, 1884-03-05

Eleanor Kirk in chronological Journal
For example, take the young lady who was
willing to leave kindred, wealth, society, and
all the refinement and Injuries to which she
had always been accustomed, to share the
fate of her fathers coachman. In this case
the reaction from the singular fascination il
said to have occurred within two days after
the nuptial knot had been tied. The sweet
and subtle something which had not only
made it possible for this girl to turn her back
upon a parents love, and a luxurious home,
but easy, and above all things desirable,
began to change into another subtle some
thing Just as soon az she was taken into the
more private and inner life OF the man whom
she had chosen for her husband out Of all the
world.
At first 1t was a slight, and to her a most
unaccouptable aversion The man was
kind, and as considerable as he knew how
to be. There was nothing to find
fault with. She had no wish to pick
flaws. On the contrary, all the pride of her
nature was in arms against any falling off of
the strength Of her affection. She had taken
a step which all the world disapproved. Be-
fore marriage she had been as confident of
the truth and staying power of her love for
this man, as she had been OF her own exit
ence. The slightest touch of his work
hardened hand thrilled her with the most ex-
quisite pleasure. No woman was ever. to all
appearance, more madly in love. No music
was sweeter to her ears than his coarse and
ungrammatical language. There was even
an extra fascination about this disregard of
conventional rules. She turned with real
pleasure from the conversation of scholars
and the refined gentlemen Of her own set to
the society of this man, who didn't know a
noun from an adverb, and who was as desti-
tute OF any intellectual originality as a clam.
This slight and inexplicable aversion after
an incredibly short time, deepened into posi-
tive dislike, and the sound OF his approach
ing footsteps which had once filed her heart
with the most eager delight, came to be like
the knel OF doom to her. Circumstances had
not been favorable TO a knowledge of her
husbands habits before marriage, but when
she came to sit opposite him at table, and
had ample opportunity to observe the way
in which he partook of food, this lover upon
which she had built such fond hopes of an
eternal union, began to totter and tremble
upon its throne. Because this man shoveled
his food into his mouth with his knife, and
leaned heavily upon tho table as he ate, and
smacked his lips appreciatively, his wife's
affection, which had been warranted to
stand the wear and tear OF time-poverty,
sickness and death, was perceptibly iessened.
Contempt in some measure took the place
OF the wild, passionate love which once had
filed her heart. Had he been unkind
and neglected her, she should still
have loved him 1t Is probable
that that he might have stayed out
night after night, and returned In the
gray Of the morning, drunk and bedraggled,
and her affection would not have wavered-
at least for some time; but vulgar manner
at the table she could not bear. An oc-
casional blow would not 50 quickly have
knocked the love from her nature as the neg
lect on her husbands part to remove his hat
when he came into her presence. Dissipa-