The Republican journal., 1883-09-27


think that a little of the time you spend
in writing to George and Henry might as
we'll be bestowed on me-"
This address was delivered in a tone
and manner Of mOurnful distress, which
might have been justified, perhaps, if
Mrs. Ashton had picked his picket as he
was going to church.
"What is the matter with this shirt ?"
asked Chrissey, quietly examining one of
the discarded garments. "It seems to
have all the buttons in their Hlaces; and
this one, too, is quite perfect; and here
is another. My dear husband how many
shirts do you usually wear at b time ~
ooh it is very we'll for yd u to smile,
my love, but do assure you found sew
eral with no means at all of fa Etening the
wristbands. We had breakfa st late, and
now | shall be detained half an hour,
when ought to be away. know you
mean we'll, but if you had ser9 red years
apprenticeship with my mother before
you were married, it might hd We been all
the better for your housekeepE ing"
1T might have prevented altogeth-
er," was repressed in a mohent. She
picked up and replaced the SC uttered APP
parel, folded the snowy cravats, warmed
her husbands overshoes, AMI d saw the
beautiful little communion sdrvice, pre-
stnted by lady of the parish, and con
secrated to such sufferers as Maggie Car
penter, was in readiness. Before he left
the house, Mr.. Ashton had forgotten
both his fretfulness and its cause. He
kissed his wife, thanked her fRr her trou-
bic, proposed that she should send for
Lilly to spend the day wit b her, and
strobe away with his usual plastic step
and pleasant face.
Chrissey watched him from the door
till he turned into the next street, and
then went back to the tiresid4 and to her
own reflections.
This trettulness and tend ency to be
greatly disturbed at little n alters vas
almost her husbands only lit. He was
self-sacriticing to the last de gree, faith
tul and indefatigable as an apostle in
almost all his professional la Iors, liberal
to a fault and in his admn istration of
parish matters wise and con cihating to
all. He could bear injuries, cal injuries,
with the greatest patterned and was
never known to harbor resen tment.
But with all these good q halities, Mr.
Ashton had one tault-a FAULT which
threatened to disturb and finally to de-
stroy the comfort of his married life. If
his wife, 10y extravaganza Or bad man
agement, had wasted his ind0me and in
vOlved him in difficulties, it is probable
that he would never have sp oxen an un-
kind word to her; but the fl let of but
ton being missing, or a bob bk removed
from its place, would producE a lamenta-
tion half indignant and half pathetic,
which wrung in Chrissey ca s, and made
her heart ache long after element had
forgotten the circumstance altogether.
Strange as it may seem, Mr.. Ashton had
never thought OF this hab +, of which,
| indeed, lie was but impertectly conscious,
rs a fault.
He thought, indeed, that it was pity
| be should be so sensitive, a1d sometimes
said that he wished be had not such il
love for order and symmetry for then he
should not be so often ann Dyed by the
disorderly habits OF other people. He
| said to himself that it was 0 be of his pc
culiar trials-that even Chr |ssey, perfect
as she was. did not come III to his ideas
in this respect; but that his peculiar tr-
ais, as he was pleased to ca them, ever
became trials to other people, he did not
imagine. He had, indeed, remarked, in
| spite of himself, that Chrissf fy's face was
not as cheerful, nor her spirits as light.
as when they We're first married and he
regretted that the cares of housekeeping
| should weigh 50 heavily uI]On her: bat
nothing was further from his thoughts
than that anything in himsd If could have
produced the change.
Mr., Ashton, exhausted u it'll his days
work, turned towards ho1 o1ne with his
/ mind and heart full of all he had seen
and felt, He said very littlP during din
ler, but when the table Eas removed,
and he sat down in his dressing gown
and slippers before the fire, he related to
his wife all the events Of he day, des-
cribing, with the enthu4 4iasm of his
earnest nature, the patiell zee and holy
resignation he had witnesseH eH, and ended
| by saying:
"Certainly religion has Power to sus-
tain and console under all trials, and un-
der every misfortune"
Except the loss Of a button,' replied
| ChrlSSey, seriously. "Ihat is a mlStOr-
tune which neither philosophy nor relig-
ion can enable one to susta NJ
The Rev. Mr.. Ashton staI ted as though
pistol had been discharged at his ear
"Why, what do you mea n, Chrissey ?"
'Just what say" retur ped Chrissey,
with the same soberness. Yourself, for
| instance you can endure With the great
est resi- gnatiOn the loss Of friends and
misfortune; | never saw you rutfled by
rudeness or abuse from others, or show
any impatience under sew ere pain; but
the loss of a button from YOUR shirt, or Il
nail from the carpet, gives you a perfect
| right to be unreasonable, uhkind, and-I
| must say it-unchristian."
Mr. Ashton arose, and walked up and
down the room in some agl ltation.
81 did not think, my lo}e," he said at
last in trembling tone, that you would
attach so much Importance to a single
hasty word. Perhaps | sp Pike too quick
| ly: but even if it were s 0, did we not
promise to be patient with each others
intirmities? am sure al b very glad to
bear with"
Nv Ashton paused; hb was an emf
nently truthful man, and, Upon consider
! alton, he really could not remember that
he had ever had anything to bear from
his wife.
"'If it were only once, my dear hus-
band, ! should say nothinE about it but
you do not in the least Sc em aware how
the habit has grown upoh you. There
has not been a day this week in which
you have not made my heart ache by
some such outburst of edfuness"
Mr.. Ashton was aStOnShed but as he
began to reflect he was still more sur
prsed to find that his wi Ifes accusation
was quite true One day it had been
about the tront-dOOr mat, the next about
mislaid Review, and th pm about lost
pair of gloves, which aftef all were found
in his own pocket He felt that it was
all true : and as his cons acience brought
forward one instance after another of
unkindness, he sat down again and COW
cred his ce with his han uds
"But that is not the w6 6rst," continued
Chrissey, becoming agita ted in her turn.
al tear--1 cannot help fearing : that
shall be led to feel as ought not to-