Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-12-23


have learned it when they are old.
lie tore his hair aud neglected his won
till the angel was in his arms. Then
after brief reyel, he stared TO discove
that angels take a deal OF pluming, ar
capriciouS in their desires, aud fret to fl
higher than single poor newspape
mans quill will carry them. II Tom ha,
married his grandmother. or the suon.
minded woman oi the present day, will
her strait skirts aud umbrella, or il h,
had met the queen of women. that joy
Gus, true, passionate, strong, mobiI,
creature, who takes hold OF the worl,
and blesses her whole passage through it
how different might Toms record hay,
been But he married Ada. Ada ha(
bright hair, but it Shoue like the sun
above frequent storms. ShU WAS small
but her wants were large. She WASH
an intellectual woman; no blue was Ada
but she made Tom blue You want youl
vile to adapt herself 10 your needs-lC
bv your child, friend, sister and mother
What would you do with woman Tor.
ever pulli.g your leading hand with
about as much Insight of YOU and ycui
love as "a IMP. dog in ribbon.2 Way the
manufacture OF women without soul,
goes ON. know not, unless it is because
there is demand tor them anon. the un.
supplied
I Ada's spirit lay bleeding ever. Because
her dress want flounccd like Mrs.
Browns; because Toms paper sent him
North. when he could see If he were not
utterly selfish, that she needed 4 trip
South; because he scribbled until late at
night, and because he didn't scribblc
enough; because he didn't make for
tune, and because he didn't lavish more
ON het; because she couldn't 20 TO
Washington, and because she did 20 to
Washington, but couldn't keep up with
the Cabinet ladies. But in all her wall.
ing, II never occurred to her to wall that
she WAS no litling wife for the proud and
sensitive young man. who had msde such
a good hight Tor tue position he could give
her Neither did she liit up her voice
aud weep because her disposition de.
velopcd hs bile and made him desperate.
M'slortuucs g.oOmed around Tom. His
paper changed hands, aud instead OF
being bcckoucd higher he was put into
a more subordinate place "Joye :"
muttered Tom. This 10 tue enl OF lie
chap,er2"
You don't seem to care what becomes
OF your wife = whimperod Ada.
Then he tel sick. and some clever
fellow stepped into even this lower place.
Tom was put to one make shit and an.
other. Had a good berth halt promised
20 him here, and brilliant prospects
opened 10 him there. Just my luck -
he fell into the habit oil saying. lie did
the meane,. literary work. except tosdy-
ing. This Ne never was driven to even
hy Ada's viNenish fits. And they
draggled from one cheap boarding place
To another.
Tom walked the streets toward sunset.
sauut aud weak, yet watching 10 "mcet
something" Tom was imaginative; had
often enjoyed other peoples blessings 10y
his very sympathy with them. But sick
ness and Ada's long aiirilion had blunled
this beautiful faculty s. he didn't steal
much happines, rs he went past, out OF
rich mems houses. In fact he saw fine
faces which hurt him. IL wonder"
thought Tom, III some woman couldn't
have endured what she has with me,
without making such row about it ?"
He paused on bridge. The draw
WAS open. While waiting for it TO be
closed. he watched the slow, fascinating
current under him. He began recalling
all the suicides he had reported, and dc.
cided that OF all the independent routes
TO the next world, passage by water was
the best. Soon under. and soon hid,"
muttered Tom Friends haven't the
trouble and expense of a funeral. II you
are fshed out, they can't recognize you"
The draw was closed. People passed
over, but Tom fingered. watching the
evening star skate across the water.
IL suppose, if | scramble hard, | can
get through life in make shift fashion;
but what's the use Of making the effort?
it might as well end row rs ten or twenty
yoars hence. I'm a failure and TOOL.
No use being sentimental and saying I've
had drawbacks. Most men have, but
they come out, while 90 under. Could
not have been put right in the first place.
Here's your choice: swing through the
air, natural gasp or two, then may be
better chance at your next beginning,
is the Lords fair; or long crawl ahead.
broken. backed snake fashion, and likely
AS not missing Heaven at last. Adall be
comforled. Shelf gOhome TO her fathers
and carry black bordered handkerchiefs
tor wear, and then she'll do the charm-
inc widow to some fellow, as she did the
charming girl TO me. and he'll begin to
paw her bills and get ready for eternity"
Here dashed suddenly through his
memory a sarcastic paragraph he had
once written concerning young man
bent on self destruction. who rushed
to the brink of a bluff, cast one long. last
look below. and then--returned home.