Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-11-24

LED BY LOVE.

Major Hannibal Sparhawk was born
hero and a warrior His spirit was
martial and commanding.
He stood 6 feet 2 inches in bis stock
ings and turned the 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.
The major was not quarrolsome, but
he was opinionated and unyielding. He
was too big man to quarrel aud too
conscious of his own powers to yield a
point in any thing.
Major Sparhawk had lived bachelor
to the age Of 40. At length, however,
the tragic dart touched his heart. and he
offered to take wife and make her
mistress of the wife's appropriate de-
partment Of his house.
Sylvia Aspen was small, delicate
woman, pretty and accomplished.
For several years she had taught the
primary department of our common
school, and the experimenting commit
tee were forced to acknowledge that by
no other teacher had the scholars ever
been so thoroughly governed as by her.
She had seen 30 years Of life, and for
reasons best known to herself ale had
refused offers of marriage
And now Major Hannibal Sparhawk
offered her his hand and heart.
miss Aspen" he said in his blunt,
dictatorial way, you have known me
long enough and well enough to know
something of the home | can provide.
II you take me, you will take rough,
blua. 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 the household. |
can love and provide and protect, but !
must be master. As | am offer my
self. You will not be deceived"
Sylvia smiled one of her sweet, &C.
centric smiles, and with her small, white
hand resting confdingly upon the majors
arm she told him she accepted the stu
alton.
"You are sureT' he queried.
III am sure of this, she said. looking
up into his face with candid fervor ~
love you we'll 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 tho 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 it was pub
lished, that Sylvia Aspen was to be-
come the wife Of Major Sparhawk.
"She will be slave and drudge "
was the general opinion.
In due time--in early autumn Han
nibal Sparhawk and Sylvia Aspen be-
came man and wife. The major had
planned to have the wedding grand
aIair-to have bis military friends pres
ent in full panoply, with full band Of
music and appropriate firing, but Syl-
via persuaded him not. She said but
little-just enough to make him under
stand that ii would please her to have
il different, and he concluded 10 please
her.
They had been married two weeks
when the major proposed that be would
invite the officers Of his regiment u
dinner and ine---about City oil
them.
IL suppose such dinner means wine
and tobacco, and plenty Of TT! said
Sylvia.
Certainly" responded her husband
when invite my friends TO my house
| expect to treat them according to the
fashion Of tho times"
"rben. Hannibal, | would rather you
did not invite them"
The major laughed at the absurdity
Of his wifc's whiW. Sylvia was mild
but frm.
"Of COURSE" she said, with SUI, il,
"you will do 10 this matter ~ yot
please"
"Of course--I WILL" declared tn,
husband emphatically. "You know
what ! told you 10 the beginning
must be master in my own house"
But" interrupted Sylvia, with tn
sweetest smile imaginable, suppose ]
could show you that the greatest posi-
bic amount Of comfort aud joy you car
6od will come from pleasing inc p
"Eh p
She kissed him and then ran away.
! Already Major Hannibal Sparbawl
felt a nipping at his ear, as thong
| Al. + ..