Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-04-11

pleasure in counting two delicate, ILL.,
governed children, whose pretty faces
were blanched by confinement in the
close hot air, and whose tempers
were forever made peevish by the ar
rangement of their long yellow curls,
and the care of their elaborate dresses.
The chill, dark parlor was usually
empty ill-dusted, and swept by
careless. hireling hands, that had left
their d acing marks on all the ele.
CANT tribes he had gathered here for
his wife, when he adorned it for their
future home. The music she no lon
ger played the books she never read;
the treasures of art and taste which
he had accumulated for her sake, but
at which she hardly looked. lay for.
COTTON aud forsakeu IN this cold, bar
rem, deserted place All the life in
the house struggled and screamed up
stairs in the unwholesome room with
the barred window, where Amy sat
with her feeble darlings and wrought
fine robes for their warrington else
it was chattering with an Irish
brogue, in those unknown regions be-
low stairs, where cook, and chamber
maid and waiter, wasted his sub !.
stance with no supervision but their
own.
Often he wondered if other houses,
other wives were like this and so,
instead of dark and lonely rooms,
there came to be full and lighted club.
houses; in place of genial affection
ate companionship, more general and
more frivolous society; for want of
satisfying food and drink at proper
hours, the ever-craving appetite for
pipe and cigar, the artificial need of
wine or other stimulant, the frequent
necessity Of delicate and sumptuons
restaurant fare, after a series of re-
pulsive meals at homeland the grow,
ing taste he felt in himself, and saw
in others about him, for public places
and scenes, amusements of the hour !;
the excitements and dissipation of
gay and fashionable life. into which
many of his associations tended to
cast him. Naturally sociable, agree
able and genial fond of all beautiful
an d pleasant things, repulsed by the
GOODNESS and narrowness of his domes-
tic life, be was drifting away from the
existence and influence of his uncon
scious wife, with whom he had hoped
to be so happy.
And had Amy no charm to hold
him back, in the beauty, the youth,
the sweetness, that had once won
him How should she, when she neg
lected those strong attractions, in SUI
preme Ignorance that they were need
| ed. 1t had never occurred to her to
doubt her husbands love, more than
that of her parents, from whom it was
her greatest grievance that she had
been separated by removal to a dis
tant city. Had they still been near
her, it is hardly likely that their dot
ing eyes would have seen the error of
her conduct-an only petted daughter
selfish and idolized, they had never
permitted her TO feel The pain at a
care, fear, or responsibility that
others couid assume. and she knew
none now. 1t had not been suggested
to her on what different grounds a
husband love is founded and how
much more difficult to bear are the
burdens of united life.
She still loved her husband-stiIl
would have chosen him for such from
all others-never quarreled with, new
er doubted, scarcely thought of him.
stimulous, the animus of doubt or fear
Or hope concerning him, were gone
the excitements OF admiration, gayety,
publicity removed, her lite had fallen
into very dull and sluggish coarse,
of whose dead level even her love
partook. She fancied she did her
duty in sparing her husbands purse,
when she failed to demand extrava
CANT toilettes for herself, or yearly
visits to fashionable watering places,
like many wives she knew, but wore
old dresses, how much easier to don
and stayed at home, or went to quiet
country houses, where she could lie
on the sofa all day, and stitch at her
darling embroidery, unmolested by
any presence-even that of her hus.
band, which would make it necessary
to rise and dress. She knew she
was a good mother, for was she not
always with her children, and were
they not ROBBED, mostly by her labors,
in rich and costly things that other
women bought in France ?
i In this peaceful complacency she
rocked and sewed, startled only by
an occasional ring, which might, bu,
happily did not, introduce visitor
to break upon the asylum she SO rare
ly sought in her parlor, and only il
the present case, to finish few las,
most most delicate and intricate stitch
es in her work. Visitors, indeed
came seldom; there was nothing tc
them attractive in the uncomfortable
house, tho ill-conditioned children
the uncompanionahle woman who sa
sewing. Among her gayer friends
!, she was classified as domestic anc
carefully avoided thenceforth how
! far deserving such censure or sucl
, praise, some more truly domesti,
/, could have told.
, She was reused from her absorbin.
/ and delightful task, by her husband
; entrance. 1t did not disturb her, sh
was far too unconscious and langui,
for that; she did not even draw bacl
! the little ili.slippered foot, or shak
$ out her tumbled skirt she scarcel
: looked up, except to see that it wa
not the servant, come to replenish th
3 failing fire.
t Her husband walked to the heart
e aud stood by 1t moment wi.hou
r speaking. He was in full evenin,
: dress, aud locking very handsome
t He had saong regard for persona
K appearance, and his wife's careless
1 ness in this respect, ceaselessly an
/, noyed, almost revolted him. I'll
s looked at her now, with somethin
K like disgust, as his fancy depicts
s the contrast from some delicate, re
e fined ladies' of her own rank, wit
d tressy hair and shining robes; wome
To whom nature had baep for los