The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-05-22

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found into the wards. The first object
that met her view, as the drawer came
open, was morocco miniature case,
which she seized upon with clutch as
eager as that of a bird of prey, and
bearing it to the gas light unloosed
the clasp and exposed the face of her
rival.
1t was a young and lovely face, and
the eyes looked up into hers with a
tender sweet expression. Away from
the pure forehead, the hair of golden
auburn fell smoothly back, and lay in
curls upon her neck, that was whittier
and purer than alabaster. The lips
were full, soft, and arching for fight
OF arrows. Loves witchery was in the
pictured countenance.
Still, very still, did the wife sit and
gaze down upon her rivals face-that
face on which, scarcely an hour before,
she bad seen her husbands kisses laid
Still, very still, she sat, the tears creep
ing out of her eyes, falling slowly over
her cheeks and dropping upon the min
iature. Was she jealous of that rival I?
No! Her heart was too glad for jeal-
ousy. too full of joy. too wild with new
born happiness. The bride of ten
years ago was the rival of to day; and
the heart of her husband was true to
his marriage vows. 1t was no fault of
his that he could not love what had be-
come unlovely. Not unlovely in the
poorer Specification of that word, as
indicating changes wrought by the
wearing hand of time but unlovely
through indulgence, in impatience and
fretfulness, and in the neglect of self.
discipline; unlovely, also, from care.
lessness of attire and personal neatness.
With the image of herself as she
was ten years before, and with the i'm
age of her husband fondly, passionately
kissing that image, dwelling in her i'm
agination, Mrs. Howland went back to
her bed. She had suddenly awakened
as from a dream, and the language of
her heart was, "Thank God that am
awake %
As they sat at breakfast the next
morning, Mrs. Rowland noticed a
change in the expression of her hus.
bands face as he looked at her across
the table, letting his eyes dwell upon
her with unusual interest. 1t was a
pleased almost admiring expression.
She was in no doubt as to the cause,
for she had attired herself with scrupu-
lous care in clean, bright morning
wrapper, and wore a cap, fastened at
one side with ruby hair-pin, and or.
namented with two or three small pink
bows and a sprig of flowers. A plain
linen collar, pinned with a cameo
around her neck. Aad, better than all
she had banished every sign of discon
tent and fretfulness upon her face.
How sweet mother looks this morn
ing" said Mr.. Rowland, glancing al
one of the children who sat near her
and smiling one of his old, bright smiles
Don't she," answered the little one
lifting her mouth to mamma for a kiss
"Me kiss, toO-mamma so beautiful
And little Allie scrambled down from
her chair, in new born admiration Of
her mother, and pnt up her rosy mouth
f "And me, too," exclaimed Mr.. How
land passing around the table. laying
, his lips softly and lingeringly upon tht
| lips of his wife. He saw as he looked
across the table on resuming his seat
. that her eyes were dim with tears. HI,
) knew they were tears of pleasure, bu
did not imagine how deep her hear
f was stirred, nor how full of precious
: memories and golden hopes the mo
ment was crowded.
Ten years after marriage. Love-
; lamp was burning low, the oil nearl,
, exhausted; the wife grown so unattrac
tive that the husbands heart was turn
i ing back in worship Of the bride. Bu
the lamp has blazed up again-,here i
e a supply of oil. A beauty, beyond an
: bridal beauty, invests the wife; and
a shall grow more womanly, more luxu
RANT, more enchanting as the days sue
: ceed each other and years progress
!. until the soul puts on her garments G
eternal youth. ~ aa