The weekly Shasta courier., 1872-12-21
FRANK MERRITT'S MISTAKE,
By MRS. CARLOS WHITE.

By MRS. CARLOS WHITE.
Susie, dear, if you have no obiec-
Glons should like to invite Kate Emer-
son to spend few weeks with us this
summer. You know her brother is an
Oh friend of mine, and as he and his
wi1e are going to travel, he thinks moth
ing would suit her better than to stay
with us till their return She is real
hvely company and it will make it pleas
ant Tor us both to have her here awhile.
what say you?" and Mr. Merritt looked
up from the agreeable occupation of eat
ing most excellent breakfast to hear
his wife's reply.
shall be very glad to see her, Frank,
II You wish to have her come" said his
wife, shade of disappointment passing
over her sweet face, Notwithstanding her
cheerful reply. ''I have no doubt that
she IS a very agreeable person, and I
VIII do all can to make her visit pleas
ant"
But don't you think yourself that
twould be less lonely to have her here for
for few weeks )" urged the husband.
" am never lonely with you, Frank,
was the quiet reply.
vi course not, pet nor I with you
only It's pleasant to have some variety
occasionally. Kate is very kind hearted.
and will take right hold and help you,
SO you needn't feel a bit afraid of her.
nor think you've got to work yourself to
death to have things just so nice all the
time she is here. By the way, she's very
fond OF books and music, and will keep
the piano going half the time I've no
doubt. We shall both enjoy that, you
know"
" Yes, certainly" said Mrs. Merritt.
who was thinking rather sadly of her
own musical deficiencies. She had tried
to learn to play because Frank was so
.llJ Is S.Ie sIJIid, Ddt she naI TOD d
1t 1tlta m ,esrb'e 10 N k much pro-
gress with all her household cares. For
Susie, quite unlike most heroines in sto-
ries, actually did her own work. dish
washing not excepted She was a sweet.
loving little creature, pretty and win
ming, and when Frank Merritt saw her
in her country home, he was completely
charmed with her fair face, blue ewes
and golden curls, and more than all with
her perfect amiability. She was always
happy, and her presence was like sun
shine, bringing light and joy to all.
Frank saw and loved her, and though he
was highly educated and decidedly liter
ary in his tastes, and she cared nothing
for booss, he asked her hand in marriage
and was very happy when smiling. blush
ing Susie told him YES True he
wished that she had not always lived on
farm, and that she had received mu-
sical education; for her voice. though
not powerful, was singularly sweet and
clear; yet, as he was not wealthy, it was
well that she had received domestic
education; and as for the music, why he
would buy her a piano and she would
soon learn to sing and play as well as
anybody. So Frank was quite satisfied
and happy as he brought his little wife
to their cosy home after brief wedding
tour; and Susie ?-well, she wondered if
there was anybody else in the whole
world quite SO happy as she. She loved
her husband almost to idolatry, her only
wonder being that he could possibly care
for her. But then," she would say to
her mother, "if l am not half so wise
as he, will learn to sing and play if L
can, and | will keep every thing in the
house so very nice and clean, and make
home so pleasant for him when he comes
at night, that he will always love me Just
as he does now. Dear, kind Frank /!
He is so afraid I shall work too hard
and wants ME to have help; but then it s
so cosy to live all alone, with no impu-
dent servant around to pry into every-
thing, that I'm happier as it is; besides.
l don t want to sit down and fold nv
hands in idleness when he works all the
time"
Susie did not make good resolutions
to keep them only few days and then
forget them, but tried every day to do
her very best in all the duties that de-
volved upon her in her new course of
life. Frank always felt happy as he
neared his home, for he knew the sunni
est of faces was there to greet him. and
the best OF dinners ready to refresh him
after his days toll Susie was a model
house-keeper, but was not equally sue
cessfulln other things. She soon learned
to play simple Accomplishments on her
piano, and a few easy Instrumental piec-
es; but when + ank brought home some
thing more difficult, and said, Susie.
dear, do try to learn this for me. heard
1t played to-day and it is very beautiful. -
she would spend all her spare time for
days trying to learn to play it with cor
rectness and ease, and at last the poor
child, after having exhausted her own
patience and her teachers too, would
bury her face in her hands and have a
good cry to think she was a. so stupid.
and couldn't learn anything Frank want
ed her to-" When, however, Prof. WALL
ner told Frank one day that it was too
bad to try to make superior musician,
of his wife, when she had not had earlv
training, and could spare so little time
for practice, and when, more than all
he often found her in tears because she
was so unhappy at her many failures.
Frank was greatly shocked at his own
short-sightedness, and troubled Susie in
the future with nothing that could cause