The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-03-23
making of butter and cheese can

|
work harder than the fasbionables who
only have their own amusement to
provide for A long life of mere
amusement is q dogs life, Jenny, at
the best"
IL should like to be convinced of it
by actual experience said Jenny,
doubtingly
$50 / said and thought once.
have been 80 convinced. And it is all
vanity and vexation Of spirit my dear"
"But how?' persisted Jenny.
How? In ten thousand ways. l!
you live as the fashionable world does.
You must rise and dress. and shop,
and drive, and dress again and appear
at certain balls, parties, concerts, ex-
actly 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 fashionable watering place in
the hottest days Of August, with five
changes Of toilet between morning and
night, and a French lady's maid to
tyranze over you all the time into the
bargain p
Horrors" 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 make on people whom you de-
test Oh, Jenny,I should far rather
be at home with the butter and cheese,
if l we're you"
Jenny was silent. Here was. the
dark side of the bright picture which
she had never seen or dreamed Of be-
Core.
"You love your husband, Jenny y
said her friend after time.
Jenny opened her eyes widely.
Love him! Why, isn't he my hus-
band" was her naive reply.
Mrs. Van Howth laughed.
"Some womcn of society, might
think that q reason why you should
not love him. she said drily. "And
he loves you also ?"
81 should die to morrow, if l thought
he.,did not"
"Tut, child. People leave this world
when God wills il, not before. dare
say you would survive his infidelity.
Many women before you have lived
Through such things"
Don't talk oft Margaret! l could
not bear it! Why, his love is all the
world to me! How could l bear to
lose it?"
"Then don't wish him to be a city
merchant, my dear. da:o say there
al great many good men in the ci.
ty-men who love their wives but, or
the other hand, there ere so many
temptations; especially in society,
that | sometimes wonder, not that so
many go astray, but that so many re-
main true to themselves and their du-
ty."
She spoke absently. and her eyes
had a far-away glance, as if they dwelt
on other things.
Jenny ventured question.
"Margaret, is yours a happy mar
riagc? Doyou love your husband ?
And does he love you';'
Mrs. Van Howth started, and turned
crimson.
Jenny, would lave loved him-I
would have been good wife to him,
but he never loved me. He brought
me 10 place me ct the head of his
house, because he thought NE lady
like and interesting; that was all. He
told me so once; though not quite so
plainly as this. And since then, we
have each taken our own way, indie
pendent of the other, l seldom see him
at our house in town. l have my car.
riage, my diamonds, my opera box
In the season, 60 to Saratoga, or
Newport, while he favors Long Branch
with his presence. We are perfectly
polite to each other; we never quarrel;
and l suppose, if were to die to-mor-
row, he'd be the most inconsolable of
widowers-for week. Jenny, you
will not wish to change places with me
again. Your husband, might change
as mine has done, exposed to the
same temptations. Thank Heaven
thatyeu have him as he is, a good,
true man who loves. you; and never
mind the butter and cheese, Jenny, so
long as your own happiness and his is
made up with them"
She arose from her seat as she
spoke, and strolled down the garden
path alone.
Jenny did not follow her. She sat