The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-07-15
NEVER.
BY VIRGINIA F, TOWNSEND.
why, Sara"


rs | live, will l speak to Maria again. /
told James | wouldn't, last February, and
I'll keep my word. If she hadn't talked
against me so meanly, and slanderod me
behind my back, might have borne the
rest, but" and here followed long sto-
ry of those petty jealousies, and heart
burnings and mutual misapprehensions,
which make up SO much Of the discord
and misery of life; and make, too, so
mournful an illustration of the indignant,
mournful ejaculation of the apostle, "Be-
hold how great a matter little fire kin
dleth."
Cousin Fannie was an old maid; that
is if forty years of unwedded existence
could make her such; but it has some
times struck me, reader, that there wero
few women in the world whom no cir
cumstance could really make old maids,
that for which this name stands a sign.
Cousin Fannie was one Of these. She
listened very quietly to Mrs. Gilmcr's sto-
ry of wrongs, received and committed,
indulging in few monosylabic comments,
glancing out Of the kitchen window at the
peaceful country picture, which, with its
far off haze-c1rtained hills, its tangled
river, and the cattle browsing along green
pastures, reminded of Coles "DrGam " of
Arcddia."
"Alas alas!" thought Cousin Fannie,
"all the softening, elevating influences Of
this beautiful picture have not done their
work, and human nature is still disquiet-
ed, wrangling, cursed itself, and cursing
others"
Sara Strong and Maria Willis had mar
ried brothers, and lived in the village of
Rycgate, in pretty straw-colored cottages
with pleasant front yards, and deep gar
dens, as like as two leaves on one branch.
/ James and John Gilmer were much at
tached TO each other, and for several
years everything went on very smoothly
between the young married people. Both
the wives were pretty, agreeable, warm,
hearted women, and much attached tc
their husbands, so there was an everyday
interchange of visitings, and courtesics
and kindnesses, between the two pretty
straw-colored cottages.
, But at last q little cloud doomed W
over this bright sky. All know how
these things happen. The trouble com
. menced, l believe, with the new silver tea
set that Mr.. James Gilmer bought hi
wife for birthday present, at the frs
: sight of which Mrs. John Gilmer certain
! ly cvinced less qualification than she usu
: ally did at her brother-in-law's gifts #
= his wife, and the lady remarked to he
J dress-maker, very eonfdentially that, tn
d following day, she really did thin
= brother James wife terribly extravagant
= which confidential remark found It's wa
!, to the ears of brother James wife, in les
I; than week after its utterance.
It Now Mrs. John Gilmer had one chilC
- while Mrs. James had none, and the (oru
= er was necessarily obliged to retrench hc
s. domestic expenses rather moro than ii
IS latter, for though children are very pr
d cious gifts to household, yet everybod
knows they are very expensive ones.
y have it, too, on very good authorit
u a. that Mr., John Gilmer emphatically intc
dicted new sAer tea-set, when his wi
ar modostly suggested it.
+ + Well, the visitings between the stra,
coIorod cottages grew less frequent, al
I'd there were little chickering's, and unkil
!. n remarks, and open GOODNESS. Then fc
nd lowed private confidential disclosures,
noighbors, and dross-makers, and serva
I'd girls tit is strange sensible aud, in maj
a. a. respects, ostmable women oOW stoop
g low), most of which, greatly colorod a
~ exaggerated, found their way to the pi