Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-09-09
MISC ELLANY.
THE INTELLECTUAL WIFE.

woman as owned IL, SlttluR In0T6 III ne
crimson merino dress with great worl
basket OvershadOwing it, like the typ'
of some Juggernauti There was not
wrinkle In her linen collar, not specl
on her brilliant apron, while every gold
en- thread in her hair lay smooth AM
shining as if it We're glistening satin
instead of human tresses.
Mr.. VerdOn laid down his book will
ostentatious despair.
''What do you want HO,U, CathaTine
1t is a little singular that a man cam
get five consecutive minutes OF reading
In this house; no sooner do these NOISY
children get off to bed, than a dozeI
other disturbances start up to distrac
ones bTainI'
I'm sorry to disturb you, Alec, " saiC
the much-enduring wife! ''but L only
want to know whether You would pre-
fer your new shirts made with buttons
or studs?"
''Studs and buttonsr' groaned Mr..
VerdOn, rather melo-dramatically. Cup
on my word, Catharine, it seems as il
your mind revOlves on nothing more
important than a round of the pettiesi
household concerns. As if / cared how
you make my shirts?"
''But you were very much displeased
dear, because / made the collars to youl
last set after an old fashioned pattern. >
''Of cOuse L was? A man don't want
to go about looking like Methuselah?"
''No, dear, but
''But my dear Catharine, / am deci-
dedly annoyed to see You sinking into
a mere domestic drudge"
81 don't understand You, Alec. Sure
ly wife and a mother should make it
her first aim to study the comforts OF
her husband and family
ITO certain extent, Mrs. VerdOn-
to certain extent, this may be quite
true. But when MIR. Peterson asked
your opinion of 5 work, the other
evening, yOu astonished everybody by
cOnfessing yOu had not read it. 1 was
ashamed. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
dignantI'
but, Alec, what time do 1 get to
read?'
Time! tlmel Won must make time,
child! Let domestic cares be second
AIRY to the cultivation Of your intellectual
nature. Why, L cannot describe to you
my dear how deeply mortified was at
Mrs. Lessons conversation, when every
one was discussing the new literary
consultations, by your confused silence.
While Mrs. Ogilvie-why, she was
positively sparkling in her ready argu-
mont and charming critical taste"
eyes, retOrted Catharine Verdon,
stung at last into something ike retalli-
alton, ''and Mr.. Ogilvie was there with
a ragged shirt bosom and the lower but
ton gone from his dress coat. -
Ac n 1,oF,,.o - H.
tons and shirts are not a preliminary
consideration.
''And," went on Catharine, ''the
dressmaker says that Mrs. Ogilvie has
no more idea of housekeeping than a
kitten. Such coffee she says
"All dressmaker's tattlel'' interrupt
ed Mr.. VerdOn, with lofty flourish of
his left arm. II shouldn't care what
kind of coffee l drank if / had a wife
like Laura Ogilviel'
Catharine flushed to her very fore
head, but she bit her lip in resolute
self-control.
81 want very much to please You,
Alec, said she meekiy. "Will You tell
me how to be intellectual?"
MIR. Alexander Verdon pulled his nous
tache In rather puzzled manner.
"Nhy-why, my dear, you must read
all the new works, to begin with, and
keep up with the general newspaper
erTfent, and take critical survey of
paintings and statues, and-and all that
sort of thing, YOU know"
''Yes, but Alec"
'.ROw, Cathie, 1 really wish you
you'll let me read little in peace. /
get Sd little time to cultivate INV mindP'
Mrs. Verdon sighed softly to herself
as she cut the buttonholes down the
front of Mr.. Alexander's shirts.
'.l say, Cathiep'
Mr.. Verdon rushed unanimously into
the room where Cathie was sitting, in the
midst of pile of books, deep in some
late publication, with his matntinal tot
let but half completed, and pair of sus-
pendsrs floating wildly in the air, like
the rsins of runaway horse.
'sWell, Alexander"
ttWhere are my new shirts? I've torn
the last respectable one of the old set,
half way across the back"
They aren't finished, dear"
mot finished, Mrs. Verdon."
'tNo. 1 wish yOu wouldn't interrupt
me, Alec. What's the use of woman's
trying to be intellectual, when you are
running in and out, with perpetual ques-
tiOns about shaving soap, and stockings
and shirts? Madame de Stacl never
had her minds disturbed about shirts, /
am sure"
sBut what's fellow to do, with his
shirt split across the back?"
"Ah-what, indeed?" unused Cathie
IN voice so plainly indicative that her
mind was far away in some metaphys-
zeal region, that Alexander gathered up
his suspenders and retreated in dumb
despair.
'Holes In my stockings big enough
to jump through, and the cologne bottle
not replenished And I've cut my nose
shaving, and no Cathie here to put on
sticking plaster. But then do really
think it would be nice to have my wife
appear like Laura Ogilvie. wonder
what Ogilyis does when he cuts his
nOsep -
In. Verdon finished his toilet and
went down town, with this subject of
marvel yet undecided In his mind.
The city bells we're changing one, on
the same day when Mr.. Verdon ran hur-
nedly up his footsteps, and entered his
own domicil by the subtle aid of con-
Venient little night-key.
."Catharine! WifeI Cathie!'