The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-01-05
HE READ 70 HER.
Augustus Attempts to Improve
His Wife'S Mind.

lnT-that is, he read while | listened
We took up course in English poetry
commencing with Chaucer and ending
with CoWper. There was a roSeate
glamour over everything. and l used
to do dainty bis Of fancy work for the
house, into which the beauty and the
freshness of the thoughts were woven;
the mosaic of Sponsors descriptions
covered my mats; Shakespeare's wit
and wisdom were threaded in and out
through my tides. and Millions state
illness seemed even to ennoble the sofa
p1low / embroidered.
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 | agreed with him
perfectly. | 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 beenl and that now all
his life long he should have a compan-
ion who could appreciate him-a true
comrade;" and as soon as | 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 q 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 am in the kitchen Or nursery
But the books that he reads ! never
open, except now and then when l am
busting them, and even the titles are
sometimes incomprehensibe. I sup
pose if had IL great mind, like Mary
SOmervillc or Maria Mitchell. l should
have one of these volumes propped up
before me when ! am Aneading bread;
but | find them so cxhausting that,
even when have q bit Of leisure, ig-
nobly dip into a magazine instead.
But 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
made a heroic effort TO place affairs on
the old ideal footing. One of the chill
dren had Il 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 a lunatic
that it is a 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 awol1e Augustus
to unwOnted tenderness, and | suppose,
dear man. he thought he had been neg
lectful and would make up for it at
once; So Il morning or two after, he
said at breakfast: ''Will it not be ia
voraOle time this morning. Maria, for
us TO commence that book [ have
wanted you to read so long?'' ''Oh,
that will be delightful.'' | said. with
enthusiasm, and then, deprecatingly,
'but | really am afraid that l shall
have to foregO the pleasure. l had
planned to make gingersnaps this
morning, and l 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; Il 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; Il cannot help it; it will
be unpleasant for YOU ''Oh, l shall
not mind it in the least" he replied; ST
am not one Of those men whose train of
thought IS interrupted by trifes. |
have work that will keep me until
about ten, and then l can read to YOU
for an hour or twO'
L went about my kitchen, washing
the dishes and preparing thew vegetables
Tor DINNER, with glow at my heart. I
A was touched by my husbands kindness.
The book was entitled decentralization
OF Science and Religion" and was writ
ten by light in the scientific world
who had been his instructor, and it was
especially interesting to him from per-
sonal reasons; but his thoughtfulness
in selecting this work, which he had
read long before, was very gratifying
to me because appreciated his motive
nave noticed SO many structures upon
the views of Darwin, Huxley and Her
pert Spencer, from sources that [ be-
Heve are pure, and more than once our
minister has made illusions to scien-
lists which have quite worried me, so
that Augustus understands that 1 am
quite anxious lest his faith should be
undermined. He SCOTS at what he con-
slders my weak fears, but he has often
referred ne to this book, and 1 knew
that he wanted to reassure me.
had buttered my tins and put my in
gradients into my mixing bowl, when
promptly at ten he came down the
pack stairs, volume in hand, and took
ms position near the kitchen table.
lie dld look so noble sitting there in
TIE new dressing gown l had finished
the week before, and it brought back
oid times SO forcibly that the flood of
memories almost made me lose the
OQenluQ Spntapcaa