Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-05-23

aosoie1e barbsri'v. Perhaps it may DO
just as cruel TO suffer them 10 lose their
natrfal rest, and to hang about ill thsy.re
too sleepy 10 be tolerablc. only know
that went into nightly seclusion bv the
sound ofthe clock, whether | pleaded not
sleepy, or not. Young America has greater
privileges In these days, and among them
'ne cnance TO keep awake as long as any one
eise-and at any rate 10 bciltolerable to the
last moment.
Before the children" Mr.. Prince under
stood the look, even before the remark was
made that "such subjects might as we'll be
discussed at some other time" Two little
heads conclu dei that father WAS "vsry i'm
proper" they could not exactly understand
Why; and . third little head wondered
whether. - sometimes happened in the ex-
psrisncc Of younger offenders, he would get
; whipping whom he went to bed. The aSb-
ect IVES not resumed while the children
~see present; and - their wa.chfulness Gov.
Dsed oil waking houri, the matter was de-
Isrred. to come up in order ct the hour i'm.
proved by the immortal Mrs. Candle.
There 10, says quaint old proverb, "luck
in leisure" and Mr.. Prince, who perceived
thst be wss IN dilemma, improved his leis-
Sss In arranging plan Of cam paign- sys-
tam OF strategy or management. He had
mind to be provoked, but concluded rather
TO be amused and, though disposed TO
think his good wife over sise and hyper
scrupul0us, he laughed to himself as be pre-
tended 10 read the evening paper. The
children soon forgot all about tho terrible
subject that had almost been preached but
Mrs. Princes face and manner bo.okened
that she did not think her husband would
live the week out She had the same hor
ror Of llfa assurance that somo people have
Of making vii that to execute the docu-
ment il; equivalent to signing yo death
warrant.
10 every WEAKNESS there S one end, and
tao hour came At last when every infant
voice in the house vas hushed, and the cor
one, o! Semnus rested on every childish
themple Then, you think, the subject
came up? Not 10 such hurry. These two
persons prscticed Fabian tactics the con-
test 10 one Of mastery inactivity. There
~ere several unfinished questions disposed
of before the last mentioned topic was in or
der. Mr.. Prince Vas 20 full Of schemes that
il kept his wife busy Ill the day to devise
what she would say to him while the child
rem slept. And he was wise enough to let
her carry ail the small points, at the appear
ancs OF great effort, while his own mind
wss made up to submission from the begin
aing. In that way he managed her losing
many . skiemish in order 10 win battle.
But tho man was, on the whole, will dis
posed, 90 that after all it made little differ
sncs.
al ~. J.~~ns>A ~c
and Mrs. Prince being flushed and happy
with victory, she came down on the life a.
surancc question like hawk on = chick
en-. "What could possess you, Henry, to
mention such . thing before the chill.
dren ~
"why-What do you mean ?"
"You know that regard all such ,rans-
actions - tempting Providence. II 10 like
betting On your ewo existence, and winning
the stakes for your heirs, by losing your
own lifsis never could enjoy such money
ssobtained- never" and here Sarah's voice
wss little choked.
"BlesJ you, little woman. l never thought
oft in any such light, and cannot see how
| you should Why, there's our friend
Simpson, his life is insured, and he never
made debt since he was barn; not even OF
big apple. And there's Jones, and Smith,
and
"Never mind, Henry, you need not follow
a multitude TO DO evil Ard Simpson, what
folly | suppose he pays hundred dollars
every year.
"Ihrec hundred
"Three And with his limited income
Starving himself and his family, putting
bis money where it will do nobody any
good"
mot when he dies 2"
"W hat horrid thought As if money
could make up for the loss Of q husband
aud fAther!'
"Nevsrthe.sss it is convenient to widows
and orphans"
Nonsense, Henry, Don't let me hear
any more of it,"
mo, mum T. Henry said, with mock PEN
itence, and pretended to go to sleep. Mrs.
Prince soon did %, and dreamed that her
husband had invested all he had An Egyp.
tian pyramid, and died, and left her law.
suit Tor tho possession.
Messrs. Simpson and Prince had hearty
laugh tho next day whom they compared the
history OF their domestic conversations !:
which were wonderfully alike. Each decided
on tho same course. The poloe e quietly
rested in their fre-proofs, and there was re-
pose ia the hearts Of the maternal Prince
and maternal Simpson. No less were there
peace and confidence ia the minds of the
two husbands, who had done what every
man of prudence and honest poverty is
bound to do, if he would provide for his
own household.
Weeks pssscd-months--a year Mrs.
Simpson had looked al Mrs. Prince with
reserved pity. as on woman whose market
ing aud pm money we're abridged by q very
useless expense, the faul. Of her husband.
And Mrs. Prince, in like manner, regarded
Mrs. Simpson us one whose maternal right
to sii,nonv was trespassed upon. But %
neither lady was herself conscious OF any
pecuniary suffering, and as Mrs. Prince, in
particular, wondered how her husband
could he 40 careless of the future with
growing family, We fancy that the pity Ct
each lady for the others destitution was to
some extent misplaced.
A year has passed. Opening his morn
ing paper Mr.. Price gave an expression Of
pain. The sudden death Of his friend Simp.
son Was recorded. His wifs's eyes sui.
fused With tears, as she looked around up
on her family group. and thought that the
bolt might have fallen upon their own hap
py household-that. indeed. the day must
como whom the entrance Of death would
break their circle Of domestic peace.
Little was said 1t breakfast During the
long forenoon Mrs. Price thought Of the
widow and children. their helpless and o.
most destitute condition. 1t was hours
before she rsmemberee the life assurance At
all and thought 1t FIRST the memory came
with sort Of protest, she reasensd herself
into the admission that it Vas certainly for
tunate, under the circumstances. Then abe
mentally corrected fortunate to providsn-
tial and, while she unused, her husband
came in.
She was the first to speak Of their dece-
ased friends family, and to ask respecting
the policy. Mr.. Simpsons foresight had
secured bis family bfrom abjsct poverty !:
aud though, of course, nothing had yss
been said 10 the widow, the hearts Of those
who cared for her were relieved, when they
found that he whom she loved had proved
himself thoughtful. far-sseing. and consid-
crate. His praise was on oil their lips, and
his own personal friends found, in This act
Of his life, . justification of their good
opinion.
Perhaps" said Mrs Price, that evening
to her husband, in their hour of domestic