The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-09-15

Other Interesting Ialk,
The last letter had about the poem
was anonymous. Of course it vas,
for it read
"Man wants but little here below,
So Young and Goldsmith say;
But woman wants 1t all, you know
And wants it right away"
Mrs. Arp was sewing on some infan>
tile garment as I quietly laid the mis-
sive on her lap. She neither smiled
nor frowned nor stopped the play of
her needle as she remarked, "Maybe
they do, but they don't get it nor ex-
pect."
81 reckon" said I, "that some stingy
old benedict wrote that; some fellow
who would spend more money on his
horse than on his WIFE"
"No," said Mrs. Arp, cit was some
old bachelor whose rejected addresses
have made him cynical and like Byron
he vents his revenge. in doggerel.
When you go down town wish you
would see Mr.. Hicks about that dining
room chair. Maybe he can put new
cane bottom to it. We need it some
times when we have company, and
that old sideboard ought to be revar-
nished and have new knobs. Do you
know how old that sideboard is?"
eyes," said ], "Jim Sumter made il
in 1852. He was one Of the best men
and best workmen I ever knew. l
paid him $50 for the s;deboard He
was a well-read, well-bred man, good
neighbor and good citizen, and I
have respect for the sideboard. It is
like an epitaph on his tombstone and
seems to read, Sacred to the memory
of - Yes, [ will see Mr.. Hicks about
the sideboard. Is there anything else
in his line that you want?"
"No," said she, "but you know We
are obliged to have another extension
table. We gave ours to Jesse when
she was married, and have been
using one that was left here three
years ago, and now the owner has
settled down and wants it. You had
better attend to this right away
Fright away, right away" 1 mused.
"But woman wants it all you know,
And wants It right away"
Mrs. Arp looked OF me and re,
marked, 81 want these things for you
and the children. It's precious little
that I want for myself now"
| don't think she admires the song
or the sentiment.
81 know it, [ know it, my DEAR"
said I. ''There was time when you
wanted good deal for yourself and it
pleased me to crafty your every wish
and more than you asked for Nothing
was too good for you when I had the
money. Silks and sables, lawns and
muslins, q carriage and horses, Wilton
carpets and damask curtains, and 80
forth, and so on, ct cetera, Q pIuribus
unum. But ammo domini kept rolling
on and the war came and I discovered
that you were gradually losing yonr
concern for yourself, and all your care
was for your children. l was rumi.
mating about this while you were
stitching away SO earnestly upon that
little garment, for now your love and
care have Tapped over to another
generation. The little grandchildren
have come in for a share Of your
maternal love, and your personal
wants have come down to minimum.
Of course you must be clothed as
becomes the maternal head Of nu-
merous and lovely offspring, for if
you are not queen you have reigned
in our home nearly as long as Queen
Victoria has in England and"
"Well, that will do now," said my
wife. 'You had better go to town.
Aunt Ann says the rice is out and the
cowfeed too"
81 was ruminating," said I, chow
fortunate it was that your ambition
surrendered about the time my money
did. You ceased to crave rs fine things
as [ used to get you. You adapted
your wants to our misfortunes. Why,
forty years ago I would not have let
you go about in that grizzly gray mus
lin. had a contempt for cheap things,
especially for you; didn't /, my dear?''
"You certainly did," she said with
q kind of sad, reminiscent smile in
seod tone sno1 of BG aSn But Ho ma a b
ter 60 to town. There are four little
grandchildren here to dinner, and Aunt
Ann wants the rice right away"
"And wants it right away" I hum
med to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne. "
Somehow I can't get that refrain out
of my mind-"And wants it right
away"
Sometimes I think that men dom t
understand nor appreciate woman'a
nature. She was created with q love
for the beautiful, for ornament, for
gems, jewels and gold and silverware
and damask and fine linen.
She can't help her nature, and this
very nature proves that she is nearer
heaven than we are. What do I care
for diamonds? Not cent. I wouldn't
give dollar for bushel of them. An
old-fashioned tin waiter with flowers
painted on it il as good as q silver one
to me. l wouldn't wash the window
glass more than once a year, and a
wash-pan suits me as well as china
basin. But I recognize the fact that I
Am man with an unre6ned nature.
The twelve gates of the new Jerusalem
that are made of precious stones are
| no attraction to me-. nathan ora +ha