American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-07-24
SEEING HIMSELF AS OTHERS SAW
HIM.

"Oh, wad some power the giftie gle us,
To see ourseis as ithers see US :.
81 really wish. Dora, you could have
coffee tit to drink once a week." said
Edward Tay lor to his wife. Why not
try my method-pour in cold water
and let it just come to boil?"
IL did this morning." answered Mrs.
Taylor. pleasantly, .. and this is the re-
suit. 1 knew you would find fault with
it,
Dora, any one would think to hear
you speak that l was in the habit of
finding fault. Thank Heaven that ism t
one of my failings. 1 never find fault.
/ make a suggestion now and then.
But, and he tasted his coffee again
- this is certainly better than we
usually have The flavor is excellent,
but mild
Very mild" said his wife.
Are these fritters, or are they lead r'
asked Mr.. Taylor, shortly after.
They are fritters, Edward. and ex-
cellent ones, too" said his sister, Mrs.
Fred Hastings, plying his wife's morti-
fication.
~ am glad if you can eat them"
said Mr.. Taylor. Here, Fred, try n
hot one; perhaps it will be a tribe bet
ter;' passing the plate to his sisters
husband, who was also Dora brother.
The two friends had exchanged sisters
when they married five years before.
"Now please excuse me, / have inn
portant business down town that takes
me away earlier than usual" He put
on his hat and gloves aud-pulled off
button
Dora. why can't you sew on a but
ton so it will stayP"
Those gloves are the ones you
bought yesterday. Edward" replied
Mrs. Taylor.
1.-The more reason why you should
have looked at them. Sale work isn't
intended to be permanent. But no mat
ter, can do very well without buttons"
said he, with an injured air.
Leave them at home and take your
others, do,' urged his wife; Il will
sew on the buttons SO that you can
have them this afternoon. Stay, will
do so now. 1t will take but minute
lam in a hurry, as l told you; and
should not have bought new gloves at
all if my old ones had been fit to wear.
But matter of one missing button is
nothing for me-" Mr.. Taylor's tone
dozen could disturb his equanimity.
"Dorar' exclaimed Mrs. Hastings,
after he was gone, "does Edward al
ways find as much fault as he has this
morning?''
Mot always" replied Dora. She
omitted to say that he often did much
more. Edward doesn't mean half he
says It is a habit, and one that he
doesn't know he has at ALL
90 1 can plainly see he thinks himself
a martyr. What an abominable combi-
nationr' said his outspoken sister.
Zone might take him to be an idiot, but
know he isn't, and he is kind-hearted
and loves you dearly"
'Yes, Kate" spoke up Fred. Med
is good fellow, and would be the first
to condemn in others what he does him.
self"
90" said his wife, eagerly, g have
an idea"
keep it. my dear, till you get
another to go with it, said Fred, teaz-
ingly. But Kate did not notice the iu-
terruption.
Dora. let us show Edward up to
himself as he is. using Fred for mirror,
you know"
How? I don't think I understand,
exactly" replied Dora.
why, let Fred find fault with me
just as Edward does with you; and
and then he can see how he likes it.
OF course. he must not suspect that it
isn't Fred's real manner. He won't,
for you know it is five years since we
Fred is capital at theatricals, and will
do my best to be as meek as you are.''
And bright, talkative little Mrs. Hast
ings kissed her sister-in-law, while a
sympathetic tear stood in her eve.
81 will agree to it, if Dora does not
object" said Fred, for he was fully as
indignant as his wife at DOra'S treat
ment.
Dora was as straightforward and con-
scientious as she was gentle; however,
Kate overruled her objections, and so
the matter stood when Mr.. Taylor re-
turned in the evening. He was unusu-
ally pleasant, and disagreeably sur
prised at Fred's fault finding manner
Seemingly Kate could do nothing with
out being called to account by her hus-
band.
Kate" as his wife took up a book
they were both reading, evil you or
will you not leave that book mark where
i placed it?''
"Why, I haven't touched it." said
she, 9. it is at the ninth chapter. Isn't
that the placer" J
How do 1 knowp If did, should
be apt to need book-markP"
He ought to be sufficiently inter-
ested not to need one, ought he not,
Kate said Mr.. Taylor, pleasantly
"Yes-but Fred and she stopped
and looked away.
'But Eyed WHAT" asked her hus-
band, gloomily. IF you have any fault
to find with me, don't hesitate, beg"
'Well, 1 was only going to say that
you seemed to like to find fault said
Kate.
"No, thank Heaven; that isn't one
of my failings, / only make sugges-
ton now and then. But what were
you saying, Ned, when Kate interrupted
us?"
"rve forgotten. But suppose we
have some music. Do you remember
how fond we used to be of singing
Annie Laurie we four?"
..Yes. indeed" said Kate. "Let us
sing it Tonight
"Where is the music, Dora?" asked
Mr.. Taylor.
I'm sure L don't know, haven't
seen it in long time.'' $50
81 do wish. Dora, that you had your
senses about you little oftener. My
mother used to say that she could
go in the darkest night and find any
article in the house. But perhaps we
can sing it from memory.
'But for bonny Annie Laurie
would lay me down and die"
hummed Mr.. Taylor in his melodious
tenor.
How much easier it is for a man to
die for a woman-in song-than it is to
live for her and make her want to live,
too said Kate