Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-09-02
LED BY LOVE.

Ite btOoo V, tttt INCHES IN uib DUockiuk1
Ind turned the beam Of true and trusted
Fairbanks at 2l0 pounds avoirdupois.
He was the acknowledged leader Of his
party In our town. and his party was In the
ascendant
vas opinionated and unyielding. He was
30 big q man to quarrel and too conscious
Of his own powers to yield point In any
hing
Major sparhawk had lived bachelor to
Ihe age of 4O Al length, however, the
srotic dart touched his heart, and he offered
70 take wife and make her mistress of the
Wife's appropriate department Of his house
Sylvia Aspen was small. delicate wom-
IN, pretty and accomplished.
For several years she had taught tho
primary department. of our common school,
and the superintending committee were
forced to acknowledge that by no other
teacher had the scholars ever been 30 thor
oughly governed as by her.
She had seen 80 years OF life, ard for rea-
sens best known TO herself she had refused
oil offers Of marriage.
And now Major Hannibal Sparhawk Of
tered her his hand and his heart.
"Miss Aspen" he said In his blunt, do
tatorial way, you have known me long
enough and well enough to know somer
thing of the home can provide. II you
take me, you will take rough, blunt man
who must be his own master through life.
have my own peculiar views Of the true
marriage relation. The man Is the head Of
Ihe household | can love and provide and
protect, but l must be master. As am
Dffer myself. You will not be deceived"
Sylvia smiled one of her sweet, eccentric
smiles, and with her small. white hand rest
ing confidingly upon the majors arm she
told him she accepted the situation.
"You are surei" he queried.
81 am sure of this" she said, looking up
into his face with candid fervor. II love
you well enough to marry you, and as for
domestic government the result must be
as the result Is the world over-the weak
must depend upon the strong"
Hannibal Sparhawk kissed the little
woman and assured her that he would never
be tyrannical or unjust, and the day for the
wedding was fixed.
People wondered, when 1t was published,
that Sylvia Aspen was to become the wife
of Major Sparhawk.
"She will be slave and q drudgei" was
the general opinion.
In due time-in early autumn-Hannibal
Sparhawk and Sylvia Aspen became man
and wife. The major had planned to have
the wedding a grand affair-to have bis
military friends present In full panoply.
with full band OF music and appropriate
hxings, but Sylvia persuaded him not. She
said but little-just enough to make him
understand at 1t would please her to
have 1t dii4 ut, and he concluded to please
her.
They had been married two weeks when
the major proposed that he would invite
the officers of his regiment to dinner-staff
and line-about 80 of them.
II suppose suchua dinner means wine and
tobacco, and plenty of iti" said Sylvia. -
Certainly" responded her husband.
"When invite my friends to my house, /
expect to treat them according to the fash
ion of the times"
'.Then, Hannibal. would rather you did
not invite them"
The major laughed at the absurdity of
his wife's whim. Sylvia was mild, but
firm.
"Of course" she said, with smile, you
will do In this matter as you please"
"Of course-1 will," declared the hus-
dand emphatically. "You know what !
told you in the beginning / must be
master In my own house"
"But," interrupted Sylvia, with the
sweetest smile imaginable, suppose I
could show you that the greatest possible
amount Of comfort and Joy you can find
will come from pleasing mef"
"Ehf'
She kissed him and then ran away.
Already Major Hannibal Sparhawk felt q
nipping at his ear. as though something
were biting 1t,
Days and weeks passed, and the officers
of the grand old regiment were not invited
TO the proposed reunion at the majors.
1t was whispered that his wife would not
allow 1t, and yet when the officers individ-
ually had occasion to call at the majors
residence Sylvia treated them 20 kindly
and so considerably and bestowed upon
them so much careful attention as friends
Of her husband that they went away loud
In her praise.
IL was on a pleasant afternoon of the fol-
lowing spring that the social circle con-
nected with our religious society met at the
majors house. Late in the eveninga knot
Of gentlemen were seated in the great oriel
Of the back parlor, while at the center ta-
BILE near by we're few Of the ladies at
work.
In the oriel the conversation turned upon
national affairs. Deacon Rich advanced an
Idea In opposition to the cherished political
opinions of his host. The major was fired
In moment.
II tell you, SIR" he exclaimed shifting
his huge fist upon his knee, "the political
sentiments which,
Harki
1t was the tapping of knitting needle
upon the arm of Sylvia's chair. The major
looked up and met the glance Of his wife.
He coughed and stammered and then
smiled as he said:
"We won't enter into q political discus
sion in the presence Of ladies. At another
time. deacon, will give you my opinion
upon the matter"
On their way home Deacon Rich and
Squire Lewis walked together.
well, deacon, what do you think now
about poor little Sylvia's daring to say her
souls her own In the presence of her hus-
bandS"
IL am amazed" confessed the deacon.
"Why bless mel she rules him with q rod
Of iron"
"And yet" suggested Lewis, "he seems
happy and contented."
"Aye, and there's the wonder. I can't
comprehend IL, can your
~ think I can. THERE'S one way, aud one
way only, In which a small, weak woman
san entirely subjugate and control q
brusque, herculean husband. The major IL
not governed against his will-in fact, his
wife does not directly govern him at all.
6he leads him to govern himself"
Other people wondered as Deacon Rich
wondered, for IL was apparent to all that
Me doughty man of war and bluster had