The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-07-09

table that was gratifying to her sense Of
| the aesthetic, while it afforded full scope
tor the comments of her guests, and 9th
ers interested in the matter OF table.
cloths.
But every female mind, whether in
| Missouri or elsewhere, has a motive rea.
son torsany departure from the ordi-
| nary; and thus far no such reason has
appeared for the persistence OF Mrs.
Pettibone in desiring to be possessed OF
| table-cloths. Mrs. Pettibone had such a
reason, and that reason appeared in part
when her eldest born met her at the
horse-block with open arms, crying cut :
"You've got It'll You've got itW and
stralghtway relieved her mother of the
covered goods for table-cloths.
The eldest born of Mrs. Pettibone was
a daughter named after her native State,
Missouri; and as will happen to our
daughters sometime in their lives, Mis-
souri, Pettibone had beau. This bean
was a young preacher who had been
reared in land of table-cloths. He
didn't relish his bacon and corn-bread
when eaten on q bare table, even though
the cookery had been done by the fair
hands of Missouri Pettibone herself.
am inclined to think it was all a mis-
erable prejudice on the part of that
young preacher. 1t looks now as II he
ought to have eaten anything at the
hands of her whom he professed to love
so well, without any nonsense about
table-oloths. But he didn't.
And she-well, there is no limit to fe-
male endurance in such matters-only
this must be said: The more helpless,
complaining and unreasonable the man,
the more ready she is to slave herself in
to an early grave to crafty and defend
his selishness. Your hearty, robust
man, who is generous and free and low
ing to q iault, whose sound digestion
alone makes him tender lover, an
affectionate, considerate husband, and a
kind father, this man is never properly
appreciated in this world by either the
sweetheart OF early life or the wife OF
later years. 1t is too often your dyspep-
tic, complaining, selfish wretch, for
whom womankind are so ready to lay
them down and die. And very often
they are permitted to do it too.
This young lover didn't relish his food
unless it appeared upon table-cloth.
He had not always relished it when 1t
did make it's appearance in that way.
In short he was fussy. That was the
opinion of those who ought to know, and
in no State does ordinary knowledge ap.
proach nearer to certainty than in
Missouri. This young gentleman was
unreasonable, and Missouri Pettibone
was only too ready to crafty his non-
sense. All those years of frontier life
and hardship bad been endured, rather
had been enjoyed, by the citizens OF
Rails county until now, without a
thought of its being a hardship to live
unaequainted with table-cloths.
But with years come changes. The
hardships and trials of frontier life were
well over. The Pettibones in their earn
EST struggle had acquired Q competent
sut1iciency of this worlds substance. 1t
would be a grief to see daughter Of the
house 20 out from them in her first hap
piness of welded love SO bright, SO hope
ful, so full OF present joy and future an
ticipations, with all this browning hap
piness marred for want OF that simplest
of luXuries-table-co So it would.
And Mrs. Pettibone, with q mothers
love and sympathy for her darling daugh-
ter, did what every good mother Will
do-remembering those days OF her own
first happiness, she procured the coveted
table-cloths.
Do not seek for orange blossoms and
gaudy bridal wells, and the rustic OF
marvellous silks anywhere near Pike
county. You will find what is better
at least, young lovers think so-in that
region. You will find fair young faces
with cheeks like polished ivory; eyes so
soft, so full of loving tenderness; young
hearts waiting to bless and be blessed.
All this that young preacher found on
his wedding morning, and more--table-
cloths. Could there be unhappiness or
sorrow after that? No, not in Missouri.