St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-05-25
What They Both Thought.

1t was twenty-five minutes past sev-
en-. The buggy was at the door, to
take HIM to the train. His hand was
on the knob. "Good-bye," he called
out. There came tIom somewhere up
stairs, through the half-open door, il
feminine voice, "Good-bye; :" then he
had gone ont into the glad spring air,
odOrouS with the fOrctokens of coming
life and musical with the songs of the
nest builders. But there was no song
in his heart, no spring hope and light
i'm his life. as he took the rcins out of
the groom's hands and spoke to his inn
patient horse Il sharp "Get on - And
as he rode through the royal avenue
that led up to his house, this is what
he thought:
''If had been guest, Martha would
have been up and dressed. She would
have sat at the table and seen that my
coffee was good, and my eggs hot, and
my toast Drowned. And | should at
least have had Il parting shake of the
hand, and a hope expressed that |
would come again, and perhaps wave
of the handkerchief from the balcony.
| And should have carried away with
me that smile that is brighter than the
sunshine, as the last gift of her gra-
cious hospitality. 1t is a chance if she
would not even have proposed to ride
to the station with me, to see me off.
For she knows, if ever ii woman did,
how to welcome the coming and speed
the parting guest.
But am only her husband and |
can eat my breakfast alone, as if | were
il bachelor: and get my coffee muddy
! 4. I.,t Il hn,
: pens to make it and take eggs hard on
4 soft, and toast burnt or soggY, as il
chances to come from il careless cook.
And nobody cares. And when | go,
'Good-bve' is Hung after me like dry
bone after an i'll carcd-for cur. lIeigho
What's the use of being married any
way ~
And this is what she thought as she
put the last touches to her hair before
her glass. and tried hard to keep the
tears back from her eyes before she
f went down to see that the family break
fast was ready =
Il wonder if Hugh really cares any
r thing for me any more. When we were
: first married he never would have gone
off in this way with IL careless Good
: bye tossed up stairs as he might toss {
we'll cleaned bone to Il hungry dog. III,
I would have found time to run up anC
t kiss me goodbye, and tell me that h,
4 missed me at breakfast, and ask if
, was sick. He is gracious to his friends
/ perfect gentlman to every one bu
d his wife. | believe he is tired of me
D wish cOuld let him go. 1t would b,
= hard for me but if it would he bette
# for him Well! Well | mustn't thinl
e such things as these. Perhaps he doe
e love after all. But but it is comm.
J. to be hard to believe it,"
: And so with Il heavy heart she wen
}. back to her work. And the April SUI
!. laughed in at the open windows, ant
n the birds chirped cheer to her all day
Il and the flowers waved their mos
graceful beckonings to her in vain /: al
r. for want of that one farewell kiss.
It Oh husbands and wives, will yO
I. never learn that love often dies q
+, slightest wounds; that the husban
r. owes no such thoughtful courtesy t
q any other person rs he owes his wife
= that the wife owes no such attentiv
1t consideration to any guest as she owe
10 to her husband that life is made up {
: little things, and that Ofttimes a littl
~ neglect is il harder burden for love I
v bear than an open and tiagrant wrong
T, II Christian Union.