Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1893-10-19

eO1 1reedOn1 from the c1ty gray, s$tk ~ s.
For meadow path and country lane,
Isometimes fondly used to pray
To be a child again OF play. taS.
Arthur L. Salmon, in Chamber' IS ournal
He READ TO HER.
Augustus Attempts to Improve
His Wifes Mind.
The first year that we were married,
Augustus and did considerable read
ing-that is, he read while i listened.
We took up course in English poetry,
commencing with Chaucer and ending
with Cowper. There was a roseate
glamour over everything, and used
to do dainty bits Of fancy work forrthe
house, into which the beauty and the
freshness Of the thoughts were woven;
the mosaic Of Sponsors descriptions,
covered my mats. Shakespeares wit:
and wisdom were threaded in and out
through my tides. and Millions state
illness seemed even to ennoble the sofa
pillow embroidered. y
Those We're halcyon days, and we
expected they would last. No denun-
citation was too severe from Augustus
for.the woman whose soul could not
aspire above the pots and pans of her
kitchen, nor for the man who did not
share his choicest intellectual morsels
with his wife; and I agreed with him
perfectly. l remember his sister visited
us that first winter and said that when
he lived at home they never could have
any pleasant times reading aloud in the
family circle, because Augustus was
never Interested in any book that the
others cared for; and thought, though
l said nothing: Poor fellow! how
sadly uncongenial his home surround
ings must have been! and that now all
his life long he should have compan-
ion who could. appreciate hin-a true
comrade;" and as soon as I was out OF
her sight hummed rapturously:
Two souls with but single thought,
Two hearts that beat as one.
But, in spite of all our high vows,
our intellectual paradise did not con-
tinue. Augustus is not really poetical
in his tastes; the passion of love and a
sense that he needed development in
this direction gave him this delightful
spasm He is scientific, intensely so,
while have no leaning in that direc-
ton, though what might have done
had ] continued under his tuition
is uncertain. The honeymoon waned;
the single thought" multiplied, as
well as cares and children, until at
last, though we are counted congenial
couple, we jog along about like the
rest of the world. and he spends the
most of his time at home in the study,
while I am in the kitchen or nursery.
But the books that he reads never
open, except now and then when am
busting them, and even the titles are
sometimes incomprehensible. l sup
pose if I had great mind, like Mary
Somervilie or Maria Mitchell, l should
have one of these volumes propped up
before me when I am kneading bread;
but I find them SO exhausting that,
even when have bit of leisure, / ig-
nobly dip into a magazine instead.
Eut we have not drifted apart thus
without some heart burnings and strug-
giles. can hardly blame myself, and
it certainly is not the fault of Angus
tus; no longer than a month ago he
i~ade a heroic effort to place affairs on
the old ideal footing. One of the chill
dren had severe attack of Group in the
night. Augustus is such an affectionate
father that anything Of the kind near
ly drives him distracted, and he con-
ducts himself so much like lunatic
that it is great relief to get him out
of the house and after the doctor. We
were able to thwart the disease, and
the little sufferer was soon herself
again, but the shock awoke Augustus
to unwonted tenderness, and suppose,
dear mani he thought he had been neg
lectful and would make up for it at
once; SO, a morning or two after, he
said at breakfast: .'Will it not be a IA
vorable time this morning, Maria, for
us to commence that book l have
wanted you to read 50 long?' ooh,
that will be delightful!'' l said, with
enthusiasm, and then, deprecatingly,
s'but ! really am afraid that I shall
have to forego the pleasure. I had
planned to make gingersnaps this
morning, and I shall not have
another chance this week." Ut is
necessary for me always to have "a
supply of gingersnaps on hand, for
Augustus enjoys them so much. They
were an institution at his mothers
breakfast table, and one which he ex-
poets will be perpetuated. ''.All right"
he said, cheerfully; II will come down
into the kitchen and sit; it. is cool this
morning, and the fire will be agree
able" "But l shall make SO much
noise," ! said; q cannot help it; twill
be unpleasant for .you.'' '.Ol, I shall
not mind it in the least" he replied; 81
am not one Of those men whose traiflf Of
thought is interrupted by .tfifes. q I
have work that will keep me until
about ten, and then can read to TO- you ! oul
for an hour or tw0.''tt sE;sf ga III.
l went about my kitchen, washing
the dishes and preparing the vegetables
for dinner, with glow at my heart. I
was touched by my husband S kindness
The book was entitled decentralization
of Science and Religion" and was writ
ten by light in the scientific world
who bad been his instructor, and it was
especially interesting to him from per-
sonal reasons; but his thoughtfnlness
in selecting this work, which he had.
read long before. was very gratifying
to me because appreciated his motive.
l have noticed SO many structures upon
the views Of DARWIN, Huxley and Her
bert Spencer; from sources that I be-
lieye are pure, and more than sonce our.
minister has made sallusions 70 scien.
fists which have quite worried me, So