Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-02-20
FIRESIDE READING.

fail and she found ii hard TO Ind her fayOr-
ite yerses. But she could not live without
them; 50 what did she do? She stuck a
pin in them. one by one, and after her death
they counted one hundred and sixty-eight.
When people went to see her she would open
her Bible, and, feelinr over the page after
her pin. would say, ''R. ID there or ''Read
here" and she knew 7 tty well what verse
was stuck by that pin and what by this pin.
She could say of her precious Bible, 81 love
thy commandments above gold, yea, above
fine gold They are sweeter to me than
honey and the honey-comb."
The vast majority of people probably mar
rv as well as they can under the circum-
stances of the ease. 1t is easy to pick a
flaw in most marriages, but a careful ex-
animation will generally trace the flaw run
ming back into the character Of the parties.
There is no human or divine alchemy for
changing two fools INTO wise household by
calling them man and wife. Sl0yenly Sally
and stingy Dick may be made Mrs. Sarah
and Mr. Richard by all the statute books
and priests of ChriStcndom, hut until they
mend their ways their palace will only be a
theatre where the old domestic drama Of Cat
vs.. Dog will he daily rchear~ed. Every hu-
man being in this world goes to his own
place So, | long ago ceased to deplore i'll
assorted marriages and reserve my tears for
the imperfect characters which compel the
imperfect affections that lead these people
together. Marriage is as good as anything
else in the world. Our only hope of eXalt-
ing matTim0ny is to educate nohlcr young
men and women. and they Will love IN Il
more heavenly style, and lift marriage to
the celestial thing it Is to all fitted to pro-
nouncc its sacred yows.-Rcr. 4. d. Mayo.
1t Is gcnerallr the case that the more
beautiful and the richer young female S.thc
more difficult are both her parents and her
self in the choice of husband, and the more
offers they refuse The one Is too tall, aud
the other too short. this not wealthy. and
that not respectable enough. Meanwhile
one spring passes after another. and year
after year carries away leaf after leaf of the
bloom of youth, and opportunity after op-
portunitv Mis- Harriet Selwood was the
richest heiress in her native town, but She
had already completed her twcnty-,eycnth
year. and hcheld almost all her young friends
united to men whom She had, at one time or
other. discarded. Harriet began to be set
| down Tor an old maid. Her parents became
really uneasy. and She herself lamented M
/ private position which Is not q natural
one, and to which tho-e to whom nature and
fortune have been nir-arl Of their gifts are
obliged to submit: but llarriet was hand
some and very rich.
such was the state OF things when her
uncle a wealthy merchant in the north of
England. came ON q visit To her parents. lie
was a ioyial. lively. straightforward man..
accustomed 10 attack all di0hrultics boldly
and co5llv.
~, -. -,il Ior ctlcr T., linn one
J,,. ..iI,rr;.+ ..','.in,,,.- .ir.,. The ,.irI
;'''ii - l.,. ~ f,,o C,r her
,. n, r.; ..,,,.l,l
-. ...., 1r.,.I.. .,,,
80 -,
II =. 7.i:,1 .,,r.r.. ..L,- I..l
- -. n, ,-..r,- .,fI,ir
-. ,,,'.- '.-,,,.,,+ d.
"a ''.i7 "t'..i -,
,. - ". ',''s ~. -. ,.:.l' ,rl I,
,t.- -, -. MIN ~.-.,r,,
- | ". Ia ,,,.,, -. ,.,..,,.. .,l
W. ..,i.I,;. o'. a. i, -. 80 '''
"',,nE ira,. " ,-.nt ,t'fI' ,Ia i, with Ir u,s On
WV "e,'' Wv al l. ..Nl;rl
,l. re "I' @ ,oi,'' % ny ,' '''''' Van are nj, 51~cr
W., N i..H -'''i- VI No..
dT1 91." ,3oo,r Doa' ' rb;rc. & ',,'; w;sw yoa bai
~, ''i' - -, Iaor tr-i,,3 CI
Iv i, 'i,.r', r. ,,,.,' D. ba, ,,;l r, anrc If
,-''''. .'',' III IL. ,.r;- L,,,,.-
N. ..l.
-. -. ;r ,,, ,Io,.. NJ.
r,,,nior Va"r c,ibc. las ;,r,.te.l mn. ,itI
IN -. H.. IL. ,-..., +. ill.,, ,,cll;,,..
-"
and whatever else Won need. your aunt will
Suuuly vou with. and aceu~ton yoar~elf 10
east down vour cvcs."
The kcsn-witted uncle introduced his
niece everywhere and crerv ,rlcr, tie vounr
widow excited great sensation The zen
tlemcn throngei about her. and she soon had
/ her choice ont of twenty sIitorS. Her uncle
advised her to accept the orc that was the
deepest in love with her, and rare chance
/ dccrccd that this should hc precisely the
most amiable and opulcni The match was
soon concluded. and one day the uncle dc-ir-
ed to say a few words 90 his future nephew
in private.
My dear~ir, ie began. 1--WE la.c told
you an untruth.
"llow SOP Are Mn lumlc,'~ afce-
tons
"Nothing of the kind. nay niece iS-in-
/ ccrclv attached o. you.
"rhcn her fortune. suppose. is mot
| equal To what vou told me-.
''On the contrary. il l. larger.
''Mcll. what is the matter then y"
~ iokc-an innocent joke. which came
into my head one day when I wa- in good
humor; we could not well recall It after
ward. Ny niece is not a widow.
what l. Col Lumley li'in-?
| fellow than he had ever conceived himself.
/ and the old maid va, forthwith mctamor-
/ rhosed into Young wife.
No,or b,rc I soer ,r,. tr,.,i,;,,,1 t,.,,. .,r
r,tion,lity os .tronoly ,,,,l..J o, Il, o,,n
1,;1 - f.r,,.l =, -, 49,,