The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-07-31
Mrs. WHITCONIB'S LESSON.

MRS. WHITCOMBS LESSON.
1t was a gloomy day in February, and
the day vas suited to my mood, for
goodness knows | felt cross and dismal
enough, rs | washed and dressed my
three Oldest childen for school. Every
thing went wrong. Buttons would not
stay %buttoned, strings tied into knots.
hair snarlcd, and when / got soap into
Rob's eyes he cried, and | gave him an
angry slap. That did not help matters
and when ut last the children we're
ready, the rosy lips they offered for my
listlcss goodbye kiss had 4 doleml
droop, and their little faces we're as
detected as my own, for they under
stood that something was wrong with
mamma.
When they were gone / Won about
my morning work in u careless, half
hearted way, thinking bitterly of my
life and wished | yer dead. Twelve
years before | had bccna pretty girl as
girls go, u good musician, had painted
some pictures that had bcen well spoken
Of, had written several stories that had
appeared in the second-ratc papers, and
considered myself, and was spoken of
by friends as IL remarkable girl.
When | engaged myself t. Roger
Whitcomb, a bright young fellow, true
as steel, but without u dollar beside
his salary, everybody told me l was
making u great mistake +; but ] thought
not. | knew how good he vas, and
loved him with all the strength of my
girlish heart, and knew that to him
Nell" was'thc only girl in the world.
TO be sure he preferred Home
Sweet Home" to the "Moonlight
Sonata" and understood little of high
lights or perspective, but [ WAS sure
could teach him to love music and
painting as | did, and talked Il great
deal TO the other girls about the high
ambition each woman should have, to
bring the mar she loved to her own
plane, especially upon tho subject Of
art. Silly, conGeitod creature that |
was, not to soc that Rogers knowledge
OF his business and of the subjects Of
the day, his sterling worth and sound
principles, were often times more value
han the rags and scraps OF knowledge
| had about art. But | had no mother
and my father considered me u marvel
of talent. so no one warned me and |
went on boldly.
The first year | was happy, as Roger
was devoted. l kept = servant and
had plenty OF time to devote to my
music and painting, and when my first
baby was born thought was the hap
plcst in the world. But | soon
found that baby intcrIcrcd with my
studies, and when II second, II third,
and then afourth baby appeared on tho
scene, there ere days and weeks when
| could. not find IL moment for myself.
Roger was sorry for me and worked day
and night to keep wen with expenses,
and have u servant for me. grew
cross and f~retful, my servants found
me hard to get on with. SO half the
time | was alone, or with inefficient
help.
Lately things had come to u crisis.
Several musical people had come to
Mayville to live, and in forming Il club
had invited my husband and me to Join
them. | had boon greatly pleased. but
when this morning | had spoken to
Roger, he said at oncc that he could not
spare the time. and besides the evenings
that he could have he was too tired TO
go anywhere.
but | cannot go without YOU"
said, angrily. Before we were mar
ried you could always find time to take
me out"
ifogcr Wear on eating hiS breakfast
in his quiet way, remarking, as he
helped himself to mother slice Of toast,
II did not have u wife and four chill
dron on my hands then, If You will re-
member"
II wish you hadn't them now" |
snapped. 81 ought never to have mar
ricd, and | wish 1 never had"
70 my surprise my husband quietly
arose saying AZ ho lott tho room
II think, too, that you have made q
great mistake. The woman who loves
art more than husband and children is
tit for wife or mother" and he left
the house for the first time in our.
married life without bidding me good
bye.
Tho morning wore on, and just as I
had put the baby to sleep [ saw Aunt
Mattie," ITS We called the lady who lived
the deep snow, and with her little
daughter, who often took care of the
baby.
Aunt Matte weighed nearly two
hundred pounds and rocked when she
walked like q ship in u storm, but with
in that plain body dwelt q beautiful
her very presence carried sun
shine 80 many q lonely heart, sharp
sighted, plain spoken, hut with u hn""-'
Overlooking. with love g. "oI
creatures. sh- .or her fellow
H. 40 went through life bind
',,g up broken spirits and caring for
bodies and souls. Sho came i'm
with u cherry "gOod-morning," sank
into the old rocking-chair that cracked
beneath her weight, put the big basket
sho carried dow OF the floor beside
her, ana said
:" ran in this morning to see if you
could go with me to visit n family on
nnXt Cfrnnt uhn nr~ =, ,..A T.