The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-06-08
fRIFLES.
A Word to Married People.

.
The ringing Of the door bell has
pheasant sound to ms, especially in my
idle mood Like an unopened letter
there is mistery about it, and one wait.
with pleasurable excitement. to see who
or what is coming.
Returning home one day; earlier thar
usual, | found mywite had gone ott; and
while longing idly over the paper, til,
bell rang.
l wa ted expectan. till Bridget APPEAR
ed with note, containing request troii
my old friend, DR.. Stearns, to ride out tc
his residence in the country, the next day
to transact s,me business that had been
long pending, and an invitation to bring
my wife and spend the day.
L was pleased-frst. BIO use I wanted
the business completed; aud secondly, be-
cause [ thought | needed days reerea-
ton. i.r
But the next morning everything seem
ed to go wrong Alice could not accom-
pahs me and could not get off as early
as | wished; an !, cons e4uently, [ was
peevish and fretfL and Alice r, f%cted
my humor. suppose--as it appeared to
me she had never been so unamiable.
At length, however, 1 drove away,
tht ugh not in very pleasant luood. 1t
was lovely October day, and as rode
along noticing the tihts of the landscape,
memory went back to the golden autumn
when l wooed and won my bride. g
How lovely Alice was then | thought
And how h; ppy we were But that was
long sgo. Yetnature is the same, though
We are ,ha ged. Let me see: we have
been married three years; is itpossible it
is no i tiger? -
And felt pang as 1 contrasted the
past with the present, to think that We
could settle down into the common place
fe we now led.
We had no serious trouble, we didn't
Quarrel; but when / felt cross, things
didn t go to suit me, | took no pains to
conceal it, aud often spoke harshly to
Alice, who sometimes replied with the
same spirit, sometimes with tears. Yet
we were generally good friends. But the
charm, ,he tenderness of our early love
had imperceptibly vanished.
I had become careless about my ap-
pearatfce at home, and Alice was equally
negligent. Her beautiful brown hair,
which she Used to wear in the most be-
coming Girls, was now usually Lrusl,el
plainly behind her ears; unless she was
going ou', or expected company. dis
missed the subject with a sigh. at the
Doctors gate, with the reflect on that it
was the sathe with all mari ed peppl.-
must be So, in faet-for how could ro-
nance and sentiment fiad place amsng
SO many prosy realities; I supposed We
were as happy as any body; and yet, it VS.
not the Kind of life l had looked forward
to with SO many bright anticipations. '
The Doctor came out and greeted me
cordially. In .he hall We met Mrs.
Stearns locking FIRE and lovely in her
pink muslin wrapper, with Ecr jetty hair
in tasteful b. aids. ST, scolded me plays
fully for not bringing my wife, ehatted' i
few minutes, and then fitted away, while
the Doctor remarking that his motto was
business first and pleasure afterwards, led
the way to the library.
AS we entered the room noticed a
vase of bright autumn flowers on the ia
bic, imparting an air. of taste aud cheer
falness to the apartment. made some
remarks about it, to which the Doctor re-
sponded
"Yee, am very fond Of flowers, and
love to see them in the house; and as
spend much time here, my wife always
keeps a vase OF them on the table as long
as they last -
Our business was finished. before dinner
and we walked out in the gfoan1s, which
were quite extensive, aud tasteful arrang
ed. 5A # D 88EE
When we reached the house, Mrs.
Stearns was on the steps. The Doctor,
still continuing our CONVERSATION, gave
hertlfe flowers, with a bow and smile,
aud holding up spray of crimson ber-
ries, which he fastened among the dark
brails of her hair. s7 3iaE
1t was trifing incident, yet their man.
ner arrested my attention. Had L been
a stranger, 1 should have pronounced
them lovers instead Of sober married peo-
Pile. All through the day noticed the
same delicate attention and Difference in
their department to each other. SIT
There was nothing of which the most
fastidioas guest could complain; yet while
showing nae the most cordial attention;
they did not seem to ignore each others
existence, as married people often do.
had never visited the Doctor before,
and was very much pleased with histaste-
full home. I said so,s after dinner, " hen
We stfoilsd into the woods. ri -ras
% eyes" he said, 81 think it is pleasant"
and he added, Z" [ believe am a content
ed man; so far am not disappointed in
life.,' 4a3 ~ aao!it SIS.
"How long have you teen married,
Doctor?'' / asked !a ~-se
aTsn years.naE q -ss5 80 A:sa
"Weli," l pursued, ''c.n yoa tell me
Whence comes the bright atmosphere that
surrounds your home? Tell me how you
and Mrs. Stesfns manage TO retain the
depth and freshness of your early love, as
YOU seou1s to do fshould think the seaF
and tear Of life would dinf it some What.
never saw home where my ideal of do
mestic happiness was realized before. ii
is hat I have dreamed Of" .lf4
The Doctor smiled and pointing to a
thrifty grapevine Ginning over neat
lattice, and loa ded with purple fruit, he
said: