Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-17

sometimes jolly, for our jeunesse doree are
not, as a rule, exact in their use of Ian
guage. but he means the quality which to
my mind is best described by the term sweet
tempered, and generally reply to him, in
one form or another: Certainly. That is
probably the one virtue whose presence
makes home home, instead OF a stopping
place, but do you find within yourself the
traits that will meet and reward such
royal giit?"
My young man generally confesses that
he does not, and parades various e1tenua-
tions tor mans irritability or violence, or,
worst of all, moodiness of temper, and still
insists that the wife, to be model wife,
should be provided with such supereroga-
ton of sweet temper that she can not only
contribute her own but her husbands share
of amiability to the family stock.
Well, don't wonder that the young man
feels this desire, and quite agree with him
that truly sweet temper is one of the
choicest gifts the airy godmother can bestow
upon woman, and-I only hope he may
find it
LITTLE TEMPERs.
In going about the world and receiving
the condolences both men and women so
freely bestow upon some of US, one cannot
but see with mingled wonder and pity how
many women spoil their own lives and
destroy with their own ruthless fingers the
illusions clothing every bride in her lovers
eyes, just by giving way to their little tenn
pers Little tempers!" The phrase always
suggests to me that other phrase Of 1.-THE
little foxes that spoil the grapes" If the
tempers are really little they should be very
easily restrained, and at least hidden, even
though, like the classic little fox Of the
Spartan boy, it gnaw deep in its conceal
ment. OF course, it is easier to let your
foxes run free, and when the joint propri-
etor of the vineyard says the grapes are
spoiled, to exclaim, "Oh, but it was such a
little onel How can you make fuss over
that?"
Woman's nerves are lightly set; the jar
that sets them all in thrill passes un elt
over the heavier organization of the man;
the breeze that to him is only a pleasant
stimulus is to her devastating storm. Last
nights hall or theat er party or reception is
to him slight feeling OF weariness, to be
dissipated by cold bath and an extra cup
OF coffee, while 10 her it is the waste of
weeks ordinary vitality. Her nerves are
OH edge, her vitalitv depressed, her mental
spectacles indigo-blue. The husband per-
haps is little suriy, perhaps little teas
ing, perhaps unwisely brings up some sore
subject or proposes some unwelcome plan.
Very little is enough, and the wife lets loose
the little foxes who snap and bark and drag
down the fair clusters OF grapes. until at last
the angry man rushes from his home mutter-
ing a mans almost brutal phrases of wrath,
and the wife remains weeping among the
torn clusters OF the domestic vine Or,
again, she has been all day worried and
worn with domestic cares, They are not
rich, and she has to do a great deal with
very little.
LITTLE WORRIES.
She does not want the children to fall be-
hind their natural comrades in schooling or
accomplishments or dress, and she has to
supply with her own fingers and her own
tired brain great many little devices of
the toilet and of amusement that other
mothers can buy. She grows little weary
OF the constant struggle, and her thoughts
revert to richer suitsr who could have
spared her all this and set her on a pinnacle
far above the woman whose children hers
are emulating, and, after ali, perhaps it
would have been better Just there she
stops, a little frightened at her own thoughts,
but when her husband comes home, all |
tired, also discouraged, also a little dis
gusted with life, he finds his wife silent or,
as he presently decides, sulky, and disposed,
if he talks to her Of his business worries, to !
hint very disparaging opinion of his abil- |
ity and methods. Naturally the man re.
sents this attack upon his prerogatiye of |
superior wisdom, and this time it is not a |
"tif,," but downright quarrel that ensues,
and perhaps that wins yard is never quite the |
fair and fragrant place it was before.
Or, the servants are provoking, and when |
becomes lmpertipent, and the mis-
tress loses her own temper and indulges her.
sell in scolding the delinquent, who vaguely |
feels that she has after all won the victory, |
for she has dragged her mistress down to her
own level, and the worst of it is that the
mistress ieels the same humiliating GER
tainty.
Or. the children are tire some and wear
ing, and the tired and nervous mother either
cannot or will not leave them to the care of
Others, but yet neutralizes her weary self
devotion by sharp reproo's. sarcasms that
sink far deeper than she knows, or angry
blows that only harden instead OF disciplin-
ing the child.
Then there is temptation to be simply
cross that assails every woman, though she
NAV have neither husband, child nor serv-
ant to spend it uDon, and this form of i'll
temper is perhaps the most subtle and dam
gerous OF all that assall woman's soul, for
it is all-pervading.
You wake up in the morning cross, your
toilet is vexatious and unsatisfactory, your
break fast is altogether distasteful, and YOU
are tempted to be sharp with the servant
who brings IT to you. The weather is Just
the kind you most dislike, the person you
wish to see is not at home, and the one you
don't want to see finds you at home. Every
body chooses disagreeable topics OF CONVEX
sation, and you nearly quarrel with your
best friend about the makeup of the new
Cabinet, although you care as little about
it as you do about most things The whole
day goes wrong until either time or your
own resolution, or the advent of some bright,
sunny, resolute friend drags you back to
good humor almost despite yourself.
DEATH OF LOVE.
Yes, the little tempers are very various,
and many OF them very contemplate, but,
for all that, their aggregate force is some
thing tremendous, and, given time and lib
erty enough, they will not only spoil the
pes, but ruin the whole vineyard and lay
il Waste.
Did you ever hear of the man who, when
told that he was to go to his wfe's funeral
in the same carriage with his mother-in-
law, replied mournfully, every we'll. if you
have arranged it SO; but it will spoil all my
pleasure"
1 always felt that that dead wife and her
mother had given way to great many little
tempers, before the widower's grief found in
sIinetive utterance after this fashion. 1
dare say the man was "aggravating," and
perhaps worse; 1 dare say the wife and her
mother could have said good deal on their
- - k1a Al.