Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-05-31
The Even Temper.


wharf, when at the last moment, after
the cables we're loosened, and the wheels
we're beating the water, and the ship
was on the very point of sliding away,
saw gentleman, whom for some time
had remarked as anxiously awaiting
something which did not arrive, hand
his wife and children over the side, and
descend the plank from the ship to the
wharf. The moment they were off the
plank it was raised, and the next mo.
ment the ship glided into the stream, a
gun doomed over the water, and she was
on her way over the ocean.
The gentleman and his family watch
ed the ship disappear inwhich for many
weeks their passages had been taken, and
which they had left SO reluctantly at
the last moment /, in turn, watched
them, not intrusively nor impertinently,
hope, but because | saw in the gentle
mans face no sign of anger, nor, indeed,
of very serious disappointment. While
I was admiring his self-command-for ]
have seen people surly because dinner
was delayed-a truckman with a heavy
load of baggage drove rapidly along the
wharf. He saw the situation in a mo-
ment, and was confounded and frighten-
ed. The gentleman pointed to the re-
ceding ship, and said quietly, to the
truckman, You have prevented our go
ing" There was no anger, no harsh or
scolding tone. The gentleman evidently
did not choose to lose his temper as we'll
as his passage, and his mildness and gen.
erosity brought tears to the delinquents
eyes. The truth was, not that he had
idly fingered, but that, thinking he had
time enough, he had turned aside to send
a physician to his wife, and had then
been impeded upon his way to the ship.
1t was, after all, little thing-the
gentleman and his family had only miss
ed their passage. 1t was merely an i'm
mense inconvenience, arrangement of
plans carefully laid, with the general
absurdity of all baked endeavors of the
kind but it was, Cor all that, sudden
and sharp test of temper. That ofsome
of US would have snapped and l pity
that truckman if he should ever bring
the baggage of most of US too late to
the ship. / saw the new Maltese minister
promenading in the sun yesterday, ar
rayed in new and wonderful trowsers -
and just as he was lifting his hat and sa-
luting in choice French, the beautiful
Maria Grunter, heiress of the whole
Boar property, butchers wagon dash
ed along, and the horse threw mud upon
those trowsers. But if his Excellency's s
soul had been soiled by the circumstance
he could not have been more furious
And as his airy salute to Miss Grunter
instantly changed into an angry shak-
ing af his fist at the rude butcher boy,
who cried, derisively, "Hi! HIP 1
could not help regretting that gentle
man should wear wonderful trowsers
who can not endure these misfortunes
with equanimity- | have since learned
that Miss Grunter has stated to friend
that his Excellency had made serious
impression upon her heart, but that it
had been quite efaced by the lamenta-
BILE spectacle of his fury upon this occa-
sion.
1t is, indeed, very possible that a man
who wo1ld fall into passion if his trow-
sers were spattered with dirty water
might be very calm and courageous in
the presence of sudden and great dan
ger. But life is made up of small occa-
sions. We wish to be ready for the
singing of mosquitoes and the tickling
of flies as well as for earthquakes and
strokes of lightning. 1t would be no
satisfaction to me, if l were a married
man, and my wife were always vexed
and worse about sauces, and milk-pans.
and spots on the window, and a hue
Of gloves that Jared with the shade of
a cravat, to know that if squadron of
the enemy's cavalry should surround the
house and summon a surrender, she
would be equal to the occasion. The oc-
casion will not arise. There is no ene-
my; and if there were, defy his squad
rons of cavalry. Would it be any sat
isfaction to me when, on the most perfect
of May mornings, my wife, in the fresh
est and fairest muslin, sat pouting and
beating her foot upon the floor, to know
that if were just dying in my bed, she
would be very marvel of composure
and resignation? l should not die every
morning, but L should eat my breakfast,
and l should wish my wife's manners to
be as admirable at the break fast table as
at the death-bed. And | hope she would
wish mine to be the same. What salts
faction should it be to her to know that
L had made prodigious speech and saw
ed my country the evening before, if |
sat absorbed in my newspaper at break
fast hushino the uavatv of H. I:l