Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1867-02-23
to Martha for encouragement and ap-
probation. Her praise was of a very

prODaClOu. heI PldlSS MAS VI very
negative quality. . -
Sunday came, and Harry, as usual,
took his place in the music gallery; he
put forth all his powers, and excrised no
common address to make his associates
play in tune. AS they walked home he
yentured to ask Martha what she thought
of their little band. She answered in a
tone between indifference and contempt.
His pride was hurt, and he determined
to say no more upon the subject.
The. flute continued to be produced
every evening, and Harry ceased to ex-
pect the praise, or ask the attention of
his wife, But even this indifference did
not long continue, On one occasion he
observed something like frown on her
brow on another, he heard pittish ex-
preston pronounced in a whispered and
hurried tone. AT length hostility was
openly declared against the flute; and
Martha, wondered how man of sense
could vast his. time and annoy his family
by such stupid pursuit. saels
Harry bore this well, for the love of
his wife came to the aid of bis naturally
good temper. He locked up the flute
But he was disappointed in expecting
Martha would offer him any substitute
| for his favorite amusement after his hours
| of labor. Her notions were those of rig
| id and unsparing industry. She was
never tired of domestic occupations, and
she could not understand how man who
had his living to get could ever tire in
the pursuit of his calling. When the
hour of work was over, Harry sat down
in his little parlor, but his wife was sell
dom with him. 1t was true that the
boards on his house were cleaner than
the floor of any of his neighbors, that the
sauce pans of his kitchen shone with
brightness which all the good housewives
of the parish envied; and that not Gin
der deformed the neatness of his hearth
without calling forth the brush and the
! shovel for its instant removal.
But then it was also true that he
sometimes caught cold at his dinner honr,
from the wetness which the dinner floor
acquired from the indefatigable cleanli-
ness of his mate, that he sometimes made
fatal error when he forgot to clean his
sheos before he crossed the sanded thresh-
hold that while his wife was rubbing
the skiIlets into looking glasses, he was
desirous of the conversation ofa friend
and companion and that his well swept
hearth had no charms for his eyes while
he was left alone TO enjoy its neatness.
He was debarred, too, OF his favorite flute ;
and it cannot therefore be wondered at
that he sometimes said in heart, "why
did / marry?'' 8xa6
1t was at this juncture that Harry met
with an old companion who had some
thing of the vivacity, but nothing of the
goodness which he himself possessed.
Harry appeared uneasy and dispirited-
the cause of his discomfort was at length
communicated. His companion told him,
with the common can't of ibertipes, that
the way to make wives amiable was to
neglect them; that his home was uncom-
Portable because he appeared too fond of
it and that he might find society where
his society would be properly rated. Har
ry was ]pursuaded to fetch his flute, to
spend the evening alta neighboring house,
The harmless vanity which had
been so long pent up now broke forth
beyond its natural boundries. Harry
played well, and he played to late hour,
for he was hattered and caressed. On
his return home Martha was angry and
he was sullen. ,s...s.
The next night broug ht with it the
same temptation. What was intended
to be rare indulgence, at length became
confirmed habit, The public house
could not be frequented without expense,
and the late hour could not be kept with
out diminishing the capacity for the per
formance of ordinary duties, Harry, too,
acquired the practice OF drinking freely /;
and as his mind was i'll at ease, the NOR
ming draught often succeeded the eve
ning's intoxication. He was not, as be-
fore, seen constantly at his workshop, to
receive orders with good temper, and
execute them with alacrity. Hewas not
distinguish for the brightest shoes and
cleanest-apron of any mechanic In town;
his habits were idle, and his garb was
slovenly. He skunk away from public
observation, to bury himselfin the haunts
of drunkenness and profligacy. As his
business failed, he made to himself pre-
tences for employment in vagabond par
ties of anglers or lark-shooters One by
one every article of furniture was paw
ned for present,support. The fatal flute
was the last thing consigned to the grasp
of the money lender. n dt;p a9u "a
Martha did not want sense. She re-
fected deeply upon the cause of theil
misery, and she at length perceived the
error which she had eommittedi in oppos
ing her own fixed habits to the equally
confirmed linelinations of her husband
! She took her resolution. Honestly and
impartially she stated her distresses, and
i the cause. of them,s to the Vicar OF the
parish. He was a pious, sensible, q
charitable pastor. He pointed out te
her.. what she herself at lenath acknowl
edged, that small potion of time de
i voted to an innocent amusement is moi
incompatible with the most serious dI
g ties of a citizen and Christian; that the
:, engagements even of the most lovely
might afford some leisure for Cheerful
relaxation; and that religion did not re
quire course of intense exertion ane
unbending gravity. The worthy clergy
man furnished Martha the means of re
alizing plan which her own judgmen
had devised.
Martha expended the good pastor
friendly loan in procuring the restora
ton of furniture; but she did not as ye
bring it home. Her husband had on