New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-30
POLLYS HUSBAND.


POLLYS HUSBAND.
Our pretty friend Polly is fast going, just
now, the way of all Pollies in stately draw
ing-rooms of country seats, or in boats knock
ing about in the surf off Mt. Desert, or milking
Brindle, while Steve, the driver, leans over
the fence of the COW yard When next June
comes, she will be married Polly, and know
the difference between the husband OF her
dreams and the man whom she has seen in
doors and out, hungry and full, 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-there are matters which actually affect
our welfare and that of the next generation
more than contraction or treaties with Canada.
The husband of her maiden fancy in these
midsummer reveries is usually masterful
fellow, with hair and whiskers OF the COM
plexion of Stevc's or Theodore's; there is a
vague background behind him of bank or
office or stable, out of which will come uh-
limited supplies for cosy little house and
new polonases through the procession OF years
to come-polOnaises of velvet or de bege, as
the case may be; but he, the central figure,
will give up his whole existence to love-
love. OF course she means that he shall
cut good figure among other men; the
world will take him for an original, strong
fellow; but she knows that he will be only a
bigger rougher Polly; her opinions, her whims,
her tastes made into flesh and mustache, coat
and trousers. He shall have that Outwardly
dominant aggressive way, without which no
hero has been admirable in young wOmen's
eyes since the days of Jane Eyre; but, in fact,
he 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
likeness to this ideal lover will have vanished
altogether out of sight. Ten chances to one
that as 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-making in
which his soul delights just now. Tor
lures of jealousy and raptures will give
way to remarks on POtts's new turnout
or grunts over the.Ilean 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 to adopt Polly's ideas and tastes
though he leaves them to her good-humOredly.
He laughs when she lauds Mr.. Middleman as
a second Whitfield, and rents front pew for
her to listen to the fOwery platitudes, but stays
at home himself. He keeps silent when
she nags the cook and berates the shop
girls though he does not believe they are all
q Gordon of sharpers and cheats encircling her.
In short, he has his own opinions and is Steve.
quito willing that she should keep hers, and
be Polly. In year or two, other doors, I'M
known now, may open In his nature; capabili-
ties, pursuits, even passions appear, wherein
Polly can take no share. Souls nearest akin
some day the plump little wife will find
strange bird in her nest to whom her husband
will pay far more vigorous court than be
has done to her for many day. Not
woman, necessarily; lucky chance in corner
lots perhaps; morning newspaper to push !;
bill 10 lobby at Albany, new fertilizer or
ruta-baga turnip. All the same, Polly will
recognize her rival. She and her lover are
not twin souls any more there are dozen
points at which they 60 off at q tangent from
each Other-cigars, say, or BOb's schooling, or
the fit of his shirt collars, or the length of his
married sisters visits II Polly belong to the
minority of women, she win keep her ideal
picture cioseted away in her inner conscious
ness and set out in search of the original.
leaving her middle-aged Steven or Theodore
in the lurch in this train come all the
divorce and adultery cases and countless
miserable, unclean histories which never find
their way into the courts.
But our Polly, most probably, is one Of the
mass of healthy. easy-tempered, unnotewOrthy
women who keep the worlds private ways
clean and sweet only by living in them. In
all likelihood her early ideal will drop out of
sight, as ridiculous in her remembrance as the
Old-fashioned gown in which she was married,
and she viii patiently wait until tho truant
fancy Of her husband come back to her. There
Ia no magnet to hold him like the certainty
of the steady love Of y sweet tempered wife.