Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-01-15

THERE was time when, according to
our old dsages, . young girls dowry CON
sisted OF nothing more than a chaplet of
roses. That period Is long ago.
In these days, the question of dover is
the main point in marriages, and gives
rise In the domestic circle to occasional
scenes, that may be dr0ll or sad, or pa
thetic. It is enc Of those that | desire to
bring here before you.
Come in, ifyOu please, to the sanctum
OF NJ. Dcsgranges, in his house at Vile
neuve-Saint Georges. M. Desgranges, a
merchant retired from business is talking
by the freside with his wife and his
daughter, and the talk is extremely ami
mated, as it is all about marriage. a
young architect, NJ. Henry Grandval, has
asked the hand of Madeleine, with whom
he is in love, and who is IN love with him
So far, nothing palmer. But M. Grand
val senior will let his son marry only a
GIRL of two hundred thousand francs, and
III. Desgranges will give his daughter
only one hundred thousand. His wife
presses him to yield, his daughter ten
derIy beseeChes him, but he refuses point
blank. A practical man and firm one
is NJ. Desgranges, and there is no NOV
ing him against his will Good Madame
natured mothers who can't speak of her
child without q certain choking in her
utterance She insists, she prays, and
then, finding her husband infexible, she
rises from her scat, and says to him in
dignantly:
M. Desgranges, do you wish to know
Just what [ think of you? You have
neither heart nor bOwelsn'
mo doubt Of that, my dearw
"YoH are not father: you are "a"
An executioReri AS is said in Iphi-
genia:'
Thy daughters executioner, 'twere right
That for nee mother thou shouldst prepare
A ghosty festiyalr"
M DesgraRgesr'
MADAME DeBgrangesn'
DO you know, sir, that with your iron
ical indifference you will end by putting
me beyond myself, by driving me entirely
out Of my character!'
''Provided, my dear, that you don't 90
back into it againi" gently suggested NJ.
Desgrangos.
'SAh, this is too muchin
Enough, mamma, enOughn said Mad
cline, rising in turn, II will not be the
cause of such language between my father
and yourself And since he does not be-
iieye that he ought TO do what we ask
him." added she, beginning to cry, 'since
he refuses what we so much desire, and
what would be the happiness of Henry
and myself f"
''She is crving!" exclaimed Madame
Desgranges-"O my child my little dar-
ling And this doesn't move you, mon
sterl You can see her tears, you can
hear her say with that sweet voice of hers
hot l. -
main infeXible?"
''What would you, my dear? When I
see a woman cry, I'm always on my
guard"
GLOW so?"
Its not my fault that | remember it.
In the early days of our marriage, you
used to cry so often when you wanted to
get something out of me, that l always
look now upon feminine tears as a sort of
investment"
20 papa papap exclaimed Madeline,
'hoW can you mistrust my sorrow? You
don't believe, then that I'm in love with
Henry?"
"Of course I do"
Henry il good and clever. You say
yourself that he has fine prospect before
him as an architect"
''That's true"
"His father, NJ de Grandval, is man
"Of the highest hOnor.n
"Well, then?"
Eyes, well then ," chimed in Madame
Desgranges.
"Well, then, Let her marry him, and with
my consent, and a hundred thousand
francs for dOwTy. But, as to the two hun
dred thousand that NJ de Grandval asks
nor
"Why?'' replied Madame Desgranges.
'Whyi That's charming. Because I'm
not rich enough to give two hundred
thousand francs to my daughter, without
Gripping myself"
You will have enough, all the same"
Enough! That's too little"
AT your age, one has no longer any
wants"
"On the contrary, each advancing year
brings further want with it. There's
not an infirmity that is not a source of ex-
pense: my sight fails, must have specta-
cles; my legs grow feeble, must have a
carriage; my hair falls out, | must have a
wig; and then the India-rubbers and
flannel! Why, the flannel alone will cost
hundred francs per annum."
But"
mo, no; let youth be poor That's Just.
mats It's lOb. Is II, III TACT, IN want OF
any thing? What matters a good supper
and good lodging, when one has rest
While, rs for old age"
You're not old" said Madame Des-
oranges, amiably.
''Oh, oh! The case is grave, if you're
going TO Slater me-"
Come, come, let's see," continued she,
IN coaxing tone. Lets reason about it.
After all, what is the question? Just some
slight reductions in our mode of living
our having, for instance, one servant
less"
Exactly sor
"Well, SO much the bettern'
$50 much the worse! I'm lazy. like
TO be waited on"
And you grow heavier, and are getting
fat, while, if YOU waited little on YOUR
self, y0u would remain active, Young
Il don't care about thatr
"But | care about it-for your sakei-
It's the same of our table. Suppose we
were to retFcnCh one dish at our dinner
Not at all. won't have it. I'm q
glutton."
That's sin, papam observed Made
leine.
Just SO, but a very pleasant sin, and /
have S. few OF that sort left me- Nv dear
good appetite! Why, | never notice the
coming on OF dinner time without seeing
before my eyes-as it were in dream
the bill-of-fare, without saying to myself
sHa. ha, what delicious dish of sweets
will nv wife have invented for me to-
a,r-sS Eor I ynlJSt do Won iuStica on III ~