The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1872-06-05
ing of butter and cheese

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"And oh, Jennie! Believe me, my
dear, there are no people on earth
who work harder than the fashion
able who have only their own amuse-
ment to provide for. A life of amuse-
mcnt is dogs life, Jennie, at the
best"
II should like to be convinced of it
by actual experience" said Jennie,
doubtingly
$50 | said and thought once. /
have been 50 convinced. And it is
all vanity and vcxation of spirit, my
dear"
''But howy" persisted Jennie.
How! in ten thousand ways. II
You live in the fashionable world, you
must do as the fashionable world
does. You must rise and dress, and
shop, and lunch, and dress again, and
appear at certain ball, parties, con-
ccrts, exactly as your friends do, or
be voted bizarre, and out of the world
altogether You, my poor Jennie,
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
from morning till night, and French
maid to tyrannizc over you all the
time, into the bargainy"
"Horrors!" calculated Jennie.
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
dctest! Oh, Jennie, should far
rather be at home with the butter
and cheese, If | We're you"
Jennie was silent Here was the
dark side of the picture which she
had never seen or dreamed of before
you love your husband, Jennie ?'
said her friend after time.
Jennie opened her eyes widely.
Love him. why, isn't he my hus-
band?" was the naive reply.
Mrs Won lIowth laughed.
"Somc women in society might
think that reason why you should
not love him." she said dryly. "And
he loves You also?"
II should die tomorrow if
thought he did mott"
Tut, childl People leave the
world when God wills it, not before.
| dare say you would survive his inf
deity Many women beforeyou have
lived through such things"
Don't talk of it, Margaret, | could
not bear it! Why, his love is all the
world to me, How could | bear to
lose it?"
"Thcn don't wish him to be u city
merchant, my dear | dare say there
are a great many good men in the
city-men who love their wives; but,
on the other hand, there are SO many
temptations, especially in society,
that | sometimes wonder, not that 50
many go astray, but that so many re-
main true to themselves and their
duty"
She spoke absently, and her eyes
had a far-away glance, as if they
dwclt on other things.
Jennie ventured question.
Margaret, is yours happy mar
riage? Do you love your husband? ?
And does be love you!"
Mrs. Won HOwth started impuls-
lively, and turned crimson.
Jennie, | would have loved him
| would have been u good wife to
him, but he never loved me. He
brought me to place me at the head
of his house, because he thought me
ladylike 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, Independent of each other. i
seldom see him at our house in town
| have my carriage, my diamonds, my
opcra-box In the season, | 90 to
Saratoga or Newport, while he favors
Long Branch with his presence We
are perfectly polite to each other; we
never quarrel; and suppose We're /
to die tomorrow, he'd be the most
inconsolable of widowcrs for week!
Jennie, you will not wish to change
places with me again. Your hus-
band might change as mine has done,
exposed to the same temptations
Thank Heaven that YOU have him a.
he is, good true man who loves
YOU; and never mind the butter and
cheese, Jennie, so long as your own
and his happiness is made up with
them"
She rose from her seat as she spoke,
and strollcd down the garden path
alone.
Jennie did not follow her. She sat
on the step, lost in thought The rid
die 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 and i'll at ease. She
wondered no longer now. To be the
wife of a man who has no love for
you! What Clover deep" can there
be g. proud and sensitive woman
than this.
Jennie turned with tears in her eyes
to meet her handsome husband, as he
came from the field
"Well, little woman" he cried, and
then she got the rough embrace, and
hearty kiss for which she was looking.
"Ycs, Margaret was right. The
butter and cheese were of very little
consequence, while love like this made
the task easy to endure And the ro-
sy-cheeked little woman bent fondly
down over her Hiram, as he flung
himself ON the porch-seat, and famed
him, talked to him, brought him cool
lemonade, and made him thoroughly
happy, while he enjoyed his rest. poor
Margaret, Happy Jennie! Never
again would she wish to be anything
more, only farmers wife.