Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-01-26

after fashion. | am, by habit and
nature, orderly and particular. She is
decidedly the reverse. Should we
marry, after the first few weeks of
blinded love, my eyes would be open
cd to the truth, and | should hate a
slattern.'
"'You are harsh and cruel in the
way you argue. Don't you expect to
sacrifice something Don't you know
men always grow more particular the
longer they remain unmarried ? All
young girls, l takeit, are careless and
if she suits you in all other ways, and
you love her, You are foolish to give
up your thought of asking her to be
your wife.
"'I am not harsh, and If there be
any cruelty in the matter, it is who
suffer it. lover her. She may not
care for ME. But, Grayson, | couldn't
marry an untidy woman | have too
much reason to know what sort of Or
der Miss Seldom keeps in her room,
and even what her habits of personal
neatness are. The Hamilton girls
rooms join hers. The character of
the inmates is stamped therein. When
you marry, you will have neat, or
derly, well-kept household Miss
Seldon's husband will not But as !
shall probably never see her again
after tomorrow, it matters nothing to
me,
"And with these words, the two
gentlemen passed on.
"'What did | do Z
Burning with modification and
chagrn, hastened into the house and
up to my hateful room. How torcl-
bly, the truth of the words had just
listened to came to me when | beheld
the dire confusion that reigned there.
Then | wept the bitterest tears my
eyes had ever shed | saw it all now
--how my untidy, careless habits had
utterly lost me the man | loved, and
who confessed he loved me.
"He was going to town the next
Gay. should never see HIM again
and he would forget me, no doubt,
and marry some pretty girl who would
never offend his fastidious taste.
.'But in truth | did not feel the
least Indignation towards him. | did
not see any harshneSs in his judg-
ment of me. If had had that feel
ing, should never, perhaps, have
changed, as did.
"But it was true, what he said. |
saw it. Two natures so thoroughly
'at odds in their habits-one fastidi-
Gus to fault, the other careless in
the same degree, could never live hap
PLY as man and wife. There would
be disturbances every day, breeding
discord and final dislike. The we'd
ding music would, after few years
perhaps months --be only Sweet bells
tangled out of tune
"What became of him :" asked Bel.
la, in an anxious voice.
'He left the seashore the next day,
without bidding any one good. bye
"And did you never see him ?"
"Oh, yes" replied Aunt Sue, with a
bright smile. II married him five
years afterwards"
Uncle Ned Why, Aunt Sue !
Was that man he ?"
"Yes, that man was he. | will tell
you how came to please him, after
all. l made up my mind that night
that l would never allow myselft to be
called 'slattern' again. | would
strive diligently to correct my untidy
habits, and no ones love thereafter
lavished on me should have cause to
blush for its idol again.
Il accomplished my purpose. 1t
was hard at frst-as it will be for ev-
ery one naturally careless-to learn to
fold and arrange, and dust, and
smooth, and pack away, But l was
determined | would cure myself of my
besetting fault. and | did.
"Four years atterward, when your
uncle and | met again, at the same
seaside house, in the same old arbor,
we came to Il perfect understanding,
and agreed we would try life togeth-
err"
81 suppose he took sly glances at
your boot lacings, examined the rims
of your collar, and cuffs, and peeped
into your closets before he proposed,
however," interrupted Bslla, in sar.
castle tones.
"They all stood the scrutiny if he
did ; for there wasn't neater or more
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