughters, dress
, ed almost as hAuntingly as their
mother, were now presented. In
the artificial countenance Of the old.
est, ! failed to discover any trace of
my former friend Clara.
A little whilo we talked formal
,ly, and with some constraint all
aronnd; then, as the dinner had been
. waiting US. and was now served
we proceeded to the dining.Ioom.
. did not feel honored by the really
sumptuous meal the Paysons had
provided for their old friend; be.
. cause it was clearly to be seen that
: no honor was intended. The hon.
or was all for themselves. The Ia.
. dies had not adorned their persons,
, nor provided their dinner, to give
. me welcome and pleasure, but to ex
, hibit to the eyes Of their guest their
wealth, luxury, and social import.
ance. II | had failed to perceive
thia, the conversation of the Pay.
sods would have IN Ade it plain, for
, it was style and elegance in honse.
. keeping und dress-oi the ornrlnent-
al in all it's varieties: and in no case
. Of the truly domestic and useful
Onoe or twice | referred to the
D Whightmans; but the ladies knew
I nothing OF them, and.seemed .almos,
e is have forgotten that such persons
ever lived.
= 1t did not take me long to discov.
u er that, with all the luxury by which
), my friends we're surrounded, they
). were far from being happy. Mrs
- Payson and her daughters h,d
q could see, become envious as we'll as
proud. They wanted larger
8 house, and more costly furniture il
>. order to make as imposing an ap
8 pearance as some others whom they
e did not consider halt as good al
d themselves. To all thoy said or
}. thls subject, | noticed that Paysor
d himself maintained, tor the most par
@ u half.moody silence. 1t was, clear
}. ly enough, unpleasant to him.
d my wife and daughters thinl
Q I'm made OF money" said he, once
l. half laughing. "But II they knew
u how hard it was to get hold Of
h sometimes, they would be less fre
t. in spending. | tell them l am {
poor man, comparatively speaking
l. but | might as we'll talk to the wind.
TX "Just as WE'LL" replied his wife
y forcing an incredulous laugh; "wh
tx will you uso such languagel A poo
TO mani"
- "Ile that wants what he is no
y able to buy, is poor man, il VI
derstand the meaning Of the term,
III said Payson, with some feeling.
ID Sand he who lives beyond hi
t, income, as q good many Of our az
II quaintances do to my certai
le knowledge, is poorer still"
b. snow don't get to riding tht
te hobby, Mr.. Payson," broke 10 m
friends wife, deprecatingly-d
:" il you please. In the frat plrce. it
tn IN ardlv polike. and In the aecon