Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1868-02-14
NO. 4. PARIS, MAINE, FRIDAY,

strong tax. Frank.
IL canno, help it, My wife i. miserable
am miserable. Ny boys arc indignant.
Ny daughter is Disseminated and seems to
despise US all. And the house is thorough.
ly wretehed."
The father had. by this lime. talked him.
self into believing that his exaggerated pic.
'ure was true one. Tears almos, stood
IN his eyes. He was 81 lily disappointed.
nd no wonder. AT n serious Inconvenience
to himself. and to the abridgmeu, of the op-
portnnities Of all his other children. be had
given his daughter very expensive educa-
tion. He had hoped tha, the whole house
bold would have been the happier for IL.
and that his darling Fanny would come
home prepared to rejoice them all. and to
make everybody share in the beneti, of her
advantages. The result, had been what be
had described. But as the father was per.
haps just little under the irritation of q
lecture from bis wife. we may state the
trouble in ;eims little less vehement.
Fanny was to her father the apple Of his
eye; and her brothers, notwithstanding all
the rudeness which boys will have in their
manners, idolixed their only sister. Her
mother did not love Fanny less. but her
womanly apprehension led her TO aim con.
si,ntiy to countersct what she considered
the injudicious indulgence OF the rest OF the
household. Her motherly affection. thus
manifested, was, We hardly need say. scarce.
ly appreciated. Indeed. the father some.
times seriously doubted whether bis wife
loved their daughter at al and the BROTH
ers were grateful a, the thoa ,ht that they
had not been born girls. And az to Fanny
-well-noiher, and daughters have too
many close relations for either really to
doubt the love OF the other; though Fanny
dill think that her mother was very exact.
ing and the mother dill feel Sure that Fanny
was spoiled. and a plague.
The education question. in an ambitious
family. OF limited resources. is alwavs
troublesome. The boys could not all be
lawyers. Ike their father. or do cior.. like
their uncle. merchants like their paternal. or
clergymen. like their maternal grandfather.
And there were traditions IN the two fani-
hes OF one member OF Congress. any mum.
Der OF state Legislators. and Colonel in the
Revolution; while E,qnire became the title
OF all men oil iull ages who were not doctors
OF law or Of divinity. The mother felt for
any one OF those five bows a. much as for
4 4 .
five lines As much She chafel inwardlv
that like her own father add her husband.
they could not each receive the advantages
OF liberal and high culture; or at least be
launched with every advantage upon bus
mess career. II there had been on. son and
hye daughters, the WAY would baye been
clear 10 her. "a well a. 70 her husband.
She would have seen no more unfarness in
giving to the sou the advantages which the
girls could not have. than her husband saw
in giving to the one girl. as she was bu, one.
the opportunity which the five BOYS could
not have. because there were five OF them
We think that there must have been a great
deal OF Caudle.lecturing to resist, before
father could carry his point and gain the
mothers unwilling consent that the one
learned person among the children should
be the daughter. And the point was car
RED. and Fanny went away TO school We
will DO the brothers the ie,ice to say that
not single selfish thought or wish Of theirs
interfered with the arrangement They
were delighted with the hope that they
should have sister equal to anybod,'s sis
ter. when Fanny came home from school
Tie vacations At home were, at first de.
lighuul. Fanny was received as guest.
and nobody though, that she could exact too
murb-noboly. except the mother And
even she deferred to the pariiali,y OF the
rest. and hoped tha, when Fanny came
ho,ne Tor good anil all. everything would
bc right But the father ADD the brothers
saw iha, The mother was still not satisfied
But when Fanny came home. finished"
AID ''ior good. it did seem, a' her laiher
was forced at least to say. for anything but
good"
Tho truth was that home was drcary 20
her, and she took but very l;ule pains TO
conceal her discomfort. She had taken very
silly notions INTO her little head and com.
pared the home in which she bad once been
happy. with the bones Of her boarding.
school acquainiances. as they bad described
them TO her. The comparison was all 20
the disadvantage Of ber fathers house. And
as shc bad romanced to her schoolmi'es
about her own home il must be confessed
romance, which she bad repeated ,iil she be.
i.ryed il herself. Boarding schools are