The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-07-07

They were discussing love and mat
rlmony with great earnestness, and
one of them ventured the remark:
Zone of the most beautiful things in
the world is two young people in
love. The great pity is that it all dis
appears so soon after marriage" And
this brought out many expressions of
opinion, one of which ran in this wise:
at is somebody's fault when the love
fades out after marriage. Every wife
has the right to the same tender cour-
tesies and loverlike attentions from
her husband that he thought it not
too much trouble to give her as a
lover. If he was thoughtful for the
comfort or the feelings of his sweet
heart, he should be Just as thought
full for his wife. don't mean
that any man should be
tied to his wife's apron
strings; but do mean that if he has
any courtesy in his heart it belongs to
his wife. About the most contempt
ible creature on earth is man who is
polite and chivalrous toward every
woman but his wife. You see such
men every day-men who will rush
out bear headed to help lady from a
carriage, or sacrifice their best suits
to hold their umbrellas over a pretty
bonnet with pretty face under it;
and yet these same men will promen-
ade down stairs, leaving their wives
to follow unassisted; and will snarl
over the coffee and mutter over the
steak, words which are reserved for
the wife alone, eff all women in the
world. Oh, L tell you, the household
affairs are out of joint before man
can do that ~
*x*
And then one turns with pleasure
to the few women whose husbands
are lovers still, though the wedding
anniversaries have come around again
and again. These men are so few that
they are looked upon with wonder;
and many skeptical beholders are in
clined to believe that all the courtesy
and the tender care are mere show;
all done for effect; and that at home,
when the world is shut out, the Sc
same courteous and loving people
live regular cat-and-dog life. So i'm
possible does it seem to the world that
any husband should be his wife's
lover after the honeymoon is over
This is sad commentary upon the
times. Young love is very beautiful, no
doubt, but in the opinion of the Home
Corner young love cannot compare
with the love that has lasted until
the cheeks have grown thinner and
the hair is touched with silver. Young
love is selfish, but the beautiful love
is that which has come up through
self-sacrifice and self-renunciatiJ IN.
The beautiful love is the love of q
middle-aged husband for the wife who
is no longer young, when, after all the
years, or rather because of them, he is
her lover still.
x*x
People are prone to think that there
is no heroism in this age. They be-
lieve that the heroic times are all
past. Even if they could be con-
WINGED that there was some ne
roism to be found in these
prosaic times, whom do you think
they would select as the heroes and
heroines? They would all be great
names, you may be sure-not
poor and obscure people, whom no.
body knows, of whom no one ever
heard. And yet there are a few
whose names the Home Corner would
like to see preserved, like the fly in
amber-the fly of the old, old times,
who little knew what an Immortality
lay before him; small, unnoticed
creature that he was. There was q
woman for instance, plainly dressed
woman, who went about intent on
getting u little sewing to do. A
kindly glance, and little friendly
questioning easily won her story from
her;-such a heroic story, told so
simple and unconsciously cit
was very hard work after
my husband died." she said.
~ had houseful of little children,
and tell you honestly, 1 didn't know
what to do. But went to work, sew
ing, and though 1 couldn't see my
way very far, L just kept working.
Well, some how or other, the way has
opened up before me, from day to day.
i've kept the children together and
raised everyone of 'em, and we've got
llUUl6 uOIlS Vi OuI OWu, duu IL . paul
for every dollar. AS the girls got big
enough they went to work in stores,
but after they got past eighteen L let
lem lay up what they made for them
selves. And now Pm trying to get a
little extra work to finish paying for
piano I've bought for the girls. paid
it along in installments, you see,
some every month, and now
| don't owe but four
teen dollars. That's every dollar L
owe in the world, and it kind o. wor-
ries me. 1 don't feel like could rest
until 1 get it paid up"
~
And that was the story told by a
poor sewing woman, in a calico dress;
the story of the way that had been so
dark, but that had opened up from
day to day as she went! While she
had been living her life and raising
her children, and bravely driving the
wolf from the door with no weapon
but a needle, men who called them
selves strong, brave men, had fought
and struggled, disappeared and gone
down, utterly 7anquished in the
struggle. Oh, the true hero