The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-12-02

eiC 1OOA OuCt fnOft, AMI D niiiA Sucrfy y
again. Just to see how II felt to be farm.
er's boy.
"John." said the old lawyer. "be SURE
you fix up match with some Of those
country girls; no man is fit for anything
till he Is well married, and you are now
able, with economy 10 support n wife.
Mind you get one Of those country girls.
These paste and powder people here aren't
fit for young man who wants wom-
an"
Governor" said the young lawyer.
Laying his boots gracefully up on top of a
pile OF law books. as If TO encourage re-
lection by giving his head tho advantages
Of the lower end Of the inclined plane.
Governor. don. know anything about
city girls. / have given myself to my
books. But / must have wife that is
literary, like myself-one that can under
stand Emerson, for instance"
The old lawyer laughed. -John." he
answered, "the worst mistake you can
make Is to marry woman just like your
self In taste. You don't want 10 marry .
woman's head. but her heart"
John defended his theory. and the Gov
ernor only remarked that he would be
cured Of that sooner or later, the sooner
the bettcr.
The next morning John had letter
from his sister. Part of il ran about thus: {:
"T've concluded. old fellow. that u you
don't marry you'll dry up and turn to
parchment. I'm going to bring homo
with me the smartest girl I know. She
reads Carlyle. and quotes Goethe. and
understands Emerson. or course she
don't know what 1 am up 10, but you
must prepare to capitulate."
to pick wife for him. but he did like the
prospect OF meeting smart girl, and he
opened the letter to make sure that he
had not misunderstood. He read again. un-
derstands Emerson" John was pleased.
Why2 think l can divine. John was
vain OF his own abilities, and he wanted
q woman that could appreciate him. He
would have told you that no wanted con.
genial society. But congcnial female so
ciety to an ambitious man whose heart Is
vet untouched Is only society that, in some
sense. understands his own greatness and
admires his wisdom.
L
the son. The family proper consisted of
the father. g65d Deacon Harlow, Johns
two brothers, ten and twelve years old,
and IIuldah. the "help." The last WAS
the daughter Of neighboring farmer.
who was poor and hopelessly rheumatic,
and most of the daughters hard earnings
went to eke out the scanty subsistence Mt
home. Aunt Judith. the sister Of Johns
mother. 'looked after" the household az
| fairs Of her brother-in-law, by coming
over once n week and helping Huldah
darn and mend and make, and by giving
Huldah such advice as her inexperience
was supposed to require. But now Dca-
con Harlow's daughter had LEFT her hus-
band TO eat his turkey alone in Boston.
and had brought her two children home
TO receive the maternal blessing. Not
that Mrs. Amanda Holmes had the pstsr-
nal blessing chiefly in view in her trip.
She had brought with her n very dear
friend, Miss Janet Dunton. the accom-
pslihed teacher in the Mt. Parnassis Fe-
\ male Seminary. Why Miss Janet Dun
ton came to the country with her friend.
she could hardly have told. Not u word
had Mrs. Homes spoken TO her on tho
subject Of the matrimonial scheme. She
would have resented any allusion TO such
n proiect. She would have repelled any
insinuation that she had ever dreamed
that marriage was desirable under any
conceivable circumstances. II Is a way
we have of teaching girls 10 lie. We cd,i-
cate them to catch husbands Every SUI
per-added accomplishment !, put on with
the distinct understanding that its sole
use Is to make the goods more marketable.
We get mp parties, we so TO watering
places, we buy dresses. We refurnish our
houses, to help our girls to q good match.
And then we teach them 10 abhor the aw-
| full wickedness OF ever confessing the
\ great desire that nature and education
have combined to make the chief longing
of their hearts. We train them to lie to
us, their trainers; we train them TO lie TO
themselves; To be false with everybody
/ on this subject; to say mo" when they
\ mean '.yes;" to deny an engagement
/ when they are dying TO boast OF Il. Ii is
one Of the reiinements of Christian civili-
zation which we pray the waneu's Mis-
.ionary Society not to communicate to
poor ignorant heathens who know no bet
ter than to tell the truth about these
things. .....
But, before digressed into that line Of
remark. was saying that Miss Janet
Dunton would have resented the most re-
mote suggestion Of marriage. She oftcn
declared sentimentally. that she was we'd
ded to her books. and loved her leisure,
and WIS determined to be an old maid.
| And all tho time this sincere Christian
Girl wa, dyingto to confer herselfupon some
worthy man of congenial tastes; which
! meant, in her case, just what It did in
John Harlow's-some one who could ad-
mire her attainments. But, sensitive rs
she was 10 any imput,.ion Of any desire
10 marry. she and Mrs. Holmes understood
one another distinctly. There is free
masonry of women, and these two had
made signs. They had talked about In
this'wise
Mrs. Holmes.-My dear Janet, you'll
find my brother bear In manners, fear.
wish he would marry. hope YOU
won't break his heart for know you
wouldn't have him.
Miss Dunton. on know my views on
that subject, my dear. love books. and
shall marry nobody. Besides. your broth
sr's great legal and literary sttainments
would frighten such n poor little mouse rs
am.
And In saying those words they had
managed tn say that John Harlow was
an unsophicatai student, and that they
wouldrun him down between them.
Mrs. Holmes and her friend had arrived
twenty four hours ahead Of John. and the
daughter Of the house had already INSTALL
ed herself rs temporary mistress by
thoughtlessly upsctting. reversing and
turning inside out all the good Huldah,
most cherished arrangements. All the
plans for the annual festival that wise and
practical iIuldah had entertained were
vetoed. without thought that this young
girl had been for year and half in ac-
tual authority In the house. and might
have some feeling Of wrong Ia having n
/ Of xr...l ,v.rs..~., h.. ..l.,,, tha