Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-05-26
MARK ERIDEN.
by MRS. II. d. STOWE.

"Come, Mark Meriden, don't settle down
into an old grandfather before your time a
pretty wife is pretty thing Mark, aud a
pretty house is pretty thing, but, hang it,
one must have a little of life"
Mark Meriden stood at his desk, giving
last look at his books while Ben Sanford, the
roguish the merry, the song-singing, the Ra"
a" piN1cteu IrUnc tnat evening. NOW Den
was precisely the messenger for such an em-
bassy-there was fun in the twinkle of his
blue eye, and world of waggcry in the turn
of his head, and pair Of broad roguish dim
Piles that went merrily dodging in and out Of
his checks every time he spoke, and he had
laid hold of Marks arm to drag him away.
But Mark shook off his hand and finished
summing up column Of figures put the blot
ting paper into the book, and the book into
the place, wiped his pen, all with an air of
great thoughtfuness, and at last turning to
| Ben, said
think won't 60 this time"
Now, why not ?" said Ben, very eagerly.
| Because-because," said Mark, smiling !;
" because fancy that | should like Mrs.
Meriden's company better this evening"
Hang Mrs Meriden-beg pardon, Mark,
hang myself for saying so-but one don't like
to see ine fellow buried alive. Come, take
a real wake-up with US"
Thank YOU, Ben, but | haven't been
asleep and don't need it. SO I'll go home
and see my wife," and .thereat turned reso
Lutte step homeward as a well trained HUSBAND
ought,
Now, says one of our readers, " who wai
Mark Meriden ?" You would not have asked
good reader, if you had lived in the town o
-, when his name first appeared on the
outside of one of its most fashionable shops
" Mark Meriden," surrounded by those wav
ing insignia of grace and fashion that youns
bellies need to have their eyes turned off from
! beholding. Everything in the tasteful estab
lishment told Of the well arranged business
!, and Mark himself, the mirror Of fashion
y fautless in every article Of costume, quick
i attentive, polite, was every day to be see
g there winning golden opinions from all sort
of people," Marks shop became the resor
. for high ton the fashionable exchange, tn
promenade Of beauty and wealth, who cam
/, there to be enlightened as TO the ways an
y means of disposing of their surplus revenue
I to see and to be seen.
:, So attentive, polite and considerate WI
Mark, so profound his bows, 80 bright hi
ewes, so unexceptionablc his whiskers, that
might have proved dangerous resort for tn
; ladies' had not a neat tasteful house goin
> up in the neighborhood, been currently r.
. ported AZ the future residence Of an alread
7 elected Mrs. Meriden, and in few montl
- the house neatly furnished, received yer
y pretty lady who called herself to that eiteo
IL She was as truly refined and lovely WON;
as ever formed the centre flower of domest
"A bouquet, and Mark might justly be pardon
=, for having as good again an opinion Of hi
N self for having been fortunate enough to
~ cure her.
- Mark had an extensive circle of buslnC
-, aud pleasure acquaintance, for he had be
~ one of the social, companionable sort, who
~ ~ money generally found its way out of
4 pockets in very fair proportions to the rate
came. In short, he was given to clubs, o.
Z ter suppers, and now and then wine par
n, and various other social privileges for eley
an a ing ones spirit and depressing ones ca
on that abound among enlightened communiti
W But nevertheless, at the bottom Of his he
- there was a very substantial stratum of C
'o as tain quality called common sense, tr
he which, though it was never set down in o
H. chart Of phrenology, may very justly be cal
.l a faculty, and one, too, which makes "
"a striking difference among people as the wo
,vs goes
lya In consequence of being thus constitut
'ad Mark, when he found himself engaged {
an, very pretty girl, began to reflect with mi
" ~ than ordinary seriousness on his habits W
- aud manners of life. He also took an ac
~ rate survey of his business, formed an aver
"a ~, estimate Of his future income on the sobe
~" w. probabilities, and determined to live Ii
even within that He also provided him
.e ~. with a small account-book. with which he
Nv Nv tended to live in habits of very close acqua
~ ance, and in this book he designed to l
,n,n down all the savings consequent upon the
trenchment Of certain little extras, before
1I;o luded to- in which he had been in the hi
an1 I of pretty freely indulging himself.
w Upon the present occasion it had cost
'oa ~, something Of an effort TO say mo" for Nj
W was one of our easy clever fellows
,'I whom the enunciation Of this little sylli
: 90 caused as much trouble as the cultural
= the German. However, when he cam
\ H's !, sight Of his parlor windows through whi'
y bright fire was shining-when he entered
uon found the clean glowing hearth, easy 9
slo eas- drawn up in front, and pair of embroid
oo" slippers waiting for him quite at their eis
!, ,0a, a. and, above all, when he read the quick ga
y 70 of welcome in a pair Of very bright Q
W" Mark forgot all about Ben Sanford, anc
!, bachelor Friends and allurements whatsoe
I, ;Pyu = and thought himself the haPPiest iello"
earth
The evening passed off rapidly by the !,
of music, reading, and the little small TAI
! in which newly Unmarried people generally ha,
pike supply; and the next morning found MAJ,
off eariy business hours with as steady