The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-12-02
FROM I1pp1NCoTT's MAGAZINE
I N G 0 M P A TIBLE

Tom and I were absolutely certai'
that We should never quarrel after "
were married. We knew very vel
that some married folks did quarre
sadly, and that almost all differed NOR
than was entirely comfortable; thi
knowledge forewarned us, and, afte
discussing the subject thoroughly, VI
felt that We were forearmed as we'll a!
forewarned. .-~
Tom admitted that he had heard
such words pass between his own tath.
er end mother as he should be very sor
~ to think would every pass between
as, but he said it was entirely unneces'
sary ever to have any difference
amounting to quarrel. OF course,
people who had as positive tempera.
ments as we both had could not agree
entirely and at once, but little conces-
sion would smooth away all difficulties
aud for his part, he should always be
happy to make any concessions which I
should demand.
I thought Tom talked very we'll, and
Immediately assured him that so tar as
was concerned he never would have to
make any concessions At all; upon
which he declared with a most impas-
stoned kiss, that my will should always
be his law.
I thought over this conversation,
which took place just . week before we
were married, BY myself, after Tom
had gone, and I must say he seemed a
rare treasure to me for I could not re-
call another man among my acquaint-
auces who was given to making con-
cessions to the woman of his house,
hold: = =
There was my father. Of course l
loved father very much, but grown.up
daughters are not always entirely blind
to their fathers peculiarities, and it did
seem to me that he took delight in
ploughing Though and uprooting all
mothers tastes and fancies.
Mother was English and of tho Epis-
copal Church, and always wanted to OBJ
serve Christmas, but father never would
hear to i, because his ancestors came
over in the "May Flower" He was
proud Of the grim Puritan record OF
the first Christmas II this country :
"And SO no man rested at all that day."
1t was, in his eyes a glorious protest
against princely and prelatical tyranny
and I'agreed with father and kindled
with enthusiasm when he talked of the
beginnings of Congregationalism, and
of the grand days when Milton was its
poets and Cromwell Its hero; yet, for
all this, I thought it was hard and big.
oted in father not to let mother keep
her own festival. So, when we chill
dren grew up, we brought about a sort
of compromise. At Thanksgiving,
which father celebrated with great zeal,
we trimmed the house with evergreen
and holly till it was like a bower We
had blazing wood.tires in every room,
and added roast beef to the feast hith.
erto sacred to turkey and chicken-pie,
The plum-pudding, being adapted to
both festivals, was not displaced; and
when mother said, with gratifed look
that it seemed quito English, We were
triumphant. We felt that We had gain
ed a great victory tor her, and that "
had got the better Of father without
hurting him. Father was an editor.
very influential man, generous in hi
way, especially kind to all young writ
ers, and very chivalrio toward all vo
men in bis Office and at his writing
desk, but he did rage round most un
comfortably at home.
Mother said his literary lifs afe:te.
his nervous system, and so took partic
ular pains to make his home cares light
l did not quite approve Of mother
course; I thought it would do fathe
good, if she would occasionally pay hia
back in his own coin; but she ncye
did, and never seemed to care about Iii
being on such very good terms, as h
was with great many pretty women
but sister Mary and !, who though
married people, 10 order to be happy
must be thinking Of each other ever
moment, used to set quite jealous 70
her.
"Mother," said sister Mary on on
occasion, "do you like t. have lathe
write to that pretty Mrs. Colburo quit
80 much as he does sl''
81 don't know as he writes to he
any more than she writes to him." II
Piled mother, lnd;8erently. '"
"But, mother" said I, taking up til
strain, "do you like to have fathe
write 20 much to pretty women an
|iwayr ".% i
i SGirla.v said mother. MI Gka m,