Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-11-25
Not a Matter ofLife and Death


choking with sobs.
"Why, what has happened.
my dear?" said Il swect-toned,
gentle woman, as She opened
the door OF Il dainty room open
ing on one side upon the@excit-
ing life OF Paris aud on the 9th
er toward the restiul groves of
Fonlainebleau in the distance.
s'It's hateful here" said the
first speaker, a beautiful young
woman Of perhaps twenty, who
lay weeping on the lounge. 81
want to so back to America. l
wish I'd never been married.
We had promised to go this
morning to Versailles with a
party of friends, and because it
looked like rain Mr.. James re-
fused to go. / plead and beg
ged, but he has fearful will,
and we both got angry, and he
then left house. j didn't suppose
l could get so provoked with a
person have really loved"
"And do love now" said the
gentle woman, who took the
hand Of the excited young vile.
mo, | don't, Mrs. Chester.
/ wouldn't care if / never saw
Wilbur James again. | should
think his first desire in life, af-
ter taking me- from a lovely
home, would BE to make me
happy. He likes his own way,
and that is all he cares for, and
he simply has the physical pow
er to carry it out, but that be-
gets 10 love. Pm glad he
knows | hate him, for L told
him so this morning. What
right has he to tell me what j
shall do and what l shall not?
Ii he had been kind and gentle
| would have done anything for
him, but when he takes author
ity upon himself | hate him. y
''But it might be worse, 'sug-
gested Mrs. Chester. "What if
he drank, or was prolane or i'm
moral! Life is never perfect
for anybody, and your lot, my
dear, is bliss compared with
many woman. But for Mr..
james will he would probably
lose half his force of character"
II wouldn't care if he weren't
smart at all, said the indignant
girl, SIT be wouldn't use so much
control. l never was governed
and / never will be. Not one
man i'll a hundred knows how to
be gentle with Il wife. lie frets
at :he slightest things, never
confides IN her, and soon their
lives grow apart. Do you think
Wilbur would have acted like
this before we were married?
He would have said, 4 fear it
will iot be wise to go, but /
will consult vour pleasure Ny
heart was set upon going to
Versailles with those friends,
and | had promised"
And the pretty, sel-willed
wife broke out alresh in her
sobbing.
'And Why did Mr.. James
leave yeu?n said Mrs. Chester.
81 suppose because / told him
| hated him, and would go back
to America as soon as i could.
/ suppose he loves me, though
he treats me like child, and l
will not be governed, and that's
the end O. H."
Hetty James was a petted
girl who, naturally amiable, had
been INDUCED in every wish by
very fond parents. She had
welded, as most girls do, ex-
pecting to find perfection, and
had awakened To the Tact that
marriage has duties as well as
pleasures; that for most of us,
whether men or women, it be-
comes necessary TO adjust our
plans or desires to others needs:
to have no will Of our own un-
less stern principle is involved.
Love is, in its best sense, a sac
lificc, yet one that pays.
No man mlrries with the plan
Of giving his whole life to self
Ish ends, whether it be TO pleas
IRE or even study or philanthro-
Ply, and even makes life a sue
cess. That end is attained only
by considerate thought for 9th
srs, little attentions such as one
gives constantly in the formali-
les. Of social life, and grateful
The man who
ives for self, had better thou
sand times remain unmarried |.
han tie another into bondage.
The woman who has only her .
,wn personal ambition i'll view
Usually proves a curse rather :
han Il blessing. To live for
others is the only true life in
ociety, the church, but, most
# all, iii the home. and faiInre- Ii