Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-09-04
A TALE For WIVES

"Now this Is what call comfort, said Madge |
Harley, as she sat down by her neighbor's fire |
one evening; "here you are at your sewing with |
the kettle steaming OIL tie hob. and the tea.
things IN tue table, expecting every minute to
hear your husbands step and see hi, kind face
luuk in at the door. Ali! If my husband was but
like yours, Janet"
lie is like mine In manv of his ways" said
Janet with smile, sand IL you will allow me
TO speak plainly, he would be still more like
him il you took more pains to make him COM
| iortabe.'
"Whatdo you mean" cried Madge; sour
house is as clean AS yours, | mend my hus-
| baul's clothes, and cook hi, dinner as carefully
! as ANY woman In the parish, aud yet liz nryc.
| slt, At home of an evening, while you sit here
by your cheerful tire night after night as happy
as eau be-"
AS happy us can be on earth." said her
friend grayely; ''yes, and shall l tell you the
secret ii it, Madge?"
u wish you would" said Madge, with deep
sigh; sit misery 10 live as do now"
"Wcll then, said Janet, speak, " slowly and
distinctly, 81 let my husband see hat love
linn still, and that learn every day to love him
more. Love is the chain thai binds him to his
home. The world may call it folly, but the
world is not my lawgiver."
"And do You really think" exclaimed Made
in surprise, THAT husbands care for that sort Of
thing?'
"For love, do you mean" asked Janet.
eyes; they don't feel at all AS we do Janet
and ii don take many years of married life to
make them think of i wife rs a sort ofuail of
al.-WoIk."
"A litcl, Madsc," said MS Mason, Laugh
hp; a wont allow you Ia sit in Williams chair
and ak sn.''
NO, because or husbands different, and
values his wife's love, While John cares for me
only as his hnusekeeper."
81 don't think that" said Janet, "although
know that lie said to my husband the other day
l that counting time was the happiest of man :.
lie. William reminded him that there Is grea.
er happiness than that, even OH earth, il mel
= but give their hearts to Christ | know John Iii,
y not alter his opinion, but lie went away sill
: thinking of his counting time of joy 10,
9 great to be exceeded"
s Dear fellow, cried Madge, smiling through
- her tears. 81 do believe he was very happy then
y | remember used TO listen for his steps rs
a sat with my dear mother by the fire, longin,
l, for he happiness of seeing him.
" just so," said Janet; 40 you ever feel Tx
y that now
8 Madge hesita,ed. "Wcll, 10, not exactly"
IL "And My uot?'
u 80, don't know" said Madge: ''marrie
. people give up that sort of thing"
Love, do You mean" asked Janet.
IS No, but what pepole call being sentimental
{ said Mrs. Harley.
=. longing to SEE your husband is a prope
i sentiment rcnlied Janet.
Blu some people are rjicuously foolish be
fore Oilers reasoned Madge.
D. That proves they want sense. | am not like
II y 10 approve of that, AS William would soon te
n you all | want is that wives should let thei
pr husbands know they are still loved"
r. but men are so VAIN" said Madge, "that II i
Ia dangerous TO show them much attention."
Her friend looked up, 40, Madge, what al
err you saying? Have you, then, married with tn
At notion that II is not good for John TO beley
you love him?"
Is M, but ii is not wise to show that you car
4 t"umuch for them"
= Say ami him; do not talk Of husbands i
# general, but of yours in part ocular.
al sale thinks quite enough Of himself already,
~ assure you."
il "Drar Madge" said Janet, smiling, would
80 do you any harm to receive littei more at ter
N tiun from your husband?'
It "Of course not | wish he d Try" and Mr..
c Harley laughed at the idea.
y "Thcn you don't think enough of yourself al
l. ready? and notling would make you vain,
~ "To,,rr'' ,..,,,.,, .,,, ,u Ella n,,,.. ,..., =,
= perez We'd II al William MAston had come il
l. qpi'ly AVID was now standing behsJ Janet
At chair. This, uf course put an elid TO tie con
II vrrsaliun, Malge retired TO her own home Il
think Of Janets words, aud TO confess seeretl
that they were wise.
IS home. He was man Of good abilities, an
n well to 10 in the world; and having mario,
re SIadge because Re truly loved her, he had ex
pected TO have a happy home. But partly be
d cause he was reserved and sensitive, ana partl.
, because Madge feared to make him vain, the
y had grown very cold toward each ether, 50 cole
that John began to think the ale-house NOR,
i comfortable place than his own iireslde.
y That night the ram fell in torrents the wind
:, howled, aud II was not until the midnight hOu
had arrived that Harley left the puic-hOuse ant
l. FASTENED toward his cottage. lie was We
: through when he al length crossed the thresh
old; he was, as lie grtlfily muttered, 'used I,
It that; but he was not used to the tone ant
o look with which his wife drew near to welcome
o him, nor to find warm clothes by a cracking
9 fire, aud slippers on the HEARTH nor to hear nc
g reproach for late hours, and neglect, and dirty
$ fDutmarks as he sat in his armchair. Som
d change had come TO Madge he was very sure.
She wore a dress he had bought her years age
RI with neat linen collar round the neck, an
e had cap, trimmed with white ribbons, on he
head.