The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-05-19
FOR A ~
BY z E. BARR.

Stephen Thirske was a genuine York
shireman, long-headed, shrewd and
sturdy serving mammon with all his
might in the great brick factory where
he worked six hundred "hands." There
everything went On 80 promptly and
regularly that it was evident one dom
inant will ruled.
Butno man is absolute and if stephen
ruled his six hundred "hands'' like an
autocrat, he shrunk at home into the
obedient slave of one little, petted wo-
man. Mrs. Thirske had been a great
beauty, delicate and gentle. Stephen had
begun his married life by atender submits
sion to the frailty that was such a con-
trast to his own rude health, and now
the little woman he could carry like a
baby, ruled him like a c~4srina.
It was impossible to retface the gradual
steps by which this influence had been
gained. Thirske was man enough to
know that it was fatal to his h~ome-hap-
piness and his family's welfare, and to
make occasional determinations to reform
things; but as yet they had come to
nothing. He could not bear his pretty
Lydia's tears and the man who would
tolerate the slightest opposition from
the world, sacrificed anything and every
thing in his home for peace. r1
They had two children, q son and
daughter ; and as they reached manhood
and womanhood the evils of a household
under such unnatural control manifested
themselves for if Mrs. Thirske ruled
her husband, Antony and Ada ruled her.
Ada was a beauty, and had not watched
her mothers tactics in vain.
i" shall rule George Aske as mother
rules father" she said one night to heI
brother, in reply to his assertion that
George Aske would make her know hel
own mind better"
Don't you be too sure of that, Ada
there are men, and men. ! know nc
woman could manage me that way
How does Mary Hutton manage
your Antony, you ought to be ashamed
of yourself! A poor governess."
al am not, though. Why should
not have my way as well as you anc
mother9 You are going to marry for po
sition !; my way is to marry the girl
love-"
Father will never consent, nor
either
~ don't propose to ask your consent
y / shall get mother on my side, and thel
q fathers got 90 yield. AS for you, Ada
I should not wonder if your own affair
y will very Don keep your hands full
enough"
ut is not very brotherly to be looh
ing for trouble to keep your sister
hands full.
"You are preparing it for yourself
Ada; any one is who determines to rul
George Aske by pettlng and sulking.
saw his look the other night"
Let him look--he yielded"
He yielded then, but one hundre
TO one he does not yield two week
longer
Keep your opinion, sAntony, q bu
don't bother mother with Mary Hutto
until / am married. / don't want he
to be sick till my affairs are settled.n
81 am going to ask her tonight;
you don't want her to be sick, you ha
better say a good word for Mary"
Ada was wise in her generation, ar
went right to Mrs. Thirske.
Mother, y she said, " Antony is COZ
ing To- speak to you tonight about Ma
Hutton. Dent worry yourself-it
only one Of his fancies. just promi
him all he wants until my wedding
comfortably over, then you can tt
father and have a stop put to his no
sense
20 dear me, Ada! 1t does seem as
no one minded my feelings. You DO
know ! must have peace, and yet / su
pose | am to be worried into a few
about this Miss Hutton
Well, mother, don't make Anto'
angry tonight; say enough to ke
things smooth until next week is ov'
i don't want him to be sulky at my VIZ
ding"
So Antony found his mother il one
her gentlest moods. She listened pa
emily 10 his confession of love for bis
ter's late governess, and answered
Have I not always wished to ma