The citizen., 1896-10-02
A WONDERFUL INSTRUMENT.

friends who offered congratulations on
the auspicious occasion had less need
than usual to reconcile truth and good
manners; for that she was pretty and as
good as she was beautiful was fact
generally conceded, even on days when
she was not necessarily the objective
point of all compliments; and that the
character of Tom, her husband, both
financially and morally, was such as is
supposed to form firm basis for the
construction of a prosperous life, was
equally evident.
AS if this were not enough, the happy
pair had been fitted out for their new
career by the brides parents with every
reasonable material contrivance for
comfort and pleasure which good, but
not extravagant architect could devise
md a first-class furnishing warehouse
,ould further.
The first suggestion of the imperfec-
tion which characteriZes every mortal
state and puts its mark on every human
sudeavor, came into this new joint life
when Aunt Cecilia-Tom's aunt. or his
fairy godmother, as lie called her
made her first morning visit to the
pride and tour of inspection of the
house.
Look at my beautiful new piano,
Nrs.-I mean Aunt Cecilia" said
Miriam, as she led the way into pleas
ant room with wide outlook towards the
south. supposed to be devoted more in
.mately to family purposes than the
general reception-room. "Pm afraid it
VAS extravagant to buy it just now. but
you know | want to do all 1 can to make
home attractive to Tom-and little
music now and then adds SO much"
And Miriam looked to the older woman
,or the approval which perhaps her own
conscience did not wholly give. Size
was a little disappointed.
Yes" said Aunt Cecilia, quietly; "a
tome without music is worse than
lower without fragrance; but [ have
rot been accustomed to look upon
3iano as an essential to that end. IN
my old home there was another instru-
ment which was thought much more
important to well-ordered house, and
each little girl was carefully taught the
use of it, so that when she carried 1T
with her into her husbands home iu
The spell its music exercised was
powerful one, little understood here,
out quite as useful in driving away the
blues and other family pests as was the
famous pipe which freed the town of
Hamlin from rats"
Miriam was not yet sufficiently posted
n her husbands family history to
know where the 'old home" was which
Aunt Cecilia referred to, though it
vas evident, from the infection and
1uality of her voice if from nothing
Use, that she was lative-born Ameri-
,an But before the bride could sat
sly her curiosity on this point, or as
20 the strangely seductive fiddle or
norm which was in vogue there, other
:aIlers interrupted the conversation
which was not destined to be taken
Up again for many long day.
And some of the days which followed
we're all too long for the mistress of
Crows Nest, as the pretty home was
called. Not that things went wrong;
a tragedy would not have been so duly
Iiresome. Tom did not take to drink;
ne came home punctiliously to dinner
very day, and showed his wife that
difference and courtesy which self
respecting man never omits except be-
:ause he does not understand its sig-
oificance.
1t was after dinner that the rub came
at the hour when her youthful imagi-
1ation had depicted the cheerful glow
If lamp and freight falling upon
Iheet of music they two should be
scanning together, or on the book
which she should read aloud to her
weary but contented lord. These pic
lures had remained fancy sketches for
;he most part through the accumulat-
ing years of married life.
Tom grew more and more inclined
20 excuse himself for a quiet hour in
his den The children seemed to find
1urse's grooming voice better prepara-
ion for the bedtime hush than any
hing mamma could say or sing to them,
ind the young men from the neighbor-
ng institution of learning, who were
always dropping into Mrs. Heard's par
tor for bit of advice or encourage
ment, seemed never to find out that
Mrs. Brooks would be glad to serve her
lay and generation as gracefully as
that plain little woman in the next
house evidently had a knack of do
ng.
Miriam being, as l have limited, a
sensible woman. began to look the situ-
alton in the face. hoping by dint of self
criticism to find out what she lacked
------------ -
which Mrs. Heard had and gave to
everyone who came within her reach.
The looking glass told her that the
pink aud white prettiness which had
been praised in the bride had vanished
with her youth. But she was always
nicely, even stylishly, dressed, and
could not make herself believe that her
personal appearance was negative
factor in the attractive influence she
would like to exercise. She tried to oget
some enlightenment from her husband
and dother menshe met as to Mrs. Heard's
power to fascinate, FOR the town being.
small one social lines had to be very