Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-12-15
From Harpers Monthly fer December
MRS. FLINTS MARRIED EX-
PERIENCE.

| Well, Mindwell, / have counseled q
good deal about it was happy as
the dav is long with your father.
don't say but what / ceaved to this
world considerable more than was good
for my grow th in grace. He was about
the best But it pleased the Lord to
remove him. and it was quite spell
before could really submit; the ma
terial man rebelled, now l tell you !!
You can't never tell what it is to lose
a companion till you experience it,"
A faint color, vanishing as rapidly as
it came, almost as if ashamed that it
bore witness to the emotion within
her, rose to Mindwell Pratt's face as
her mother spoke. She was a typical
New England woman-pale. serious,
with delicate features, grave, dark
eyes, tall, slight, undeveloped figure,
graceful from mere Inconsistencies,
awkward and angular otherwise. You
could compare her to nothing but some
delirate and slender tree of the forest
that waves its fragile but hardy
branches fresh and green in spring
time, and abides undaunted the worst
blast of winter, rooted in the assures
of the rock, fed by the bitterest show
ers, the melting shows, the furious hail
that bends but never breaks it perfect
in It's place, fitted utterly to its sur
roundings. Her mother, the widow
Gold, was externally like her; but
deep in Mindwell's heart Law strength
of character and acuteness of judg-
ment the elder woman did not possess,
and reticence that forbade her to eX-
press sympathy even with her moth
er's sorrow, further than by that re-
luctant blush, for sympathy implied an
expression of ber love for her husband
"a hidden treasure she could not pro-
fame by speech. which found its only
demonstration in deeds, and was the
chief spring of her active and devoted
life as wife and mother
Mrs. Gold had been happy woman
as she said, while her husband lived
and had not yet ceased to reproach
herself for mourning him so bitterly
The religion of New England at that
time was of a stern tye; it demanded
a spiritual asceticism of its followers,
and virtually forbade them to enjoy
the blessings of this life by keeping
them in borrid and continual dread Of
"the pains of hell forever" as their
catechism expressed it. 1t was their
purpose to work out their own saliva
tion with fear and trembling under
curse Of the law; the gospel was pro-
found and awful mystery, to he longed
for afar of; no more daily bread than
the show-bread of the Temple.
They lived, and worked, and suffer
ed and died, with few exceptions in an
awful sense Of flying time brief proba-
ton, an angry God. certain hell. but
a very uncertain heaven. No wonder
that they were austere and herd the
wonder was that even natural temper
ament and mental organization should
ever resist this outside pressure. and
give play to humor. or fancy. or pas
sion Of anv sort Yet in this faithless
faith Law elements Of wonderful
strength; the compelling force of duty
made men nobly honest. rieidlv up-
right. Just as far as their narrow views
allowed and true to the outward rela-
tio-s Of this life. however thev violated
their inner principle and meaning
Speculation, drfalration. divorce. were
crimes thew called hv other names than
these. and abhorred. Can we say as
much for ourselves? ? However we
NAV sheer at Puritanism it had its
strong virtues, and it's outgrowth was
honesty, decencv and respect for law
A share Of such virtues would be worth
much to us now.
"Mrs. Gold was ~ professor" and
it bebooved her to submit TO the will
OF God when her husband died. He
had been n strong. generous. warm
hearted man; and though undemon-
strative .es his race. his wife had been
loved and cherished as the very bios
som Of bis life. She was o sweet. fair
girl when Ethan Gold married her.
clinging and dependent bv nature.
though education had made her hard
worker; but her fragile beautv and
soft temper bad attracted the strength
|
together had been exceptionally hap
nv. Then fever struck him down in
his fnll prime. and their only child. q
girl Of six. could but Just remember all
her life that she once had father
whose very memory was sacred. Fif-
teen years Of mourning Mt first deeply.
then steadily. Mt last habtuallv. and
rather as a form than feeling, passed
away,
Ethan had left bis wife with
"means," 40 that poverty did not vex
her: and now Mindwell was grown
woman, and married to Samuel Pratt.
wel-to-do young farmer Of Cole
brook-a hearty, jovial young fellow,
whose fnn and animal spirits would
bubble over in spite Of reprovine ewes
and tongues. and who came into Mind
Wells restrained and reserved life like
burst Of sunshine Are the wild
blossoms grateful To the sun that dra wa
them with powerful attraction from the
cold sod.
"Whcre they together,
All the cold weather,
Keep home alone?"
Perhaps their odor and color are for
him who brings them to the light and
delight Of life. Mindwell's great fear
was that sbe made an idol Of her hus-
hand; vet he certainly had not an idea
that she did.
If the good soul had stopped to an
alyze the relation between them. his
consciousness would have been found.
when formulated. to be that his wife
bore with him as saints do with rather
amusing sinners. while he worsbipped
her as even the most humorous Of sim
ncrs do sometimes secretly worship
saints But what the wife did not ac-
L,ou,IaJ,,o or tho huohopd norceiva no