The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-09-29
row DRAKE-s WIFE.

vas Tom Drake : nearest trIenG
and confdant for twenty years /
helped him when be began business
for himself, ten years ago; | assisted
him with funds when he was embar-
rassed by hard times; | advised with
him when be was questioning himself
about Maria Benson: stood up with
him when be was married, and his
only boy wears my name How We
came to be such friends | am not
able TO tell, / suppose it was because
we suited each other Our friend
ship had 10 romantic beginning, but
grew with our knowledge of each
other
| cannot point out any distinctive
trait in Tom that held me to him, and
I never supposed him to be more than
commonplace type Of a map. I'm
doubiedly be could say as much Of me
As a business man he was tolerably
successful; be did not get rich, but be
was in a fair way Of becoming rich,
aud managed his business carefully
and wisely | am q plodding lawyer.
with q few clients and fewer needs. /
have neither wife nor relative, and
very few friends. Icame into posses
sion of an ample income when ar
rived at lawful age, and that has kept
me from making any effort for repu-
tation.
When Drake was married to Maria
Benson, 1 think l was fully as happy
as be was. | knew Maria before Tom
became interested In her, but when
be told me that he was in love with
Der, l began to study her as carefully
as ifshe were about to become nv own
partner | saw some traits in her
character that l was sorry for, but
Judging her as whole, l thought she
was an excellent woman.
Tom was always open-hearted with
me, and | knew that be was not blind
to her imperfections; but, as be re-
marked, be did not expect to find per-
feetion. From the fact that they were
totally unlike in many things, / took it
for granted that they were made for
each o.her | am not sure now, how
ever, that that is a safe rule to follow
Tom always admired her piety, and |
thought, it good point myself No
matter how worldly-minded we men
may be, and careless as TO our own re-
ligion, or rather want of religion, we
are anxious that our children should
be subject toproper religiOusi in6Ga1ce,
and we expect them to obtain it from
their mother. Tom was not very
regular chureh-goer' and-I may as
well confess it-neither was l. Bu:
Maria was content in her attendance
and observance ofchurchly duties. In
deed she was one of the foremost
among the young ladies of the
church. She taught class in sab
ba,h-sehool, another in mission school,
and was on nearly every church
committee that required a woman's
presence.
Tom and discussed this phase in
her character, until we were both
agreed that il was just what wife's
ought to be.
Maria was very fond of parties,
hops, pic-nics, sleigh rides, and all that
manner Of eDjoyments that seem 10
come under the head of innocent. ;"
| am sure that don't know why they
are thus called / am not responsible
for the classification. II | were to de-
eide from recollections Of my youth, /
should say there was as much deviltry
in everything as one carried there,
and no more | have listened to ex-
eellent sermons preached by actors
on stage, and have seen some very
good (and bad) acting done in pull
pits. | have seen people warm
hearted and Deighborly to each other
at dances, and heard some vicious
baek-biting at church soeiables. But
| do not pretend to be posted in these
matters nowadays, and know that
Maria looked upon round dances as
sinful.
| do not know why it should be so,
but | believe it is rule that wives
do not endorse their husbands friends,
Maria did not quite do me justice from
the first. | think she would have
been glad to create rupture between
Tom and me, but she soon found that
an impossibility and she desisted
But she never quite forgsye Tom for
eonfidIHg in me to he extent be did,
and am sure | did not blame her.
| tried to persuade Tom not TO open
his heart TO me on matters that con-
cerned only himself and his wife, bat
be insisted on telling NE everything,
IS be had always done
am confident now that Maria un-
der-estimated Tom before she mar
ried him Women are not apt TO
give business men too much credit.
Most Of their ideas Of business are
derived from the army of clerks with
whom they mingle, and certainly one
cannot blame them for having a
somewhat peculiar opinion of busi-
ness. A young lawyer, or doctor, is
q being of a different order. If he