The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-05-19

! We are In ourselves Is everything. w
must be the centres of our own world of hap.
piness, or our lives will be incomplete
Can fine establishment like this, in which
live in weak dependence, fill the measure
of my desires? Can it bring peace and
contentment? No, no, Henry. The hum
blest apartments, shared with you, would
be palace to my soul instead | am not
speaking with the romantic enthusiasm of
an ardent girl, but soberly, truthfully,
Henry. No, dearest, we will not make our
lives wretched by living apart, because we
cannot make fair appearance in other peo-
pies eyes. God has given us love for each
other, and the means of happiness If we
will use them Let us take His good gifts
in thankfulness. You have an income OF
twelve hundred dollars. We must not ex-
pect to live as those do who have as many
thousands year. Be that folly far from
us, Henry 1 am equal to the self-denial
it will require, if the word ''self-denial is
to be used Are not you also? Oh,
Henry is there any joy to be imagined
beyond that which flows from the conjunc-
ton of two loving hearts and shall pride
and weak spirit of social conformity come
III to rob us of our blessing ?
The young man had come, sternly re
solved to put off the day Of marriage He
parted from his betrothed that night, look
ing forward with golden-hued hopes of its
arrival. They had talked over the future
practically and sensibly. The lovers fond
pride, which had looked to fair social APP
pearance for his young wife, gave place to
a better view of things. He saw that his
love had fixed itself upon a true woman,
and that in the humber sphere in which
their lot was cast all attainable happiness
was in store for them, if they would but
open their hearts in an orderly way for its
reception. One thing said to him by Rosa
in that evenings talk we repeat for the
sake of young wives, OF maidens on the
eve of marriage:
''Be mine, dear Henry she sid, "the
task of ordering and regulating our dOmes-
tic affairs in conformity with your means
[ will give all thought to that. Your in
come is fixed, and [ shall know exactly the
range of expenditure we must adopt. Do
Tot fear debt and embarrassment. These
wretched forms shall never enter your home
while [ stand sentinel at the door. If the
husband gives his life to care and work,
shall not the wife do the same? If he
provide to the best of his ability, shall not
she dispense with wise frugality his earn
ings? She that fails to do this, is not
worthy of her position.
And 50 you are bent on this folly 2
said the bachelor clerk, on the day pre-
ceding that on which Adrian was to be
married.
eyes, if you choose to call it folly" was
the answer
'Where are you going?
1--WE shall 90 nowhere
What! Not make bridal tour p
No. A clerk who only receives sal
airy of twelve hundred dollars can't afford
to spend two hundred in making a bridal
tour"
Mr.. Blair shrugged his shoulders and
arched his eyebrows, as much as to say !:
''If couldn't afford bridal tour I'd not
marry
On the day after Adrian's wedding, he
was. at his usual place in the counting
house. He received from his fellow clerks
few feeble congratulations. Most of
them thought him fool to burden HIM
self with wife not worth dollar.
when [ marry, I'll better my condi-
tion-not make it worse Was the unspO-
ken thought of more than one.
"Where are you boarding? asked Mr..
Blair, indifferently, two or three weeks at
ter Adrian's marriage.
Nowhere" was replied ave are at
housekeeping"
"What ~
cat housekeeping.
"What is your rent p
1.-TWO hundred dollars, and half of that
my wise, good little wife is to pay in music
lessons to our landlady's daughters. We
have two pleasant rooms in Il fine old
country mansion in New Jersey, not an
hours ride from here. | furnished these
with the money it would have taken for
the usual bridal tour Rosa has the use
of the Kitchen and insists on doing her
own cooking and housework for the pres
ent. | demurred, and do demur; but she
says that work is worship if performed
conscientiously and dutifully, as she is
performing it. And, with all this, we are
happy, Mr.. Blair, as you shall witness.
Tomorrow you must pay us visit, take
tea, and spend the evening"
Mr.. Blair accepted the invitation. He
had met Rosa occasionally before her mar
riage, and knew her to be bright, accom-
plished young woman, fitted to move in
refined and intelligent circles, and he felt
some curiosity to see her in her new posi-
ton of mistress and maid to her own house
hold. The train took Mr.. Blair to within
a short distance of the home where Henry
Adrian and his courageous wife were To-
Gated. A few minutes walk brought him
to the old place, with its fine, healthy,
country aspect. Expecting him by that
train, Adrian and his wife were on the pi-
azza, prepared to receive him, and after
the customary greetings they led him up
stairs to their apartments with STAN
mering apologies for their poor home, but
with such ease and self possession-with
such a happy light in their eyes, and with
such loving smiles about their lips-that
Mr.. Blair found himself all at once trans
ferred to an earthly paradise. As soon as
opportunity came for observation, he be-
bame interested in nothing except what
was around him.
The furniture of the room into which he
had been ushered could scarcely have been
palmer. In the centre stood small break
fast table, covered with snowy cloth, and
set for three persons. Four caneseat chairs
workstand, hanging shelf for books, a
mantel ornament or two of no special value
an ingram carpet on the floor, and plain
white curtains looped back with blue rib.
bons, made up the complete inventory
No, not the complete inventory; for there
was piano against the wall, the dark case
and plain style of which showed it to be nc
recent purchase. The instrument had beer