Ellsworth American., 1874-07-16
From the New York Tribune
Polly's Husband.

Our pretty friend Polly is fast 90
Ing, just now, the way OF all Pollies ;
in stately drawing-rooms Of country
seats, or in boats knocking about in
the surf off at Mt. Desert of milking
Brlndle, while Steve, the driver. leans
over the fence Of the coward. When
next June comes, she will be a mar
rIed Polly, and know the difference
between the husband Of her dreams
doors anu out, hungry ana Iuu, sea-
sick and shaving. AS to how Polly
accepts the difference, and the temper
with which she bears it, for the rest of
her life-these are matters which actu-
ally affect our welfare and that Of the
next generation more than contraction
or treaties with Canada. The husband
of her maiden fancy in these midi
summer reverieS is usually a mastertul
fellow, with hair and whiskers OF the
complexion of Steye's or Theodore's
there is vague background behind
him OF bank or office or stable, out of
which will come unlimited supplies for
coy little house and new polonaises
through the procession Of years TO
come-polonaises of velvet or de bege,
AS the case may be; but he, the cen
tral figure, will give up his whole ex-
istencc to loye-love. OF course she
means that lie shall cut l good figure
among other men; the world will take
him for an original, strong fellow; bat
she knows that he will be only big
ger, rou5her Polly; her opinions, her
whlms her taste made into flesh and
moustache coat and trousers. He shall
have that outwardly dominant aggress-
i've way without which no hero has been
admirable in young women's eyes since
the days of Jane Eyre; but, in fac e
shall obey her lead everywhere, at
home, in the church, or in society,
just as the thread follows the sharp
little needle in her hand.
Now, by next June, Polly having
been Mrs. Theodore or Steve for
year, her husbands lkenesss to this
ideal lover will have vanished altogeth-
er out of sight. Ten chances to one that
rs they HE to the salt sea wave or
husk corn in the kitchen in company,
he will not give ten minutes day to
the love-makng in which his soul de.
lights just now. Tortures of jealousy
and raptures will give way TO remarks
on Potts new turnout or grunts over
the lean ribs of the young porkers.
His faith in his wife will be written
down side by side with his faith in his
Maker, and he does not care To handle
either, or make them common with
talk. 1t does not occur TO him 10
adopt Pollv's ideas and tastes, though
he leaves them to her good-humoredly.
He laughs when she lauds Mr. Middle
man as second Whitfield, and rents
front pew for her to listen to the flow
cry platitudes, but stays at home him
self. He keeps silent when she nags
the cook and berates the shop girls
though he does not believe they are
all a Gordon of sharpers and cheats en-
circling her. Ia short, he has his own
opinions, and is Steve, quite willing
that she should keep hers, and be Pol
~. Al q Cai vi t"Ot OtuCl tCoto, uu-
known now, may open in his nature !;
capabilities, pursuits, even passions
appear, wherein Polly can take no
share. Souls nearest akin do not lie
parallel all the way; and, assuredly,
some day the plump little wife will
find a strange bird in her nest to whom
her husband will pay far more vigorous
court than he has done to her for many
day. Not a woman, necessarily a
lucky chance in corner-lots, perhaps a
morning newspaper to push; bill to
lobby at Albany new fertilizer ruta
baga turnip. All the same, Polly will
recognize her rival. She and her lover
are not twin souls any more; there are
a dozen points at which they 60 off at
a tangent from each other-cigars, say
or Bob's schooling, or the fit of his
shirt collars, or the length of his mar
ried sisters visits. If Polly belong tc
the minority of women, she will keeI
her ideal picture closeted away in hel
inner consciousness and set out il
search Of the original, leaving her mid
dle-aged Steven or Theodore in th'