The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-04-17

Mrs. Payson, the last timc saw her, wore a mus.
lin dc lainc, Of subducd colors, neat lace collar
around her neck, fastened with small diamond
pin, the marriage gift Of her father Her hair
which curled naturally, was drawn behind her cars
in few gracefully falling ringlets. She nccdct
no other ornament. Anyth ing beyond would have
taken from the chiecs of her attractions, her brgh
animated countcnancc, in which her friends eve,
read heart-wclcome.
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 formality. How changed from this
the pale cold face, where scliishncss and false
pride had been doing sad, sad, work, All the
rich llonttn lace cap and costly cape; the lrufu-
sion of gay ribbons, and glitter of jewclry the
ample folds Of glossy satin; how poor compen-
sa,ion they for the true woman had parted
with years ago and now sought beneath these
snowy adornmcnts in vain
Two grown-up daughters, dressed almost as
ilauntingly as their mother were now presented.
In the artificial countcnance OF the Oldest failed
to discover any trace of my former friend Clara.
little while we talked formally, and with some
constrant all around then, the dinner had been
waiting MS, and was now served, we proceeded to
the dining room. l did not feel honorcd by the
really sumptuuus meal the Paysons had provided
for their old friend because 1t was clearly TO be
seen that no honor was intended. The honor was
all for themselves. The ladies had not adorned
their persons nor provide their dinner, TO give me
welcome and pleasure but to exhibit to the eyes
of their guest their wealth, luxury, and social i'm
portancc. If had failed To perceive this, the con-
vcrsoton of the Paysons would have made it
plain. for it was of style and elegance in house
keeping and dress of the ornamental in all its
varieties and in no ease of the truly domestic and
useful Once or twice | referred to the Wight
mans but the ladies knew nothing of them, and
seemed almost t. have forgotten that such persons
ever lived.
1t did not take me long to discover that. with all
the luxury by which my friends were surrounded,
they were far from being happy. Mrs. PaysOn and
her daughters had, could see, become cnvious AZ
we'll as proud. They wanted larger house, and
more costly furnituro in order to make as imposing
an appearance som, others whom they did not
consider half as good as themselves. To all they
said ON this subject noticed that Payson himself
maintained, for the most part, hHlt-moody silence.
1t was, clearly enough, unpleasant to linn.
"My wife and daughters think I'm made of mon
cy,' said he, once, half laughing. But if they
knew how hard it was to get hold of. sometimes,
they would be less free in spending. | tell them
am poor man, comparatively speaking; but
might as we'll talk to the wind"
"Just as we'll" replied his wife, forcing an in
creduous laugh; "why will you use such langu-
age? a poor mani"
"IIe that wants what he is not able to buy, is a
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oder i noor,r sin"
"y,y, dor.t c,t =, r;1ipr ,,ot ho,J,, Mr. Paw.
so,, brolc in my friends wifi. d,nrrc,,irylv. =.
d,o, e vo,, ,,o..c l., ,ho frs, ,,I,co ,,s bo,dI,
no,;,s and in tbo second ,Irc, ;tis ~. ~, moan.
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,;,,os -
WAS mot in ,,c ,oost surnriscd in bcor ths af,cr
what had Witnessed bo,h in his stor, and in his
bou.c PM thc ,,yo sccrcs and circumstorces tn
o.,,o- and ho,, couId :, ,,ou n, o,,orr.;so9
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"Ail this looks and sounds very well, perhaps ;
but there are two aspects to almost everything My
wife and daughters get one view OF life, and an
other. They see the romance, the hard reality.
II is impossible Tor me to get money as last as they
wish to spend 1t. 1t was my fault IN the beginning
suppose All how difficult 1t is to correct an error
when once made. tell them that am poor man,
but they smile in my face. and ask me for hun
drcd dollars to shop with in the next breath. re-
monstrate, but 1t avails not, for they don't credit
what say. And am poor - poorer sometimes
ages, out OF his salary of four hundred year, to
lay up nifty dollars. He is never in want Of a dol
lar, while go searching about anxious and troub-
led, for my thousands daily. He and his patient,
cheerful, industrious little wife find peace and con-
tentment in the single room their limited means en-
able them to procure, willie my family turn dissat-
isficd from the costly adoruments of our spacious
home, and sigh for richer furniture, and larger
and more SNOWY mansion. If were a millionaire,
their ambition might be satisfied Now, their am
pie wishes may not be filed l must deny them,
or meet inevitable ruin. AS it is, am living far
beyond prudent limit not half so far, however,
Us many around me, whose fatal example is ever
tempting the weak ambition of their ncighbors."
This, and much more of simiiarimport, was said
by Payson' when turned from iseiegant home