The Monitor., 1885-09-25
HER ONE TALENT.


specially accomplished. She is past the
first rpsc-bloom of early youth, and her
means are limited OF the higher cduca-
ton, such as girls receive now at Welles-
ley and Vassar, she knows nothing. for,
having been delicate child, she studied in
Il desultory fashion with her father at
home, picking up such crumbs of learning
as fell from her brothers table when they
were preparing for college.
Ten years ago, when she was married to
Tom Dean, everybody said it was wonder
that Tom had fancied that plain little thing
Tom had only to choose, and he might
have had the loveiest bride in three town.
ships.
''What a pity" thought the wiseacres,
that young men will be in such haste
The other Dean boys have married so well,
too!''
Ten years ago Lottie Dean realized that
she was extremely unlike her brilliant hus-
band. She did not, in fact, do herself JUS
tice in her modest self depreciation. She
knew she had not Leila's charm of manner,
that when Gertrude, with her rare coloring
and starry eyes, came into the drawing
room, she herself grew shadowy and pale
by contrast; and when Margaret, with her
culture and wide, keen intelligence, was
present, she, silent little Lottie, was more
than ever timid mouse in the corner. Yes,
Lottie concluded, George and Harold and
Louis had all more reason to be proud of
their wives than Tom has to boast of his;
yet'here the brown eyes would grow soft
and misty, and the sweet look on the sal
low face we'll nigh transfigure it; she loved
Tom and Tom loved her, and she would
try, please God, to make him happy.
Ten years ago Lottie Dean had bemoaned
to herself her lack in any striking peculiar
ity, and distinctive talent. ''Some have
so many she thought, 81 have not even
one. Not one to fold away in napkin,
and take out now and then, to look at.
so stupid as T.
Meanwhile, distressing as was the
thought of her lack of ability and attain
ment whenever she dwelt upon it, she did
not often sit down and brood over it
sadly.
There's one comfort, | can keep house
tolerably," she whispered to herself, as she
planned the delicate, dainty meals, abun-
dant, well cooked, and we'll served; Or as
she arranged the home-like apartments,
where no speck of dust or grimy spot was
ever suffered to remain but which still
were not aggressively and fcrbiddingly
clean-which invited tired man to rest,
and were not too fine to be Uttered with
books and papers, if it pleased him to
bring work home from the Office, and
write in the evening, with the little wife
sitting by, her knitting or fancy-work in
her hands.
Margaret Gertrude, and Leila all had
more trouble in the home management
than Lotte had, for Lottie had the gift for
guiding the house without friction, and at
taching her warm-hearted Irish girl to her
with the graphing hooks of real affection.
And this is, in these days, gift to be
grateful for.
Tom observed one day. as he tucked his
wife's little hand under his arm, on their
way to concert
''There' one talent you have, my darling.
beyond any one else in the world; it's the
talent of having time enough for every
thing"
The question of the talent had often
come up between them, and was almost
the only one in which they had a decided
difference of opinion. So sure was the
husband that Lottie was endowed beyond
most of her sex, that he regarded her
diffidence as a positive merit, and sur
veyed her with ever-increasing satisfaction,
while, from the vantage-ground of a home
so entirely his ideal that he accepted it as
though it were a suburb of paradise, which
by no possibility could do aught except
grow constantly more beautiful, he went
forth to the competitions of life, steadily
successful in all his enterprises.
Society, observing that each year was
bringing some new honor to Tom Dean,
was pleased to see its predictions fulfilled,
regretted that he had not the knack of
making money faster, but admitted that
man couldn't have everything and still
held firmly to its early opinion-that he
would have risen higher with more as
piring wife to help him. Society was
mistaken.
The quiet wife, who had time to love
him, share his hopes, listen to his views,
consult with him as to his plans, and make
his life supremely happy, was an element
in his success which counted more largely
than even the husband knew.
For good husbands, being only human
after all, are very apt to take good wives
for granted, and it is not often in this
world that any truly unseltish person gets
all the credit to which he or she is en-
titled. Tom was better than the average
of his sex.
He had characterized Lottie's talent
happily, and definitely too, when he said
she always had time for everything.
1t is rarer than you may imagine, unless
you have given your attention to it, to
find in this hurrying world being of the
ataa+ fax, xpbo ic Of wnrk without haste