Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-06-08
Prom the Hearth and Home.
, Household Saints.
BY GRACE GREEswoop.

Saint James.-The chronicle of this
blessed saint must be said-but it shall be
brief:
James Harris was a native of that part
of the great State of Illinois known as
gradually, through much tribulation,' and
long years of severe domestic discipline.
To the wife of his bosom was entrusted the
charge of perfecting James in the Christian
graces of patience, self-restraint, and ab-
negation. Avenger of her sex, hers was a
spirit born to subjugate and command.
With more beauty, she had been the new
Cleopatra of the new Egypt. She had
already been twice widowed. Her first
husband, it was said, had gone off with the
chills, and her second with the Mormons.
james was her third. On him her system
and experience soon told. He had been
high-tempered he grew meek. He had
been fond of speaking his mind and blaz-
ing away ; he seemed to have no longer
a mind TO speak his hot and mounting
spirit was quenched He wisely gave
over kicking against the pricks of a
more urgent and masterful will than his
own; he yielded under stronger hand /;
he gave way before a keener tongue.
When hard and stinging words were hailed
upon him, he took refuge in silence.
Thus it came that the good man took
for his motto the words of James of old
time If any man among you seem to be
religious, and bridleth not his tongue, this
mans religion is vain.
But to his wiie's he applied another
text, from the same sacred writer: The
tongue can no man tame
And when things even harder than
words came-as come they did, l grieve to
-Cleopatra-like bullets, and Elizabeth
an boxes, he bore these also, like Chris
tian and philosopher.
When demonstrated with for an excess
of Socratean virtue, he was wont to reply
Why, you see. it don't hurt me, and it
does Hannah power of good. Besides,
what's the use Of showing fight, when you
know you'll have to knock under at last ?
When a sympathizing friend advised
him to seek legal protection and deliver
ance-in other words, to apply for di-
vorce, on the ground of cruel treatment, he
mournfully shook his head, saying l
can't say as think it would be right,
neighbor. L really meant what l said
when l took my wife for better, for
worse; and l can't 60 back on my word,
if it should prove all for worse;' but it
won't you see. Hannah's frst-rate cook.
Her corn-dodgers can't be beat
| Magnanimous Saint James
Yet he dwelt nigh on to the borders OF
Indiana At times, when the flesh was
weak, will not say that he cast no mist-
full looks toward that goodly land of di.
vorce; but he never crossed the fatal State
| line.
Strange to say, as the spirit of her hus-
band became subduedl and nodded to hel
will, Mrs. Hannah Harris fell into low
and melancholy state. Life seemed to
have lost its spice and flavor She gradu.
ally declined into consumption, of the sort
called lingering. st. james, becoming
alarmed. made journey all the way tc
Chicago for the best medical advice. To
make sure of something, he decided tc
I try all sorts of Doctors He consulted
Allopaths, Hom@opaths, Eclectics, Elec-
tries, and Mediums. No two agreed in
their diagnoses but each one predicted q
fatal termination in case his system was
not strictly adhered to. The Spiritua
Medium saw, in a trance. poor Hannah re
leased, and her husband remarked. St
James had thought he was prepared fol
the worst.