The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-12
Miss Ritter's Question.

Miss Ritter is the school.teacher at
"The Corners" and boards at different
places in the district. She was in to see
me the othor day, and, somehow, the sub
| Jet drifted on to self.denial. After q
few minutes Of silent thought, MISS Rit-
ter, said:
| "Tbere are two kinds of self.sacrifce
I've been reading Jane Carlyle's letters,
and do you know l think that woman
committed sin in commencing such a
life of self.abnegation with her bus
band. She ought to have denied her.
self from the first the pleasure of sac
rifciUg herself for her husband. But
what grieves me most is to think
there are to-day, and right among us,
many another Jane Carlyle in the lead
ing of lonely, unloved lives, and, like
her, looking forward to the grave for
peace and rest. Why, I'd rather be an
uuloved old maid to the end of my life,
than to love and have my love turned to
ashes while my husband was living, as it
didlin the heart of Mrs. Carlyle, and as
it is doing in the hearts of other wives
married to selfish men. To be married
to man, and to be parted as wide as
eternity before he dies, and yet walk
alongside in this world, is the most pitiful
life can imagine.
"There is Mrs. Smith, who died in
Oregon last year. Before they moved out
West used to stay there great deal.
remember one evening her husband came
in to supper something after this manner :
Walking through the entry he brought his
hat and coat and threw them on the
lounge in the dining room, and walked on
out into the kitchen, where his wife was
working, saying:
"What supper not ready yet ?
" 1t is half an hour earlier than usual,
replied his wife.
"Thst don't make any difference. 1t
is time it ought to be ready. 1t is al,ooys
this way, no matter when | come
"Mrs. Smith made no reply; but sat
where | could see her face, and an express
sion of pain passed over it, as if she had
received blow.
"Mr. Smith knew she had been up
several times with the baby the night be-
fore, and had awakened in the morning
with headache, and, to use her own ex.
preston, had felt so miserable she could
hardly drag one foot after the other, but
had done her usual Mondays washing
and picking up of papers and books scat.
tered over the house the day before.
"Seems to me never find my meals
ready continued the man, not noticing
or not caring about the tired look on the
face of his wife. AN you have to do il
just to see to things here in the house
while have been tramping all over town
in this hot sun. Everything has gone
wrong to-day. Newton has gone back on
his word, and I'll warrant shall lose 8
thousand dollars by him.
"After short pause he continued:
"Newton will not sell that land thai
joins my section. He must have learned
that the railroad was going that way. II
warrant you told his wife; 'twould be JUS
like woman
"For about quarter of an hour Mr.
Smith poured this kind of oil and balm
on the heart of his wife, until he felt hi:
own annoyances less. After few min
utes' silence, he said, in quick, harst
tone:
"Do take that baby. He is enough t
kill nation, with his everlasting howl
should think he'd get sick of the SOUND
, of his own voice..
| "H His teeth trouble him can't you
! take him few minutes, while | take W
the supper p and, with another sigh, Mrs
Smith placed the youngest of seven chill
dren in his fathers arms, while thought
How glad that woman must be that sh
! has four of her children safe in heaven
A., do hope they can't look down on theil
mothers agony at these times when theil
father enters the house.
" "Come, now, hush your crying salt
, the thoughtless - no, hedrtless father
What is the use in whinipg2 1t doe
: no earthly good The little one-year.olc
man ceased his pitiful cry, as he restee
in his fathers strong arms, but the on
forty years old commenced again hi
TRADE:
"'That stock 1 bought at Vernon's
shall lose on. Never should have bough
it if you had not persuaded me to do it
That is all man ever makes by listening
to woman
" why, Edward, did not "persuade
you. When you first spoke of it though
it did not seem for the best, but at las
| said, "Do as you think right about it.
That was all said
"He was silent minute, and his DO,
about twelve raised his head from hi
book, and gave his father anything but
look of reverence, and, going to his mother
took the pitcher from her hand, saying
l can go after the cream, mother
al blessed that boy for his gentl
thoughtfulness, although l saw his mothe
wipe tear from her face with corne
of her apron.
al presume you think l have exaggei
ated Mr.. Smiths language" said Mis-
Ritter, "but have not. He often spok
in this way to his wife, and he is not tn
only man who does this. They vary thei
language according to the degree of re
finement possessed, but the best of mel
are essentially coarse and selfish, at times
with their wives. 1 remember the frs
time l ever heard man blame woman
My father was Christian gentleman
and men in my eyes then were gods.
: 81 was quite young, and went with m.
= parents to visit friends OF the family whit
had met with great loss OF property.
The gentleman, after giving an &C
count of the transaction, said: If