Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-10-28

"What yours is, I suppose. What any
lady's is in your position"
"But what is that life do you know7"
"How should II"
at is a weary one, Jenny, with more
genuine hard work in it than all your
making of butter and cheese"
"oh, Margaretr'
"And Oh, Jenny! Believe me, my dear,
there are no people on earth who work
harder than the fashionables who only
have their own amusement TO provide for.
A long life of mere amusement is dogs
life, Jenny, at the best.'
81. should like to be convinced of it by
actual experience" said Jenny, doubling
ly.
$50 l said and thought once. 1 have
been so convinced. And it is all vanity
and vexation of spirit, my dear"
"But how?" persisted Jennie.
"How2 In ten thousand ways. If you
live in the fashionable world, you must dc
as the fashionable world does. You mus
rise, and dress, and shop, and lunch, and
dress again and drive, and dress again and
appear at certain balls, parties, concerts,
exactly as your friends do, or be voted
bizarre, and out of the world altogether.
You, my poor jenny, who are by no means
fond of dress, what would you do at a fash
ionable watering place in the hottest days
of August, with five changes of toilet be-
tween morning and night, and French
lady's maid 10 tyrannize over you all the
time into the bargain ?"
Horrors y calculated Jenny.
"Balls that you must go to in spite OF
fatigue; parties that you must grace in
spite of the heat ; calls that you must max c
on people whom you detest Oh, Jenny
l should far rather be at home with the
butter and cheese if were you"
Jenny was silent. Here was the side OF
the bright picture which she had never
seen or dreamed of before
"You love your husband, jenny" said
her friend, after time.
Jenny opened her eyes wide.
Love him Why, isn't he my hus-
band? was her reply.
Mrs. Van Howth laughed.
"Somo women in society might think
that reason why you shouldn't love him, q
she said drily. "And he loves you, also p
81 should die tomorrow if 1 thought he
did not"
"Tut, child. People leave this world
when God wills it, not before. dare say
you would survive his infdelity Many
women before you have lived through such
things.'
"Don't talk Of it, Margaret. could not
bear it. Why, he is all the world to me-
How could bear to lose it?''
"Then don't wish him TO be a city mer-
chant, my dear. l dare say there are ma
ny good men in the city-men who love
their wives; ; bat, on the other hand, there
are so many temptations, especially in So
ciety, that sometimes wonder, not that SC
many go astray, but that so many remain
true to themselves and their duty"
She spoke absently, and her eyes had 9
far away glance, as if they dwelt on Other
things.
Jenny ventured question.
"Margdret, is yours a happy marriage
Do you love your husband? And does he
love you ?'
Mrs. Van Howth started, and turned
crimson.
"Jenny, l would have loved him
would have been a good wife to him but
he never loved me. He brought me tc
place at the head of the house, because he
thought me lady-like and interesting; thai
was all. He told so once, though not quite
so plainly as this. And since then we have
each taken our own way, independent o
the other. l seldom see him at our house
in town. 1 have my carriage, my dia-
monds, my opera box. In the season &C
to Saratoga, or Newport, while he favors
Long Branch with his presence. We arc
perfectly polite to each other; we neve,
quarrel and, suppose, if I were to die
tomorrow, he'd be an inconsolable widow
er-for week. Jenny, you will moi
wish 10 change places with mo again
Your husband might change as mine has
done, exposed TO the same temptation
Thank heaven you have him as he is, a
good, tue man who loves you and never
mind the butter and cheese, Jennie, SO
long as your happiness and his is mado up
with ihem.'
She arose from her seat and strolled up
the garden path.
Jenny did not follow her. She sat ON
the step lost in thought. The riddle of her
friends life was at last made clear to her.
She had often wondered why Margaret, in
the midst of all her wealth and luxury,
should seem so sad. She wondered no
longer now.
To be the wife OF man who had no love
for you! What clover deep can there be
han this for proud and sensitive woman ?
Jennie turned with tears in her eyes to
meet her stalwart husband as ho came
from the field.
"Well, little woman he cried, and then
she got the hearty kiss for which she was
looking.
Yes, Margaret was right. Tho butter
and cheese were Of little consequence,
while love like this made her task easy to
endure.
And the rosy checked little woman bent
tondly down over her "Hiram," as he
flung himself down on the porch seat, and
famed him, talked to him., brought him
lemonade, and made him thoroughly hap
py and at rest.
Poor Margaret! Happy Jenny! Never
again wo uld she wish to be more, only a
farmers wife.
---------
SERHRSSTUg.D E5rnS