The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-05-28

osophic uncle. ,
ooh. John, look, look!" she exclaimed,
pointing to some words OF the other sloe
| of the plate:
Between blisI hate
Doth oscillate
| Your moral fate"
ooh, darling" and the poor girl was
about to sob in her fear. "Shali we not
send for mother?"
"send for your motherl" I repeated.
"Send for fiddlesticks, said 1, with reck-
less irreverence. "Why, see there!
Look?" and along the side of the instru-
| ment were the words: "Bliss heat, 1So
degrees; affection, 100 degrees; friend
ship, so degrees; indifference, 6o de-
| srees; GOODNESS, 40 degrees; aversion, ~
DEGREES hatred, degrees"
oOh, Johu," was my wife's appeal,
"don't keep the hoirid thing in the
house. am sure it is something dread
| full" and few tears did gather in her
eyes.
+ "Have no fear, Angelica, I cried,
kissing away her tears. 'Have no fear.
| See, the thermometer stands at lZo de-
grees; bliss heat, dearest. Hurrah for
| psychic force." And the dear girl actu-
ally laughed in the swift transition OF
feeling, and joined in the rapturous
hurrah. "Hurrah for Uncle john" we
then both exclaimed together, and An.
gelica kissed the thermometer In her en-
thusiasm. The warm hearted girl! Bliss
heat. now and forever How kind, how
noble of dear uncle, to send US what
would be a perpetual photograph, as 1t
we're, of loves young dream! And that
evening 1 praycd-Angelica joining IN
the aspiration-that uncle's gout would
soon forever disappear, and we resolved
to invite him for lengthy visit. Then,
toward midnight, we stole down cautl.
ously to the dining-room where we had
arranged lovely niche for the thermome-
ter, and with what rapture did we note
how the psychic force still stood at bliss
heat-120 degrees.
$50 shall it ever be- was my pious
exclamation, and Angelica responded
with fervent hand-clasp.
X X
Iwish to relate faithfully and soberly
the history of that wedding gift, and its
influence on our lives and characters. If
I relied on my memory alone I might
perhaps exaggerate, or appear to do SO:
Happily there is another resource, and
one whose exactness and fidelity can be
dcpended upon. 1t is my diary, wherein
I am accustomed to chronicle the throb-
bings of my inner life and the record OF
each passing day. A few pages will tell
the whole eventful story.
July 1Oth-Angclica was a charming
vision at breakfast. She is bewitching
in every mood, and how ardently I love
her. The muffius were exquisite. Dear,
noble little woman, so tender and so at
fectionate! How beautiful she bakes!
1t will be rapture to teach her German,
which is my passion. Shall instruct her
according to the natural method, and then
read Don Carlos to her. It's ideal sentl-
ments, its glowing imaginary, its magnif-
cent style, will inspire her with cnthu-
sasm . The thermometer at bliss heat
is our daily benediction. We gaze at 1t
at all hours, and then at each other. Both
tell the same story. How sweet is exist
ence-surely life is worth living. 1t is
two weeks since our wedding.
June 12th-A very curious occurrence
happened this evening at dinner. L was
Just enjoying the roast lamb, when an
organ grinder appeared, and his monkey
began to rub its nose against the window
bars. "Get off, I cried, ''you wretch"
"Ah, John, do let it play. love mon
keys" "But, Angelica, that music dis
turbs my appetite. Begone!' 1 cried
again to the man. Angelica pressed her
handkerchief to her eyes. My angel
weeping! gazcd at the thermometer.
1t marked 100 degrees, and the psychic
force was rapidly falling. "Here" l
shouted to the man, "here is dollar,
and come every evening at this hour. "
The man grinned, the monkey took off
its cap, my angel smiled, and was
saved. Again the thermometer stood at
12O degrees. 1t was a narrow escape.
Life, life, thou art precipice-one false
step, one needless act, and the abyss re-
ceives us. To think that our bliss was
almost wrecked by monkey!
June 14th-I gave my darling her first
lesson in German by the natural method.
1t went off beautifully. She has lovely
Aussprache; the words roll like velvet
from her lips. To hear her say das
Thermometer is an education in itself.
On coming home to dinner found An
gelica very much furried. She explained
that the cook was i'll, and she herself had
to prepare the repast. I congratulated
her thousand times until her eyes
sparkled like an electric light. told
her afterward, in casual way, that the
soup would have tasted better with mint
instead of mace, ard she burst at once
into tears, while to my horror the ther-
mometer began rapidly falling until sixty
degrees was reached. "Angelica!" I
cried, 81 was only jesting." And,
soothed by my endearments, her tears
vanished, and she actually asked me to
give her q second lesson in German;
while the thermometer just as rapidly
rose to bliss heat. 1t was again a mar
row escape. And when l told her of it
she murmured: "Dear John, forgive me!
I am so inpatient" Was ever mortal so
happy?
June 15th--Happines is a sportive god.
1t is never an abiding possession. SO
happy yesterday, and tonight, as I write
tbocn 1iuer how wrotchedi And from