The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-09-12
THE INTELLECTUAL WIFE.

me one minute, if you please :"
Such soft pleading little voice it was
such pretty, half timid looking woman
as owned it, sitting there in her crimson
merino dress with a great workbasket
overshadowing it, like the type of some
huge Juggernaut There was not
wrinkle in her linen collar, not a speck
on her white 6rtliante apron, while every
thread in her hair lay smooth and shining
as if it were glistening satin, instead of
human tresses.
Mr.. Verdon laid down his book with
ostentatious despair.
"What do you want ao10, Catharine !?
1t is little singular that man can't get
five consecutive minutes of reading in
this house, isn'tit? No sooner do those
noisy children get off to bed than dozen
other disturbances start up to distract
ones brain !"
~ am sorry to disturb you, Alec" l"
said the much enduring wife; "bus l
only want to know whether you would
prefer your new shirts made with buttons
| or studs 7"
"Studs and buttons !" groaned Mr..
Verdon, rather melo dramatically. "Upon
my word, Catherine, it seems as if your
mind revolves on nothing more important
than a round of the pettiest household
concerns"
"Well, l want to make these shirts so
! that they'll please YOU"
GAS if cared how you make my
shirts ?"
"But you were very much displeased,
dear, because [ made the collars to your
last set after an old pattern"
"Of course I was. A man don't want
to 50 about looking like Methuselah !"
"No, dear, but"
"But, my dear Catharine, I am deci-
dedly annoyed to see you sinking into a
mere domestic drudge"
~ don't understand you, Alec. Surely,
q wife and mother should make it her
first aim to study the comfort of her hus,
baud and family"
"To a certain extent, Mrs Verdon-
to certain extent, this may be quite
true. But when Mr.. Peterson asked
your opinion of IS last work, the
other evening, you astonished everybody
by confessing you had not read it. was
ashamed, Catherine - confounded--in-
dignant"
"But, Alec, what time do get to
read ?"
Time time! you must make time,
child. Let the domestic cares be secon.
dairy to the cultivation of your intellect
nal nature. Why, l cannot describe to
you, nv DEAR. how deeply mortified was
at Mrs. Lessons conversation, when every
one was discussing the new lirerary con-
steIlations, by your confused silence
While Mrs. Ogilvie-Why, she was posi-
lively sparkling in her ready argument
aud charming critical TASTE"
"Yes," retorted Catherine Verdon,
stung at last into something like retalia-
ton, sand Mr.. Ogilvie was there with a
ragged shirt bosom aud the lower button
gone from his dress coat"
"As l remarked before, my dear, but
tons aud shirts are no. primary consider
ations."
"Aud," went on Catherine, "the dress
maker says that Mrs. Ogilvie has no more
idea of housekeeping than kitten. Such
coffee, she says"
"All dressmaker's tattle !" interrupted
Mr.. Yerdon, with lofty flourish of his
left arm. 81 shouldn't care what kind of
coffee I drank if had wife like Lucy
/ Ogilvie"
/ Catherine flushed to her very forehead,
bat she bit her lip in resolute self control.
! II want very much to please you,
Allie" said she meekly. "Wlll you tell
me how to be intellectual ?"
! Mr. Alexander Ferdon pulled his
noustache in rather puzzled manner.
"Why-why, my dear, you must read all
the new works, TO begin with, and keep
up with the general newspaper current
and take critical survey of paintings
and statues and-and all of that sort of
thing, you know"
"Yes. but, Alec"
"Now, Cathie, I really wish you would
let me read a little in peace. I get 50
little time to cultivate my mind ~ Mrs.
Vernon sighed softly to herselfas she cut
the button holes down the front of Mr..
Alexander's new shirt.
Il say, Cathie =
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 matutinal toilet but
half completed, and pair of suspenders
floating wildly in the air, like the reins
of runaway horse.
well, Alexander p
] EITbnrn ~, 49,. :. 49, -I;-t-1 2 J'ro town