Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1872-07-20
MARRYING FOR A HOME.
BY SARAH A PHILIP. ~

.sraf as -
"Jeannette, is the report that you
are to marry Mr.. Glen truer
"Well, Mrs. Mason, have not given
him decided answer; but | have
promised to give him one on Sunday,
and | think shall marry him."
" Why, Jeanette, / am astonishedi I
You are but eighteen, and he is fifty
not a suitable match for y0a, Ny DEAR
Well, l am aware of that" was the
answer; g but it is the best / can do.r
"Do you lore him n
No, i do not; but am tired of
working for living, and doing other
peoples drudgery. have had no ep
portunity to marry for love, and l
have come to the conclusion that |
had better accept Mr.. Glen's offer, and
marry for home.r
All, Jeanette, you viii repent, L
fear. was an orphan, aud had to
work out, and although had several
offers before I was nineteen, would
not accept any of them. l did not love
those that offered themselves, and |
detested the idea OF marrying for a
home. OffdoEs frieuds would take
me to task for refusing good offers.
but always looked upon their advice
as an insult, and resented it as such.
When was nineteen years of age, |
became acquainted with one whom |
did love sincerely. Come to the sum-
mer-house with me; l feel in the mood
for story telling to-day. / will tell you
of ore who married an old man tor IA
hone,
"Thirty years ago, this was net the
pleasant place it is now, bat a dense
wilderness. 1 was not Mrs. Judge
Mason then, with my horses and car
riage, splendid dwelling and costly
silks. Twas simply poor Mrs. Mason,
who was willing to share the hardships
OF pioneers life to gaia 9 home and
money to educate my children when
they were grown up. TkenI consider
ed calico dress was good enough to
wear in any place. / could make a
garden, burn brush, help log, or dc
any kind of cut-aoaF work to improve
our homestead.
But did not come to talk OF my
self. NY nearest ueighbors were a
couple named Morgan. She was forty
five years of age and her husband
seventy six. She was one OF the kind
lest women / ever knew. Il any one
was sick, Mrs. Morgan was sure to bt
sent for, and have known her to g
when she was i'll herself. Every one
far and near with a few exceptions
laoved her Eer husband was periec
tyrant he was Childish and quarrel
some, and no one could please him.
"But / will commence her life-histo
| ~ at her first marriage. She was bu
fifteen wheu she married Fred Stan
ton, a young man whom she love'
with an affection that mounted t
idolatry. For six years they were a
happy as mortals can be, whep AI
stanton was smittep with fever al
died in short time. leaving her witt
two children, one aged four years am
the other six months. Twill pass owe
her grief; you can imagine. but vol
| can never known what she suffered.
@Mrs. Stanton's nearest relative wa
| an uncle. He advised her to give he
eldest child away, which she did al
though it nearly broke heart to do sc
She went to her uucle's intending t
stay there uutil she could find plac
! to work where she could take her child
A few months after her husband died
Mr.. Morgan began to visit at her ur
cle's and one day, as she sat on the SIT
ting room floor, playing with her boy
her uncle came aud told her that Nj
Morgan wished to marry her, and SD
must accept him. She was shocked 9
the idea!
ss' Oh, HRcle, I cannot marry hin
whst would poor Fred say, If hecoul
know that would marry againf
want to live aud die his widow. ! WI
not be a burden to you, but will tak
my child and go out to work ougl
to have gone before :
g. This is all nonsense said her ul
Gle, sternly /; you will have home
your own, and you must marry him.
AShe held out against becoming th