Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-06-05

feeling as in long years before, when
they walked arm in arm about the play
ground OF the old academy. or rambleC
in The park adjoining it.
Both had children whom they loved
and were proud Of; both had intelligent
aud intellectual husbands; both had
beautiful homes. But Mrs. Mervin was
not slow 10 perceive. rs they sat togeth'
er sewing in the cool mornings, that her
friend was far above her in sweep oil
thought aud grasp of intellect. She was
mortified that OF many subjects that
came up naturally in the course oil con-
versa,ion she was qnite ignorant, and
though she could talk fluently in regard
to carpets. embroidery and dress-the
latest discoveries OF science, The latest
achievements Of art, The last new book,
she knew nothing about it, aud was
dumb when they were mentioned. How
did Mrs. Banks manage to keep up with
the age, and she SO far behind 1t? Their
children were nearly the same in mum
Der, their household cares not widely
different, their husbands in the same
profession. Here was mystery and
she watched for it's solution.
She noticed that at night the young
children were put to bed early, before
! Mr. Banks came home, SO the house was
quiet; for though men who have worked
with their muscles all day may love to
lrolic with their little ones when they
come home at night, men whose brains
have been taxed during ali the business
hours of the day enjoy most perfect SILL
ness and require il. She noticed, too.
I that the sewing machine, the work
| basket, even The knitting g-wOrk, was
Invisible at nighttall. and however awry
or difficult household arrangements had
been duriGg the day, nothing but serenity
and cheerlulness shOne IN the evening
parors. While those OF the children
who were permitted To appear at the
table amused themselves in the dining
room or read quietly in the parlor,
Mr.. and Mrs. Banks gave them
selves wholly To themselves and theH
guest. Tho news a the day was dis
cussed, tho last new book reviewed. or
some important discovery rehearsed,
while ut Intervals the conversation
dropped into that pleasant small talk
which makes up so much OF social inter
change. Occasionally they passed the
evening at concert or prayer meeting,
bat Mr. Banks was never at the club,
rarely away from home after nightiaIl.
Many sad miSglvings had Mrs. Mervin
- she contrasted the perfect mutual
interchange between the husband ana
wife whose CUES, she was, and her liie
With her husband; and as she reviewed.
the years. little by lillle, light iawned
upon her mind. she saw how gradually
she had allowed unnecessary industries
to encroach on time that might so much
better have been devoted TO intellectual
culture. What availed i. now that
Molly and Heary and Willie had been
so elabOrately dressed in their babYhoodE
Ii they had worn plain attire instead oil
that on which she had spent so much
time and thought, how many hours she
mioh, have given to read and keep up
with her husband
To be sure, her parlors were exqnis-
i;ely ornameuted with q variety OF fancy
work wrought by her bands; but whe'
she listened 10 the utterances Oi her
friends. rich as they were with the
varied aceumualiors oil those intellectual
treasures, the law OF whose existence is
Increment, she ielt poor indeed in all the
resources most earnest TO be desired.
Was il not possible that Frank and she
might be all to each other that these
two friends were? At any rate she
would talk with Mrs Banks and lind out.
il she could, just how she had so perfect
ly won and kept her husbands heart
aud how, with all the growing cares OF
growing family. she had managed to
keep her mind bright and full.
So, one day as they sat together, she
introduced the subjec! cautiously, lest
Mrs. Banks might suspect that she and
Frank were not so near 10 each other AS
they might be.
IL don't see where you get so much
time to read and find out everything" -"
said Mrs. Merviu: "you seem to be as
fresh as if you but just left school, while
have forgotten almost everything ever
knew, and yet | don't sec but that you
have as many cares as | have"
81 neglect a good many things" said
Mrs. Banks; my tides are all bought
while | dare say you knit yours yourself; i;
nv children's clothes are perfectly plain
and so are my own. I've often wanted
to ask you where you got so much time
to make all the pretty clothes Minnie
wears"
"Oh, | make them ut night, after the
children are quiet; Frank is away at the
club and have all the evening to sew"
"Mr. Banks doesn't like TO have me
\ - - III. ,,,ho, ba - OF bome. he SAWS