Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-04-18
From the Springfield, Mass, Republican.
THE FATEOF THE CHROMOS.
A Woman's AnaIhemns OfTheSe 'EGsO
pels of Truth and lnnOeenee.o

In the past days l have not in
dulged in any special enthusiasm for
Ine New York Observer, having usu-
ally differed from it i'll theology and
politics, but now my heart goes ont
to this embodiment of staunch old
conservatism in gratitude and admi-
ration. Why2 Because at her mast
head bravely flies this announce
rnent: "No chromOs 9i0e's to sub
scri6ers." To find areligious journal
with taste, honesty and Independence
enough to stand on its own merits,giv
ng its subscribers the best it can Ill
the way of editorials, correspondence
and selections and ROt-chromos, is
InSpeakably refreshing.
Tom and | suffered many things
from chromOs; big-headed, red faced
oabies, apparently in the last stages
OF some highly intiammatory disease;
ong-legged girls, sitting among cats
md gazing out with an irritatingly
intense stare Oh vacancy; purple com
,Iexioned young damsels, standing
N thicket of withered daisies and
dandelions; trees without bodies and
,odies without trees; tlauniing reap
ers bowed down under a load OF
gaudy popies, and drowned young
women just rescued from a watery
grave in Strikingly elegant and un-
vet pink ball costumes, have from
time to time walked in upon us and
taken possession.
Yes; they came, ''these elegant
specimens of art worth from twenty
to fifty dollars each;" "these beauti-
full gems which gentleman of de-
ided asthetic taste pronounces OF
the very highest order of art" and
which, somebody else atfirmS, ''preaci
goSpe of truth and innocence 10y
mich thousands of homes are made
brighter and better"-these gems and
gospels came, and, what was worse,
nd not go away; they stayed. And
ieing all inartlstic wretch with no
decided aesthetic taste," | did not
zee gems, or angels, or cherubs, OIL
gospels of truth and innocence, but,
-ontrariwise, very high-colored, un-
atural, disagreeable caricatures of
art.
Yes; they came and stayed till it
became a serious problem what to do
with them. Frame them in black
walnut and gilt and hang them i'll
the parlor by the side of our lovely
Sistine Madonna and sleeping venus!
This was not to be thought of for
moment. Put them in the guest
chamber, where they would be pref
ty well out of sight ? That might
do, and yet that room looked SO pure
and tasteful with its pretty white
draperies, its tiny bookcase and its
one exquisite engraving of Guido's
Annunciation. 1 could not spoil it
by such coarsely-colored pictures.
Give them to the little school-teacher
we all like to see so well, who is too
poor to buy pretty things, and yet
sadly longs for them? But these are
not pretty things; it is a shame to
make believe they are and thus cor
rupt her undepraved taste. Give
them to our maid of all work ? The
money it would cost to frame them
would be far better invested in cot
ton-cloth and flannel.
But something must be done. !
was tired to death Of having them
around, and in that desperate stale
of mind induced by the fall cleaning
| determined to carry them down to
the kitchen range, make a great
bonfire of them and thus end the
matter.
On my way to the kitchen l
net my spouse, Now, there NAV be
women who look lovely with their
dresses turned up behind a dusty
handkerchief pinned cornerwise over
their braids, but | am not one of |
them; and, when thus arrayed, l
prefer to keep out of Toms way.
He was so taken back by my per-
sonal appearance, and the load OF
angels and cherubs in my arms, that
ne stood transfxed, with his mouth
md eyes wide open.
"Why---why---wh---what is going
to happen?'' he stammered out.
"Nothing, only l am going to
burn up two babies, one young girl,
and three grown-up young women"
| SAID calmly.
Tom is good man, but not SO
quick to take a joke as some, and his |
eyes and mouth opened still wider;
his inward thought evidently being, |
cam l tied for life to this kind of |
woman ?'' this kind, referring alike |
to the personal appearance and NOR
al character of the wife of his bo-
som. When Tom does see a thing,
however, he takes it in fully, and in |
process of time, when the situation
dawned upon him, he burst into an
immoderate fit of laughing and
laughed till he cried.
''But, wife," he said when he
could command his voice, l wouldn't
burn them up.
''What ,oo,tld you do with them!"
| asked in that incisive tone wives
know how to use when necessary.
'Well-I don't know exactly, but
Pm sure somebody would be glad of
them"
Whor' I asked, facing him
sqGareiy, for 1 was in no mood for
dallylng; my arms ached, and my
cleaning was all put back, and the
dust had got into my soul as well as
my eyes and throat. ha
"Why-I can't say who, Just this
minute, but wouldn't waste them %
Then, inspired with sweetly, SOL
emn thought, he exclaimed, "Oh, m
tell you, send them to that home
missionary; they'll exactly fit into
that barrel you are packing"
GAS if" I retorted, "with his from
tier life, his eight children and s4Oo
salary, that home missionary hadn't
enough 10 suffer without these"
s'Gospels of truth and innoCence!"
| ;,+a,.ruy1fad Tom