The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-04-14


are merry.
In time, when people had we'll
| nigh forgotten this wonderful socia
event, there came forth dark rumor
of disagreement and jansliag in. til,
home of May and December. H,
loved the domestic Preside, as oil,
men do. He dozed over his news
paper, or slumbered noisily with hi.
handkerchief over his head, while
she fretted and pouted, unad,niret
and neglected. Would SHE go -ou
into the bright sunshine and oper
the petals of her sweet young life ir
The sun rays? He would rather stay
Indoors ana mouse among musty
dusty law books and political CORES
pondtnce. Then he grew jealons
Tor he rightly thought that young
woman, though wife, might readi
y be attracted by young mau's
winsome face, when the old man $
face was often ciouded. 1t was not
in human nature for a bright and
charming young woman to extin-
guish her light and sit down in the
twilight of the aged.
So they qusrrcled violently, even
land some gossips went so far as to
say that he lost his temper and
pinched her black and blue. For
the honor of the much abused male
sex, let us believe that this part Of
The story is not true. But they did
actually separate. After months Of
nnhappincss and pickering, she full
filled chat, awful threat Of many an
other married woman and went home
to her mother. Then the gossips
wagged their heads, and said, 81 told
YOU So She said that she had
borne his harshness, tyranny and
unreasonable Jealousy long enough.
He said that she was a giddy, frivo-
lous thing running after wild young
blades, and no fit nate for sober
and dignifiea middle aged gentle
man. Curio,ly enough, none of
these reflections seem to have drop
ped into The minds of either before
they were married. They both had
thought that they would be the frs,
old husband and young wife who
should live happily together. They
had left nature entirely out Of their
calculations. s,.....a
This is al old story, as old as the
time Of Solomon. Men lave fooled
themselves in this sad fashion ever
since the world began. And the un
s. mpatlctic part Of mankind has
ever remarked of Tire dcluled one,
1T serves him right Somehow,
most people make no allowance for
tie delusious Of age. The old man
who marries young wife honestly
thinks that he will be a fond and de-
voted husband, and that she will be
Il faithful wife. They both agree
that this is possible of them. And
if she is dazzled by his public and
social position, she is. doubly sure
that her great reverence will be the
guardian Of their conjugal love. But
even great men may be mean. A
certain high and mighty American
Senator, now no more, was wont to
show wrinkled front when his
young wife wore ribbons 10 her hair,
or called him by his Christian name
/, So wien May sbiyered in the arms
of December, and lie pinched her as
they do say) black and blue, the
riches and honor which be had
brought into her life were gone.
What is it to the far young wife
that her husband is famed or honor
ed by the world if he "nags" her at
home, keeps her tied to the leg of
his library table, and occasionally
lays bis hand in violence upon herp
She might have known better. He
might have known better. Young
though she was when she married
him, she must have heard it said
that there is no fool like an old fool,
And he ought to have had sense
enough to know that man verging
on three score years and ten is no
fitting mate for a young girl. We
hear much nowadays of that incom-
patibility of taste and temper which
rives the marriage bond. But there
is no incompatibility like that which
nature places betwixt youth and old
age.
The mature man, far this side of
son;i;ti, iru,nr.Il,. f.a4, - Il