The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-10-27
Miscellaneous.
From Woods Household Magazine.
BEGINNING RIGHT:
A Story for Young Wives.
ny ELSA MASsFIELD.

'bu ioph lipI'ti tlltii NldIN. lou
you think you had better lie down II
| little while?'
i will if you will carry my baby into
the bedroom for me- replied the pale
faced, sad-looking little woman.
you don't feel very strong, yet, do
you Mary?' tenderly asked Aunt Han
nah, as she laid the infant in her niece's
arms and carefully spread blanket
over them. You mustn't go to gittin'
low.spirited. Wen have you nu'sed
up so that you won't look like the same
woman in few days.
Il hope so.' Mrs. Fiske replied, in q
trembling voice. Do you expect mo-
ther and Jane back soon?' she asked,
and she drew the blanket over her head,
under pretence of screening her babe
from the chill of the morn. But Aunt
| Hannah saw that there were tears on
her cheeks; and she knew that it was
to hide them that the blanket was
drawn up. She answered.:
They'll be here in an hour or two:
and you must try to get good nap fore
you see 'em.'
Aunt Hannah heard a faint sob rs she
stepped out of tho room. She said to
| hersclf:-
| 'There its ag'in! Another couple
has started on the wrong track, and
everything II go wrong till they git on
the right one. Fred Fiske is tyrant, /
know; and l alters thought he would
be; and she, poor, little, meek. faced
thing, dar'sn't say her souls her own.
She didn't begin right. I've told her
mother good many times that / be.
lieved somethin' was goin' wrong with
Mary. She alters answers: 'The wear
and tear of her three babies does seem
to be most too much for herv Strange,
Tilda can't see that its taken somethin'
besides the babies to bring that dismal
expression over Mary's face. I've seen
a good many young wives go down just
as she is goin', in my time. They'd
look sad and mopc a few years, then
they'd begin to cough, and they'd go
right straight down. Things are terri
bly, out of j'int, somehow. or 'twouldn't
bo 50. | don't believe there's single
lspeck more need ont than there is o'
dumb critters goin' so. They seem
lwondcrful happy when their young are
round them and ii seems to me thai
human critters ought to be. | cam
stand it to see Mary look so wilted ant
crushed. Somethin' must be done.
must talk to her mother once more
about it,
| 1t is favorable opportunity, while
Aunt Hannah is watching for her bro
ther's wifes return TO give the reader ;
short history of the good old lady, ant
of others who have been introduced il
this story.
Hannah White is n rare woman. Sht
is a single lady, sixty years of age ant
; she resides with her brother, RicharC
White, the father of Mrs. Fiske. DE
privcd by death of her father when sh
was only twelve years old (the eldest o
six childron) and left with a very feebl
mother, nearly the whole care of tn
| upiii Nv tiiub
age. Her opportunities for getting al
3 education were very limited. In fact
. she never went TO school one day alte
her fathers death. But her cheerful
disposition, good common sense, ant
eminently good judgment, made her
welcome visitor to all Of her acquaint
J ance, in spite of her homely way Of cX
9 pressing herself.
Mr.. White and his wife were bot
y well.pleased when Frederick Eislie ask
9 ed permission to WOO their Mary. Aun
: Hannah was not but she did not thin
: best to express her thoughts about him
as she really could bring no distinC
: charge against him. Still, she had Yer
!: positive opinions in regard to him.
s Frederick Fiske respected himsel
exceedingly. lie meant to be respecte
by every one else. Why shouldn't h
be? He was industrious and ente
prising; and no one could accuse him
It any moral delinquency. And was i
y not always calm and self. possessed?-s
Ct discreet and so reticent that it did M
seem that an earthquake could shake o
unguarded word from his lips? He WI
principal of the High School in the VI
lage in which he resided and he WI
n spoken of as good teacher and a vel
If, promising young man. Aunt lIannf
ID never spoke against him Except to he
he, he self when people were compliments
him and congratulating her brother al
his wife on the good fortune of the
daughter; but she would say to hersel
'pve seen young men like him
fore. They make hard husbands to s
along with. They alters want the
wives to feel the crushin' weight
their dignity. Fiske, probably, never
say a rough, hard word to any woma
but he'll so manage, his wlfe'll feel
! much in bondage in short time as a