Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-06-02
A WIFE'S RESOLVE.

Seth Tower and his wife, Cyrena,
are very old people.
He is four score and five, while
she is seventy-nine.
Ten years ago we met to celebrate
their golden wedding, and among
the gifts we gave them were a gold
headed cane for Uncle Seth, a gold
thimble for Aunt Cyrena, gold
bowed spectacleS for both of them,
and some other trinketS, simple in
themselves, but precious to the dear
old couple for the love they indica-
ted.
This was, as 1 have said, ten years
ago.
Every year, as the day came
around we noticed it in some way,
but now, on the siXtieth anniversary
of that long ago wedding day, we
are going to have merry party at
the little old house.
Grandma sent me over last night
to tell them that the party would
begin to assemble quite early to-
morrow morning, so l stayed here
with auntie, and slept in the fresh
little bedroom over the buttery, so
as to not disturb anything in the
spare chambers.
Uncle laughed heartily when /
told him the folks were coming for
sort of all day picnic, and said:
"What nonsense for a lot o. sensi-
BILE creeturS, or Creeturs that, any
way ought to be sensible, to come
here and caper all day in the woods
and meaders, when they've got de-
cent homes o. their own, and might
stay in 'em and be comfortable.
But do, for PHYS sake, tell 'em not
to bring a lot more jim-cracks and
geW gaWS here for presents. They'll
be wantin' me to wear a gold ring
on my little finger yet, and hang a
lOcket around my neck, with rose
buds and fOrgetme-nOts on it, |
should not wonder" and he laugh
ed again.
/ looked after him as he went to-
wards the barn, his soft white hair
blowing lightly in the wind, as he
raised his straw hat, and his voice
floating back strong and hearty as
he laughed.
"And you have lived here all
these sixty years, aunt ," | asked.
eyes, child, all these sixty years"
"And you have never been separa-
ted-nOt for a single day"
Dwell, yes, there was a day, long
ago. Inever speak oft, grille; but
you are yOung-they say you are
gOin' to be married soon. I'll tell
you about that day, and 1 hope it
will make you patient and gentle
when your own time of trial comes,
for as a general things wives can't
have too much patience.
at was while Seth was keepin'
company with me, that a young
couple, friends of ours were married.
Theyoung fellow had been called a
little wild, but his father was one o.
the deacOnS, and family was respec-
table and kept him up. But after
he was married he got to gOin' to
the tavern, first only twice a week,
then every time the stage coach
came-and as the stages wasn't very
regular in those days, sometimes
he would be out all night.
ellis wife cried and fretted, but it
didn't do any good, and one time he
went off and stayed week.
81 was one o. the first to find it
| out, for l went to see Maria, and she
was crying fit to break her heart.
"Sh6 told me what was the mat
ter at last, and l was awful mad.
81 had Il bad temper in those
days, quick to take Offense and slow
to forgive, and | vowed If my hus-
band done such a trick as that I'd
leave him, if starved on the road,
and I'd stay away from him q year
g, .lox- L. -,
would if L died for it.
"Seth laughed at me for bein' so
tempery, andIafter we were married
he used to hector me about it, and
sometimes he would threaten to go
off and stay week.
"This always made me angry,
though Seth was as steady asa clock,
and / hadn't the least idea of his
ever doing anything of the kind.
1--WE were married in June, and
one mOrnin' late in November Seth
said he wanted some more corn
ground, and he must 90 to the mill
himself to see about it. The grist
mill was about five miles away, and
we both knew that he would be
back about noon, if nothing hap
pened. But the sky was gray with
a coming storm, and Seth, looking
up at it, said:
Don't be uneasy, Cyrenie, if
I'm not home till three or four
O'clock
81 said: All right, and he kissed
me gaily and rode away.
"He did not come home at neon,
so l cleared away the dinner and
took my sewing work. The short
afternoon began to darken, and l
grew uneasy.
'The storm had come down fierce
and swift, but / knew the snow fall |
was not heavy enough 10 keep Seth |
from comm home if he chose. As /
the night grew later, it flashed upon /.
me all at once that he was dom /
this for lark, just to torment me;
and, oh how angry | grew!
81 shall never forget that terrible .
night, with the storm howlin' out /
side, and me raVin' and cryin' all |
by myself. Far off | heard faint |
sound Of bells, or else imagined it, |
and then | said:
"'Seth is safe and warm at the |
tavern afore this, haVin' a gay time, |
and that is the nine O'clock bell.'
81 didn't sleep, but Just tramped |
about all night.n In the mOrnin' / |
frightened the fire, and set it roar
in early, still thinki1' Seth might !