Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-06-16
TR FL e s.
A Hint to Married People.

idle moods. Like an unopened letter,
there is a mystery about it, and one
waits with pleasurable excitement to
see who or what is coming.
Returning home one day earlier than
usual, I found my wife had gone out;
and, while lounging idly over the paper
the bell rang
l waited, expectant, till Bridget ap-
peared with note, containing request
from my old friend, DR.. Searns, to ride
out to his residence in the country the
next day, to transact some business that
had been long pending, aod an invita-
ton to bring my wife and spend the
day.
[ was pleased first, because I wanted
the business completed; and, secondly,
because l thought that I 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 [ wished, and consequently
| was peevish and fretful and Alice
reflected my humor, I suppose-as it
appeared to me she had never been so
unamiable.
At length, however, I drove away,
though not in very pleasant mood. 1t
was lovely October day; and as rode
along. noting the tints of the landscape,
memory went back to the golden au-
tumn when I wooed and won my bride.
How lovely Alice was then, l thought.
And how happy we were! But that
was long ago. Yet nature is the same,
though we are changed. Let me see,
we have been married three years is
it possible it is no longer? And | felt
pang as | contrasted tie past with the
present, to think that we could settle
down into the common place life we
now led. ...
We had no serious trouble; we didn't
quarrel, though when | felt cross, or
things didn't go to suit me, I 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 of early love
had almost imperceptibly vanished
away.
| had become careless about my ap-
pearance at home, and Alice was equal
ly negligent. Her beautiful brown
hair, which she used to wear in the
most becou ing curls, was now usually
brushed plainly behind her ears unless
she was going out, or expected compa-
ny. | dismissed the subject with
sigh: at the Doctors gate, with the re-
flection 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 reali-
ties? [ supposed we we're as happy as
any body, and yet it was not the kind of
life had looked toward to with so
many bright anticipations for the fu-
ture
The Doctor came out and greeted me
cordially. In the hall we met Mrs.
Stearns looking fresh and lovely in her
pink muslin 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, remarking that
his motto was business first and pleas
ure afterward, led the way to the IL
brary.
AS we entered the room l noticed
vase of bright autumn flowers on the
table, imparting an air of taste and ele-
gance to the apartment. l made re-
mark about it to which the Doctor re-
sponded:
eyes, I am very fond of flowers, and
love to see them in the house and as
l spend much time here, my wife always
keeps vase of them on the table as
long as they last
Our business was finished before din
ner, and we walked out in the grounds,
which were quite extensive and taste
fully arranged. There was variety of
flowers in bloom, and | noticed that the
Doctor selected here and there the fin
est, and he had handsome bouquet.
When we reached the house Mrs. S.
was on the steps. The Doctor still
continuing our conversation gave her
the flowers with slight bow and smile
and holding up spray of crimson ber-
ries which he had broken off, she bent
her head while he fastened it among
the dark braids of her beautiful hair.
1t was trifing incident, yet their
manner arrested my attention. Had 1 i
been strangerI should have pronounc-
ed them lovers instead of sober, married
people. All the time during my stay,
[ noticed the same delicate attention
and Difference in their department to
each other.
There was nothing which the most
fastidious guest could complain of; yet,
while showing me the most cordial at
tention, they did not seem to ignore
each others existence, as married peo-
pie SO often do.
l had never visited the Doctor before
and was very much pleased with his
tasteful home. l said so after dinner,
when we strolled out into the woods
EYES," he said, 81 think it is pleas
ant" and he added, 81 believe am a
contented man; SO far l am not disap-
pointed in this life
"How long have you been married,
Doctor ?" I asked
''Ten years"