Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-11-08
be allowed to trample on
Il mean that 1 begin to believe ia wo-

be allowed to trample on
Il mean that begin to believe i.i wo-
mans suffrage
ooh, that's what you mean? Well.
we'll talk about that tomorrow, and the
rest of the fa nilv can join us. But to-
night, while we are alone, we want to
try and see if we cannot find
some way tor you out of your troubles.
If You could go to the ballot-bOX, to-
morrow, !. Mary, and put in fifty votes, l
can't see as it would help you out of
your present troubles any more than it
would lift you out of a vel! if you had
tumbled into one.'
sWhat will help me, Aunt Hannah
What can do?'
Go to your husband with your trOub-
les. That will be hundred times bet
ter than to brood over 'em in secret, and
IL thousand times better than to tell 'em
to any one else Tell him that yoa're
unhappy-that you're not satisfied with
your present way of liyin'; that you
don't think that God designed that hus
band and wife should live together as
you and he are liYin.' Say everything
right ont, kindly and respectfully, but
as plainly and frankly as Polly Parson
would. Don't keep any of yonr griev-
ances back. 4 full understanding is al
lers better than half way One.'
Mrs. Fiske's heart misgive her as she
thought of the many things she would
have to tell him, and OF the way that he
would probably receive it. She said:
sIt is easy enough to think beforehand
how one will manage when married,
Aunt Hannah. Did Polly PilrsOn ever
marry?'
sShe did, and doubt if better wife
or mother ever lived. Her husband was
one of those very school-boys who boast
ed about maxim their wives obey. He
came to the conclusion that it was
not unsafe to marry a woman that be-
lieved that God was her Author and Dis
poser, and who felt that her first ac-
countability snould be to Him. You
have made mistakes, Mary, that Polly
never would have made. She alters
kept herself well-informed SO that she
could talk to her husband as understand
in'ly as his male friends could. She
never would have given up all her read
in' and spent her time and strength in
ruff'in and f1ouncin' andembroiderin'
little children's clothes as yOu have.
And She
Here Aunt Hannah was cut short Dy
the retnrn of the family from the lee
ture. When Fiske came for his wife,
Aunt Hannah privately enjeined upon
her to have good long talk with him
during their ride home. But Mrs. Fiske
did not talk with him that day or the
| next. She dreaded it-she could not get
nm the courage. But she thought con-
tinually of the story Aunt Hannah told
her. and of the mistaken way in which
| she commenced her own married life.
She could hardly eat or sleep. She
looked paler than usual. About week
after her return, she came to the con-
clusion that she could not and would
| not live in that wretched way any long
er. She took her children up to bed that
/ night before their accustomed time. she
then hastened to the library. She dared
not stop to rest herself one moment, lest
her courage should fail. She did not
find her husband with book in hand as
she expected. He was apparently i'll
deep thought. She moved so silently
he was not aware of her presence till
she spoke. She said: The children are
in bed, and no one is in. If you please
Frederick, / should like to spend this
evening in conversing with you.' She
spoke very low, and her voice trembled
AS he looked up he was appalled, at the
death-like pallor of her countenance
What was he, he thought, that she
should approach him with such fear and
trembling. Had she known how he was
feeling, and how things had transpired
to open his eyes, her talk would have
seemed less difficult. But she did no
know how he had missed her during
. her absence; nor how many things ht
had to attend to that he never thought
of looking after when she was home
, He wondered how she ever kept things
, In such perfect order with so needless ;
girl as Bridget. The table-cloth was OF
| 81, 81, 10nEo1 nc If fhax
were pitched upon the table at ever,
meal. He was disgusted with the disOr
der, and he told Bridget so, most EN-
) phatically. That evening he overheard
| her telling one of her friends that Mrs
} Fiske was one of the best women in thu
world: and if it wasn't for her sh'
wouldn't stay in that house anOthe
hour; but she pitied the poor woman so
she wouldn't leave her. She was jus
r wearing her life out trying to please he
husband, and she never got thank 20,
for it.. She was getting thinner ant
paler every day, but not word of com
: plaint did she make. Whether in hi
school or at home, Bridget's words KEEP
t ringing in his ears, and compelled hin
3 to feeI that there was more truth Ii
/ them than he was willing to admit a
7 first. He longed to have the day com
D around when he was to go for his wife
| He shuddered when he thought that TIN
, day might not be far distant when sh
t would be called to go where he coult
t never bring her back. So that evening
f he was in the best frame of mind posi-
= BILE to receive his wife. In fact he fel
{ himself that he could live SO no longer
| In reply to her request he took her han,
4 and said gently, That is just how
e want to spend this evening, my dear.
S was about to seek you for the same pur
/, pose.' He drew her on his knee an,
l added, Il have noticed since your returl
+, from your fathers, that you seen
5 troubled about something. What is il
t darling? Tell me everything freely
e Darling. The old endearing word, il
Y the old tender tones! What a thrill the
It sent through her. Hod he met her cold
: ly and formally, she probably woul
= have been able to maintain her compC
). sure. But this was so different fror
}. the reception she had prepared .hersel
y to meet. she was overcome by it.. Sh
J, bowed ner head on his shoulder an
i wept tor long time. She did not kno,
IL that his tears mingled with hers. Whe
l. she could speak he drew her out till sh
n said more than she thought of sayin
Ii when she entered the room. She COZ
5. fessed to him how unhappy she ha
t been great deal of the time of her maj
e ried life. She told him that she had e
l so that she almost dreaded to see hil
It coming from school. For she did ne
> expect that he would tell her anythin
m or say anything to her except by way {
~ reproots for something that was NJ
Il done. or was not properly done. ST
lie told him how she always looked aroun
ID the room to see if things were in ord,
y and hurried to put things in the
e. places before he entered the door. 81
c. also told him Now grieved and humilia
is ed she felt at his cold and formal way
tie answering her in the presence of other
1t cut him to the quick, but he patien
lg ly listened, aud humbly heard h'
I'd through, for he was convinced that
as richly deserved it all. What he said
r reply, was certainly very comforting
SIX her. She sat on his knee, that night
lie happier wife than she had been at al
to time before since she first became Il
C. bride. They commenced anew fro
he tina, time. She spends nearly all of Ia
Oil evenings i'll the library with him no.
at They read and study together, exec
he when she is compelled to use her needl
II, Then lie reads to her. She no long
of feels that she is forgetting all that s