The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-10-27
RULED BIZ KINDNESS.

RULED BIZ KINDNESS.
The fact Is that there Is come a crisis
IN the lives ol my nephew and his wife,
and | want 20 see how she is going 10
manage il. The crisis is a very simple
one: il comes az some time 20 most mar
ried lives, and much Of the misery OF that
state is due 60 the fact that wives do not
always know how 90 manage IL. The
crisis Is that one which results from the
change common and natural 70 NIL human
itr, when the passion ot the lover changes
into the pureF but quieter affection OF the
husband in possession. doubt II any
young unmarried readers and married
folks vet in their honeymoon will under
stand what | allude 20, but those who
have been welded a few years viii COM
prehend il IL Is usual tor every lover 10
swear that though there have been in
stances where the affection Of husbands
has become less dernonstTative after
year or two Of married life, BIS case will
prove an exception and il Is because his
Young wife, who loves him Just as in
tensely, does not comprehend that he Is
mistaken, and must Of necessity grow less
demonstntive, Just aS fire goes out If
more coal j. hot supplied, that they are so
often unhappy. | thi1k NV little lady Is
TOO sensible Go wreck her happiness ON
this rock. and | have looked forward 10
this crisis with eager interest.
She and PetSr have been married three
years now, and be is just beginning TO
grow cold. I don't mean that he Is les
fond Of Nellie, but he doesn't tell her so AS
often as he used 10. He u not as persist
entity devoted 70 her rs he was two years
AGO, and even a year ago. | don't mean
that he does not love her as intensely, but
that he don't tell her so as Often. He
used 20 kiss her frequently before me- he
has changed his idea on that subject, a.
knew he would, and now thinks that it is
unnecessary, not to say improper, 20 be
too demoastrative before folks. Of late,
be has even taken to dining out without
Nellie. and couple Of " eeks ago he Joined
a club
The idea OF an American gentleman,
with American habits, belonging to club !
It's preposterons. Their whole education
units them for enjoying club life; and
the institution would have no existence il
our society did not possess IAN insane de-
sire to initiate foreign society. With
hardly q taste, idea, or principle, social,
religious, or political, in common with the
English or French, we are always imita-
ting thein-weakly, Of course 7; and so ap-
pear 60 the foreigners who come in con-
tact with Us like Paryenus rather than
gentlemen. And the most pcrnieiOus OF
our limitations Is the social and political
club we shall have religious clubs event
ually.
Peter has joined a social club, and he
wrote n note from the Office to-day saying
he would be home 90 an early dinner this
afternoon, in order TO attend q club meet
ing this evening. There In 20 be some
sort Of n reception nf sort Of N person.
disreputable character, suppose, a.
ladies are not to be present.
Nellie did not get the note until about
three O'Clock. She handed it TO me with
out q word Of comment, aud rang the
servants bell at the same time.
Peters an asp / exclaimed, on
reading il, and finding she said nothing.
"0h, Uncle John!" she cried, amt
you ashamed TO talk so OF your own
blood relations What am / to think OF
your
"You might think the same Of me-
and think Just right, too-if | neglected
you In this way answered, little tim
idly, for | wanted 10 draw her out with
out making her think | was In earnest.
She did not answer for some seconds, ap-
pearing to be in meditation | think she
was waiting, however, for the appearance
of the servant. who came in answer to
the bell before Nellie spoke again.
"Dinncr at five TO day, Jane" she said,
and the incest you can get up When
the girl had disappeared she added, 81
don't think YOU do Peter justice. He
does not neglect me, am sure.
"He's not as fond Of you--n
"Now, think be Is, Uncle John; and
] must say 1 don't ike you to you tell
me he amt. He's kardly-well, not
quite 70 noisy as be used to be; but
then you used 10 preach TO us when we
were ia our honeymoon that VIC would
get over our foolish billing and cooing."
We'll, you have"
sand now you blame NV for being eco
nomical 0f our demonstrations. / don't
believe he loves me any less and 1 am
sure I love him more to-day than knew
how to then. He doesn't neglect me be-
cause he goes out sometimes without me
and / don't complain Of it, and you must
not say anything to him about his going
out. Do you hear"
s sYes, ma'am, / do; and I'll promise TO
faithfully obey" And very glad / was to
promise, for felt sure she was going 20
play the wise wife.
We did not discuss Peter any more, and
into silence, which the arrival Of
his note had broken. But we had not
long to chew the cud Of our fancies /
don't know whether they were bitter or
sweet TO Nellie, but mine were pleasant
enough. The door bell rang about half
past four, and, instead ofPeter, in came Mrs. |
Perkins, Peters partners wife, very ele-
CANT but rather high-strung woman. She !
was evidently In one Of her i'll humors,
with which we were only too familiar, and |
| at once anticipated scene.
@Good evening, my dear" she said, |
when the servant had shown her into the |
sitting-room, where we sat before the /
comfortable fire. "Good evening, Uncle /
John" She always calls me Uncle John,
though there was no relationship between |
us. Her father and | had been business
partners for years. At his death he left |
bis share of the business to Perkins, and /
retired in favor of my nephew Peter. 81
have come in to condole with YOU" she
added, to Nellie.
"Indeed And what for ~
81 suppose you are left d widow for the
evening. My husband has gone to his
,onfounded club, and he writes me that
MIR. MLean is going with him. He adds
that he viii not be back until eleven, and |
that he win dine at the club.n
"Peter is coming home to dinner" an
,wered Nellie. !" / expect him every mo-
ment. ] am just warming his dressing
gown and slippers for him; and now you
ire come, I'll have nice, cozy dinner set
here instead Of the dining-room, and we'll |
III have q nice time Of itn
And the lively little woman r5ng the
bell. and gave orders to serve dinner 10
the sitting-Foom.