Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-11-02
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The Charms of Married Life.

IF in that chair yonder, not the one
! your feet lie upon, but the one beside you,
closer yet, were seated a sweet, faced girl, with
pretty little foot lying out upon the hearth,
Bit of lace running round the swelling throat,
| the hair parted to charm over a forehead
fair as aay of your dreams and if you could
reach an arm around that chair back without
fear of giving offence, and suffer your fingers
to play idly with those curls that escape down
the neck, and if you could clasp with your
hand those little white taper fingers of -
which lie so temptingly within reac
talk softly and low in the pfsseuce
blaze, while the hours slip without kn
I and the winter winds whistle nncaret
in short, you were no bachelor, but
band of some sweet image, would it
more pleasant than cold, single ny
counting the sticks, TeekopIRe
the blaze and the height OF the
Surely imagination woald~ be 81
purer if it could have the playful fa@
daynine womanhood to delight y. IA
would be torn from mind labor If but onotnt
heart grew into this present soul, quiekenIoH
it, charDing it, cheering it, bidding It everGou
speed. Her face would make halo rich q
rainbow, stop OF all such noisome thing a.
We lonely souls call trouble. Her smtie4
would illumine the blackest of crowded cares
anu onrkueSS tnot now seotS you ueSpOhueutL =
your solitary chair for days together, Weayihe
bitter fancies, dreaming bitter, dreams, voud
| grow light aud thin and spread aud foat away,
| chased by that beloved smile Your friend,
poor fellow, dies-neyer mind that gentle
clash of her fingers, as she steals behind YOU
telling you not to weep, is worth ten friends.
Your sister, sweet one, is dead-buried. Tho
worms are busy with all her fairness. How
| it makes you think earth nothing but spot
! to dig graves upon. 1t is more she says She
will be u sister. and the waving curls, us she
leans upon your shoulder touch your che esks
and wet eyes turn to meet those other eye5--
| God has sent His angel. Surely FOUR
mother-alas she is gone! Is there any
bitterness to youth alone and friendless,
like this But you are not homeless, you are
not alone-she is there, heb tears softening
yours, her grief killing yours; and you live
again to assuage that kind sorrow of hers
Then these children-rosy tRir-haircd no.
they do not disturb you with their prattlc
now-they are yours. Toss away there. on
the green sward uover mind the hyacinth,
the suowdrops. the violets, if SO be any ara
there the perfume of those healthiul lips
is worth all the flowers in the world. No
need to gather wild boquets to love and cher
ish flower, tree. grass, all are dead things
thiug- lvcler hold your soul And she. tho
mother. sweetest aud fairost of4ll. Watching,
tending. carressing aud loving. till your own
heart grows panied with teuderest jealousy.
aud ours itself with loving You have no
need of a cold lecture to teach thnnkiulness
your heart is full of it! No need now, as
once, of bursting blossoms. of frees taking leaf
and greeuness turning thought kindly and
thankfully; forever beside you there is bloom,
and ever beside you there is fruit. for which
eve. heart aud soul are full Of unknown, un-
spoken-bocause of nspeakable-tHank.9f.
feriDgs.