Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-11-11
QD9Io Statesman,
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY
The Ohio Statesman Company.
FRIDAY MORNING, NOV. Il
Trines-Aword to Married People

anu SOu1u 10 He, especially Ill my lulc
moods. Like an unopened letter, there is a
mystery about it, and one waits with a
pleasurable excitement to see who or what
is coming.
Returning home one day earlier than usu-
al, | found my wife had gone out; and,
while lounging idly over the paper, the bell
rang.
waited, expectant, till Bridget appeared
with note, containing request from my
old friend, DIR. Stearns, to ride out to his
residence in the country, the next day, to
transact some business that had been long
pending, and an invitation to bring my
wife and spend the day.
was pleased; first, because l wanted the
business completed; and, secondly, because
/ thought L needed days recreation.
But the next morning everything seemed
to go wrong. Alice could not accompany
me, and / could not get off as early as l
wished; and consequently L was peevish
and fretful; and Alice reflected my humor,
l suppose-as it appeared to me she had
never been so unamiable.
At length, however, / drove away, though
not in very pleasant mood. 1twas love-
ly October day; and as l rode along, noting
the tints of the landscape, memory went
back to the golden autumn when l wooed
and won my bride.
How lovely Alice was then, thought.
And how happy we were! But that was
long ago. Yetnature was the same, though
we are changed Let me see; we have been
married three years; is it possible it is no
longer?
And I felt pang as contrasted the past
with the present, to think that we could
settle down into the commonplace life we
now led.
We had no serious trouble; we didn't
quarrel, though when | felt cross or other
things didn't 90 to suit me, took no pains
to conceal it, and often spoke harshly to
Alice, who sometimes replied in the same
spirit, sometimes with tears. Yet we were
generally good friends. But the charm, the
tenderness of our love, had imperceptibly
vanished.
had become careless about my appear
ance at home, and Alice was equally negli-
gent. Her beautiful brown hair, which she
used to wear in the most becoming curls,
was now usually brushed plainly behind
her ears unless she was going out or expect
ed company. l dismissed the subject with
sigh. at the doctors gate, with the retlec-
ton that it was the same with all married
people-must be so, in fact-for how could
romance and sentiment find place among SO
many prosy realities? supposed we were
the kind of life l had looked forward to
The doctor came out and greeted me cor
daily. In the hall we met Mrs. Stearns,
looking fresh and lovely in her pink mus
lin wrapper, with her jetty hair in tasteful
braids. She scolded me playfully for not
bringing my wife, chatted few minutes,
and then fitted away, while the doctor, re-
marking that his motto was business first
and pleasure afterward, led the way to the
library. ...
= A, - o,,+oro5 tl,o noon, 7 pnt;oad n yaca
of bright autumn flowers on the table, inn
parting an air of taste and cheerfulness to
the apartment. L made remark about 1t,
to which the doctor responded:
''Yes, 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 grounds, which
were quite extensive and tastefully ar
ranged.
There was variety of flowers in bloom,
and there the finest and he had hand
some boquet.
When we reached the house Mrs. Stearns
was on the steps. The doctor, still contin-
uing our conversation, gave her the flow
ers with a slight bow and smile, and hold
ing up a spray of crimson berries, which
he had broken off, she bent her head while
he fastened it among the dark braids of her
hair.
1t was a trifing incident, yet their man
ner arrested my attention. Had L been
stranger, should have pronounced them
lovers instead of sober married people,
All through the day l noticed the same
delicate attention and Difference In their de-
nortment TO each other. .....
There was nothing of which the most
fastidious guest could complain, yet while
showing me the most cordial attention,
they did not seem to ignore each others
existence, as married people so often do.
had never visited the doctor before, and
was very much pleased with his tasteful
home. | said so, after dinner, when we
strolled out into the woods. h
"Yes," he said, II think it is pleasant"
and he added, II believe am contented
man; so far am not disappointed in life."
slow long have YOU been married. doc
torr' asked. ~.
''Ten years" ,.al
SWELL" / pursued, 'can you tell one
whence the bright atmosphere that sur
rounds your home? Tell me how you and
Mrs. Stearns manage to retain the depth
and freshness of your early love, as you
seem to do? I should think the wear and
bcdI vi 1tlC WOulu uitt hoo. hNv
er saw home where my ideal of domestic
happiness was realized before. 1t is whatI
have dreamed Of" % l5a3 81. 'I
The doctor smiled, and, pointing to q
thrifty grapevine climbing over q neat lat
tice, and loaded with purple fruit, he said:
"That vine needs careful attention, and If
pruned and properly cared for, 1t is what
YOU see it; but If neglected, how soon would
It become worthless thing So the love
which is to all, at some period, the most
precious thing in life, and which needs SO
much care to keep it unimpaired, is gen.
erally neglected. All! my friend, 1t is lit
tie acts-trifles-- so often estrange low.
ing hearts. / have always made it point
to treat my wife with the same courtesy
that characterized my department in days
of courtship; and while am careful not to
offend her tastes and little prejudices, /
am sure that mine will be equally respect
ed.n -iPs DGE sA1il u3ta i.ei Do
That night rode homeward pondering
the Doctors words, and reviewing the years
of our married life. j was surprised at my
own blindness, and determined to recall the
early dream, If possible. 'rolqqlr or
The next morning at breakfast ]. aston
ished Alice by carefulrtoiiet, chatted over
the dinner, and, after tea, invited her to ride.
When she came down in my favorite blue
,organdie, with her hair in shining curls, i
Thought she never looked lovelier. iWug{,
- n e.tn,.kad x,,voalf ao 0f Old In anfQrtQin