Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-06-14

the gOOO ana exposing Lne 0electS OF
her character. Two or three times
during the meal, Mrs. Ashby spoke i'm.
patiently to the children, and with a
quality Of tone that left Oh the ear an
unpleasing impression.
The friend now recalled these little
inharmonious incidents. They gave
her glimmer of the light.
Glove is never constrained,' she said
after long pause.
Mrs. Ashby sighed deeply.
True love is Of the soul. Why do
you love your husband =
sBecause,' answered Mrs. Ashby,
che is in nv eyes, the embodiment Of
all manly projections. He is Just, pure,
truthful full Of gentleness and good
ness
sAnd if such be his quality, Helen,
can he love in a wife any thing that is
not pure and gentle, truthful and good ?
Have vou ever asked yourself ques-
ton like this p
Mrs. Ashby's form was lifted to q
sudden erectness. Her brow contrac-
ted slightly and her eyes lost some
thing of her softened expression; her
lips grew firm.
Forgive me, Helen, if I have hurt
or offended. ] love you to well too
give fruitless pain, said the friend. L
was only trying to lead yonr heart IN
ward. If, as Won seem to fear, your
husband is reeeeding from you, it must
be in consequence of inharmonlons
states of mind-of dissimilaritles, or
antaoonisms. There must be affinitieS,
or there can be no conjnnctlons, our
souls must be beautiful! if we would be
truly loved. Have you eyer pondered
these things? If not, the time has
come when you should, i'll all faithful
ness and seriousness, do 80. 1t your
husband be indeed advancing toward
al. true manly excellences, be growing
In spiritual stature, will he net, unless
YOU also advance and grow toward
womanly excellence and perfection,
recede from vou-get SO far as to be
ont of sight? Are not spiritual laws
as unfailing as natural laws 2?
Mrs. A>hby's face had already lost
it's gathering steruness. Her friend
paused.
sWhy have you said this to me ?
Because I love You Helen, and de-
sire your happiness.
Mrs. Ashby sighed deeply, dropped
her gaze, and sat looking inward tor a a
long time, then sighed again, and
looked up into the face of her friend:
What have you seen, Margaret
Deal with me honestly as friend.
"A teinpter and disposition which
your husband cannot approve
Margaret
You have asked me to deal honestly,
as with a friend. Shall l go on p
Yes, yes; speak all that is in your
mind -
your husband is gentle and consid-
crate, ready to excuse faults, free from
hardness and harshness.
None more so.'
i saw that your impatient words.
when a servant spilled water ON the
table last evening, Jared his feelings
He was talking cheerfnlly at the time,
but the change in the tone that followed
showed a depressed state. 1t was
plain to me that you hurt him by your
sharp reproof more than you hurt the
servant. Then I noticed that as otter
"a he spake in favor Of certain persons
You placed evil against their good, ano
not in the most amiahle spirit Once
or twice he tried to defend the good
and then you set yourself against him
with degree of aspcrity that mus
have produced in his mind a sense o
pain. He did not contend; though
fear, had he done so, You would have
been already for sharp conflict. BE
fore tea was ended, your husband, wh'
conversed at the beginning in an easy
way was sitting almost silent. Evl
dentlv you had reacted upon him In ;
manner to depress his feelings: l do
not comprehend this at the time, ou
it is plain enough to me now.
4 think, Margaret SAID Mrs. Ashb'
AS her friend ceased, sthat you had OIL
magnifying glasses last evening. +
stranger listening to your speech woul'
SET me down as lllnatured, if cot quar-
relsome. Henry would smile to hea
Won. am not perfect, [ know; an'
NV husband understands this, an'
makes all due allowance for intrml
ties Of temper. ;.
Can he in spirit, Helen, conjoln him
self to these or any other inhrmities
Do their indulgence draw him an,
nearer or away from You? Can h
love them p
Mrs. Ashsby's countenance changed
She did not reply.
would he choose to live fcreve
conjoined to disturbing and inhar
monious spiritp No matter how feebl