St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-09-04
Mrs. Tilton's Story.

Il understood very WE'LL said she.
THAT | WAS not 20 have the attention
that many wives have. His talent and
genius must not he narrowed down to
my self" She WAS nothing in her own
eyes but Il place little womam
and it WAS enough if Il stray beam of
the glory which radiatcd from her hcro'S
presence fell across the humble figure
following rcvcrcntly behind him. If he
left her rInn"ticcd while he WAS making
fame. and filling his little world with
beautiful phrases, she accepted her low
ly lot i'll meek contentment. If he babe
her 60 with him into public places. she
nhcycd without Il word, and stood aloof
III the midst of the throng. that she
might not disgrace him with her simple
manner and her homely speech. To
watch her lord and master shining in
the company of brilliant takers. and
wits. csSaNcStS. and poets, was happi-
hess enough for her. To make il lux
urious and refined home for this gifted
being and his grand friends. she WAS
willing to 90 cold and hungry. What
ever may have been her faults. il is
easy to see that she had IL tender heart
and sympathetic nature. How many
sad hours must there have been us she
looked back to those early DAYS when
the young reporter knew no woman
more accomplished than his "irlish wife.
no pleasure more Intoxicating than her
society, no glory greater than to win
her love. But she never complained
that he gradually forgot his quiet little
worShipcr while he WAS busy setting
the world to rights and ''making II name
for himself" She never blamed him
because he told her to keep away from
him when his fine company came. or
scnldcd about the uncongenial atmus-
phcrc of his home, where there was no
body but simple wife and children to
minister to his ambitious spirit. This
WAS no common man. 1t was Il crea-
turc whose talent and genius" must
not he narrowed down" to the ortlina-
ny domestic duties. us being destined
for the pride of the lyceum and the
admiration of advanced tca-tables, and
privileged i'll consequence to be moody,
cruel. and dissatisfied at home.
Poor woman. how she nursed his
vanity and ScliiShness Little by little,
he got farther and farther away from
her. He needed literary companions
ship, and she was not literary. He
ycarncd for the society of bold thinkers,
and radical rctOrmers of every eccentric
variety, and she was only an old fash
Toned body who cared more for the
iircsidc than for the crowded hall, and
wanted somebody to love her. Loud
voiced women came to confront her mt
her own table. Blatcnt prophetesses
made her parlors hideous The man
who had taken her for better or for
worse began to discuss her failings, and
question her honor in the company of
salacious social revolutioniSts. ANY
body might have foresccn the end. The
hero Stalkcd through two cities. exhib-
itimg his sores, and praying the world
to behold how he was dishonorcd, while
the wife ran hcart-brokcn to the Gene
terry, and threw herself upon the graves
of her children.
To learn the lesson of this domestic
history, it is needless to know who has
sinncd or how much has been forgiven.
The first fault is plain enough. There
is no such thing us social prosperity and
happiness which does not rest upon the
purity and union of the family. What
shallow charlatans are those who seek
10 l'u>' Tue Conultion Oh women ny
crushing their own wives, while they
turn neat phrases in the newspapers
and round sonorous periods on the plat
form. What poor fools are the vain
and giddy orators and essayists who
look for the golden age of il renovated
society, while they waste their domes-
tic fortunes and fiout the homcly duties
which lie ut their very hand. Tribune.
An exchange ridiculing the ridiculous
county fairs, which make no efforts at
good shows. says that Cleartield fair
consisted of Il calf, a goose, and II pump
kin. 1t raincd so hard the first night
that the goose swan off, the calf broke
loose, and ate the pumpkin, and II thief
prowling around stole the calf