The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-08-22

count friends stayed away. I remem-
bered the weary nights in that sick
room the weary days when, suffering
from the loss of sleep, I struggled to
keep my eyes open that might attend
to various little household duties. |
remembered the nice little dishes, the
neatly arranged rooms, the carefully
tended baby. Which of all this was
the raging round" which excited the
risible muscles of those young people?
| thought of Fanny, Of her good looks,
ture, and found myself wandering what
her nature was to be. But here we are.
There she was waiting to meet me,
dear child ; but there was some one with
her, a most insignificant looking indi-
yldual, with very prominent eyes and
large whiskers. Why did my heart
sink with melancholy fOrebOding.
How glad she was to see me again !!
She introduced her companion to me as
Mr. Jenkins; and whereas I was all anxiety
to be alone with her, Mr.. Jenkins, with a
great flourish of pOliteness, walked all the
way home with us. Before | could I'M
tie the strings of my bonnet he told me
| that Fanny had promised to marry him !!
was thunderstruCk, having in the an
| nOyance of his presence forgotten my
| fOrebOdings of half an hour before.
| had read with much attention, in va
rious highly lauded books, of the great
and Imperative duty of bringing up a
girl to be helpmeet for noble man.
| Was this my Fanny 'snObleman, this dap
per little mannikin? He seemed amiable,
but SO utterly insignificant. He had
unlnteresting parents, and weak, plain
sisters, all Of whom made q perpetual
amusement of the engagement. My
parlOr was given up to them-that is, to
him and his sisters. I seemed always
detr0p when l entered, Judging by the
sudden silence which followed the ami
mated task. My coming was an inter
ruptiOn. | began to sit up stairs; | al
ways walked alone.
Having avoided all society and all ac-
quaintanceship when my children were
young, that I might devote my whole
time to them, found myself now des-
Olate and friendless. Friends, like
plants, must be cultivated. l found nc
cOngeniality in either of the two fami-
lies with which my family were connect
ing themselves.
After two years they were married
and after year of boarding aspired tC
the dignity of keeping house. After
looking at many dwellings, one was Sc
lected, one which required great many
repairs, and now my services were il
very great request; I attended to al
the directions Mr.. Jenkins wished give1
to the wOrkmen; stayed in the cold
empty rooms all day, when there wa
nothing to sit on but an empty candle
box. I did the necessary QuarrelinE
with the plumbers, and bore the snub
bing of the upholsterers. | put the fur
niture in the places l thought best b,
degrees, and by degrees changed all t.
suit his tastes. washed all the china ant
glass; and sometimes fancied, when
got dirty doing all this, that was hap
py. had so long been accustomed ! t.
work for those | loved, that it was hart
to learn there might be any reprOac]
! connected with it. I must do Fam,
the justice to say that she was very kim
and grateful for all this trouble.
On the last day, after having som
j.. cold tea out of pitcher on the corner @
T a mantlepiece, | overheard Mr.. jenkins
: who had brought friend to admire hi
: new dwelling, say:
"Well, the carpets are down, the full
niture is all here, and | think now whe
+ we get our servants, and engage
7 baker and milkman, and are rid Of TIL
mother law, we shall be ready
| move in.n
Both my children married, l had m
) solitary little home to myself, and yer
= solitary it was. tried to get up som
8 spasmodic friendships with my neigh
bOrs, but being hollow, these forced il
!, timacies fell through. But / ought NJ
r to complain it is the way of the worl(
: I only wonder if, considering the Low
Y we women have for our children, yOun
s or old, the world is not apt to be a litt]
: hard upon the mother-in-law.