North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-04-05
Stlttt Storp,
BROTHER TOMS WIFE.
BY T, 8. ARTHUR.

ueT, nor call er sister, nor spe ak 10 .ner !'
And Lizzie Dawton put on as outraged
and indignant an air as 1t was possible for
her to assume.
"What's the objection 2" asked Toz1 in
his cool way, fixing his large calm eyes upon
the pretty face of his sister, as she sat unea
silly swaying halls around and back again on
the piano stool.
"Ohjection ?" The young lady's cherry
lips curled. "Who is she? What is she @
"a sweet-tempcred true heartedl young
wom man, who will make me good little wife,
Are you not answered, sister mine 2''
"a sewing girl - said Lizzie, con:emptu-
ously,
"What our mother was, as have been
told, before her marriage" answered brother
Tom, "And, fmy eyes have not deceived
NE. she has been a sewing woman since my
recollection Of her"
'That's another thing" said the sister,
"Mother was superior to her class, and has
risen above it,"
"Suppose [ answer your objections to
| Harriet, and sag that she is superior to her
class and will rise above it? What then
My father made good matrimonial vent ure,
| and may do the same"
But why, brother Tom,'' urged the sis
ter, don't You choose a wife from among
those on your own level.?"
"What do you mean by those on your own
| level! Let us understand each other"
"From among those who move in our own
| circle. From the educated, refined aud ac-
| sQrnplished."
"Such as the Misses Waltons, for in
stance"
"Yes, or the Misses Edens"
"Whose tather supports them in idleness
and expect the young men who marry them
20 do the same. Now Lizzie, the fact of the
| business is, lilike Mary Eden very weN, and
once came 50 near falling in love with her,
that l was really frightened. 1 did not 90
| near her pretty face again for six months
after felt the first movement of the tender
! passion"
dear Mary o Tom why not marry
her ? | could love her as my own sister"
'''on't atf'rG it, pretty. I'm but poor
! young man, and haze only talents and in
! d1a-ry, to help me forward in the world
,Iaty can't 10 anything herself, and would
expect ne to put her in an establishment
bat little less costly than the one her father
owns"
| "Oh, but, Tom there'll be no necessity for
| going to housekeeping at first. And then,
| you know, her father is well off in the world,
and he'll give her house, and furnish it, no
doubt, when she is married."
But Tom shook his head.
"Mary Eden,s father may or may not be
rich," he replied. "My own private opinion
is,that he is living up to,if not little beyond
| his income. And as to the house and furni-
ture which Mary's husband is going to get,
| that is something very fine to feed fancy up
on. The real bricks and mortar is another
affair."
| ooh, but Mr.. Eden's rich Tom"
THE rich men of to day are our Door
men of Tomorrow, Lizzie. wouldn't give
| the snap of a finger for rich father in law
as dependence. I mean to trust in myself.
an honest purpose and clear conscience
And as for a wife, want a woman with life,
purpose, industry and independence in her,
not great bundle Of silks, laces, bonnets
and rl-papers, with pretty little helpless
do-nothing doll, hidden somewhere inside of
the crinoline decentralization. -aAnd then,
| again, Lzzie,I am something of an independ-
ent yo ung man, wonderfully given to the
| work of taking care of myself [ happen to
be at the bottom of the ladder, and if I ever
get to the top my own strength will carry
| ME there. Now, wife on my back, instead
| of ono on the hounds ola ladder, keeping
| weight, and keep me at or near the foot
| forever. No, no, pretty, cannot afford one
of your finished boarding school misses for
a wife-the luxury is too expensive for me.
! So am going to marry a girl who knows
! something of real life-a true, good, patient,
enduring, self-denying, sweet darling little
| body, who is not ashamed to earn her living
with the needle. And / can tell you what,
Dolly, | only wish you were like Harriet
Parker; there would be forty chances in
| favor of your marrying man Of sense to
those you have now. Don't you know that
a new society has been formed among young
men, and that some of the very best "catch-
es' among them have signed pledge not to
marry any girl who is not willing to COM
mence matrimonial life with two rooms and
kitchen, and who doesn't know how to bake,
cook and sew, and to wash and iron into the
bargain am the President"
"Preposterous !" exclaimed Lizzie.
] You'll cry some other word when you