The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-08-28

laid on the table, and rest he'
diz ~ head on his great shoulder
smoothing his hard, coarse hands
ani carcssing his shaggy beard
lovingly; of'entimes, on such occa
sions, she would glance furtively
toward his countenance for a -
well-if the truth must be told
Il think it was the smile of q
loving heart that Mary Matthews
eager eyes strovo to discern,
You term this last act foolish,
perhaps; f'r you think that such
a sentiment should long ago have
been outgrown; you declare that
a woman of her burdens and re-
sponsibilitics should be above any
such exhibition Of weakn ess," by
the very dignity thcy confer upon
her. l cannot call such an action
foolish, or even weak, thought l
can and do wonder that such ten
derness rs Mary Matthews mani
tested towards her husband had
not, in the years of the latter's
Indifference, become calloused,
hardened, beyond the power of
loving smiles to soften. Still more
do l wonder thar, as she realized
the barrenness Of the soul Dpon
which she showered her caresses,
she could continue to expect, or
even family hope for, any sympa-
the'ic return from u quarter in
which there was such a dear,h Of
anything like.it. Ah, the love Of
woman in its greatness, its fidel-
ity, in the much which it can alb.
sorb, in the little upon which it
sometimes tlirives, 10 indeed won
derful! 1t is TO be cherished, to
be admired, to be rcvcrenced!
Don't ever call it foolish, or term
it weak.
John Matthews was not an I'm.
kind man. AT least he did not
intend to DC, ii he ever had any
intentions at all. lie loved (!) his
wife, his family, in his way, but
his heart was no more capable Of
ministering INTO their spiritual
needs than his hands Of providing
for their temporal wants -arpar-
emily they were of the same ma
tcrial, both failing in the functions
for which they were designed.
He was ambitipnless; to manage
TO live, somehow or otlicr," was
he extent Of his aims, so far as
the getting Of money was concern
ed. 1t is needless to say, there
fore, that a very small portion Of
this worlds gOo,s fell to his
share-ay! very little indeed
but he never seemed troubled or
anxious. And as one after an
other "li,tle responsibility" was
added to his family flock, he put
fourth no extra exertion, ard felt
no added care, apparently; he
lived up to his motto, and man
aged to exist. lie managed, did
say! ALI, it was his aoJ;fe that did
that. 1t was her slight franc bore
double weight, when the hall was
sufficient to crush any ordinary
woman! 1t was she who contriv-
ed, she who made everything 60
twice as far as it was originally
destined ; it was Mary Matthew VS.,
who planned and planned until
her brain grow giddy with the
whirl of thought, while John walk
cd leisurcly down the streets to
his work he made crochet need |
lcs-or set by the stove in the
evening, reading or sleeping, as
lie felt inclined. He was pa
tient man, he seldom complain
ed. But lie would haye been inst
flied if he had, and was it to his
credit that he die notg No, to
both
There was an unusual amount
Of work on hand this Saturday
night, and Mary Matthews glanc.
cd at the basket, and then at the
clock, and looked very doubtful
as to whether her task would be
accomplished in tho given time.
yet. the manner in which she
Immediately went to work indIcat
ed that she was resolved at least
to make the endeavor. And as
this little woman se,oed, there
sprang up after her, little patches
upon garment land, growing there
as though to DO never uprooted.
And where baby's little toes had
gone through his socks and out
into the wide, wide world, the
mother placed delicate wicker.
work to keep them in. Archie's
little feet had backed ont Of his
to boot, but Mary Mat
thews heeLed the gaping injury