Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-02-03
-roUR FAMILY JAR.
A SKETCH OF EARLY MARRIED LIFE.

degree OF c0OnuDlaI felicity, "aS happy as Iom
and Louise 7" So yeu see our reputation is
established. But we did have little difficulty
once, and it bad nearly proved serious one
Even now, never hear the story of the young
couple who were sundered for life by that mis-
erabe little rat or mouse, whichever ii was
q always have believed she was right with
out shuddering to think of the awful fate that
Tom aud 1 escaped.
But it was providentially averted, am 60
ing to write the history of our quarrel as a
warning to all young couples.
1t had always been one of Toms hobbies
that people should go to housekeeping as soon
as they were married.
"Wbat do they marry for.'' he would say,
"but domestic comfort and pray how are they
to find it in a crowded hotel or boarding
house"
And as 1 perfectly agreed with Tom, to
housekeeping we went as soon as we returned
from eur wedding tour.
We of course experienced the usual amount
OF mistakes and failures, incident to young
married people, but at the end of two months
we found ourselves fairly settled down. Our
sole domestic was a respectable matron of ma
ture age, whose large half Gt was worse, also,
in this case) had deserted her some years be-
fore owing to a slight conjugal difficulty, in
which, as is not usual in Irish broils whisky
had been an important auxiliary. Mother had
taken pity on the deserted wife, and, having
trained her in all domestic duties, now made
her over to me as help. Notwithstanding the
numerous iailings of her departed Spouse Mrs
Macnally still cherished his memory, and
spoke of him with tenderness and regret.
"Sure Mrs. Preston" she would say, sit
was partly my own fault. Pat was always
quick, like, and l should have borne with his
little falling"
And when l mildly limited that there was
a necessary limit to human endurance, she
would shake her head and sigh.
II should ha' been more patient sure, mum;
wasn't he iist me own husband, after all?" I
used to come out of the kitchen after such in
terviews, feeling quite instructed, ard I didn't
altogether like to hear Tom laugh, when l
told him of our domestic's forgiving spirit.
"How blessings brighten, &c." he would
say. Hes the dear departed Macnally, now;
be would have been that oud brute of a Pat,
if he had stayed" But in my secret heart l
thought Tom appreciated Mrs Macnally,
though he would make fun of her to me. It
was one of Toms failings in those days to
make fun of everything. One of them! He
had another. He qcould keep dog!
Now am not averse to pets in the ab-
stract, and have an affection for cats, but
dog! They are my pet aversion! And Toms
dog Rover was no exception. II was not,
"love me, love my dog" in this case, for TOMS
1 L. L
said of Tom.
Now when say that Tom would keep
dog, do not mean that he persisted in this
course against my expressed wish to the con-
trary. In fact, there had been a sort of COM
promise between US. If l hated dogs, he de-
tested cats, and pet cat was one of my few
hobbies. So we signed a sort of hollow
truce, and Rover and Tabby became domesti-
Gated in our household. They were very good
friends themselves, which was a mercy, as
they might otherwise have caused rupture
between their master and mistress, each being
bound to uphold aud sustain his or her re-
spective appendage. But for awhile matters
went on swimmingly. One afternoon Tom
came in to tea earlier than usual. LOU" he
said 81 have a present for you, from grand
mother. had note from her at the Office
this morDing, asking me to cali over there, and
L went. She intended to give you something
when you were married, out couldn't quite
decide what it should be; and now she wants
me to see to getting it over here. I'll drive
around, l think, in the morning"
''But you haven't told me what it is, Toni"
"Ah, my dear! so haven't. You remem-
Der the large jar that has always stood in
grandmother's parlor, filed with rose leaves,
l believe? Well, that is the identical thing
as Capen Cutie used to say. How do you
like it, Miss Louisy?"
"O," said, ''the one grandmother thought
so much of because it came from Holland, and
has always been in the family? / am delight
ed; it will look so nicely in the parlor, Tomr'
"Gad you're pleased, my DEAR" Tom said,
lighting his cigar. 81 used always to be
stumbling over the confounded thing at grand
mothers, but I'm more careful now I'm
married man!'
had few doubts as to Toms improve
ment in that respect, but they did not pre-
vent my pleasure when the next day he
brought the jar home. l greatly admired the
effect of the blue and white china, with its
grotesque figure against the dark marble of
the mantle and hearth, and Tom himself con-
iesged it quite an addition to the room. And
when had filled the jar with rose leaves, the
room smelled like garden, and my pleasure
for the present was wholly unalloyed. 1t was
week or two afterward, that one afternoon
Tom came from the Office early to take me to
ride "Hurry and get ready, Lou," he said,
"we've no time to spare"
AS there was no mortal reason for our going
or returning at particular time, could not
quite see what the hurry was but, like du-
tiful wife, made no remarks, and put oG my
bonnet and shawl as quickly as possible. Tom
didn't come into the house at all, but sat on
the steps, smoking until 1 was ready.
did you shut the parlor door, Lou ?" he
asked, as joined him: "Rover and Tabby are
in the house, and might get in there, if the
doors are left open"
"Oh, shut them all " l answered conf
IDENTIFY; "but Tabby could do no harm, at any
rate, and you Oughtn't to leave Rover in the
house, Tom"
"Never mind, he's all right, and won't for
get him again p
And, dismissing all care, we gave ourselves
up to the pleasure of the ride. 1t was after
dark when we came home, and Tom left me at
the door, driving the horse to the stable him
SELF went in, stepping into the parlor
moment to light the gas before going up stairs
| E,,t &c II flashed m what a SIGHT met NV