The Newtown bee., 1897-11-19
THE NEWTOWN BEE.
NEWTowN, FRIDAY, NOV. 10.
CIRCULATION:
JANUARY 1, 1ss2, go
LAST WEEK. 316O
The Home Circle.
BY a Majority of One.

BY a Majority of One.
Allow me to introduce to you Janet
Armitage, and Samuel, her husband. In
physique Janet is what an old acquain-
Ance OF mine, addicted to adjectives and
more fluent than precise in using them,
would have called "a large, commodious
woman" Her cheeks are smooth and
ruddy. Her eyes are bright. The light
brown hair so smoothly brushed back
from her forehead shows scarce a trace
of gray.
A striking contrast to this well-pre-
served woman of 60 is the husband, who
is several years her junior. A small,
thin man, with narrow chest and stoop-
ed shoulders, very bald, very gray, and
deeply wrinkled about the eyes and
mouth; Insignificant in appearance, ner-
vous and fussy in manner, yet withal
having a very good opinion of himself.
Janet Armitage is q woman Of more
than ordinary intelligence, a shrewd,
practical woman,a woman of great piety,
intensely devoted to her church, implic-
lily accepting its creed. Hers is a strong,
self-reliant nature, always aggressive at
times domineering.
have heard some people express pity
for Samuel Armitage, because in most
things, though not always without reluc.
tance,h he follows Janet's will rather than
his own inclinations. He eats and drinks
only what his wife thinks is good for
him; in this there is hardship. He wears
such clothing as che approves, this some
times brings vexation Of spirit. He is by
nature speDdthrift. He does not ask
value received for every penny disburs-
ed. He would take childish delight in
spending a small portion of their income
foolishly. Janet,as chancellor of the do
nestle exchequer, positively forbids un-
necessary expenditure.
AT the Sabbath services he is as regu-
lar In attendance as Janet. No one could
be more regular. Sister Armitage has
not been absent from a mid-week prayer
meeting for years, nor has she ever gone
without her husband, though once he
told me confidentially that he considered
these meetings WEAKNESS to the flesh,
and that he very much preferred doing
in the comfortable rocking chair at home
to doing in the straight-back, hard-bot-
toned seats at the church.
Brother Armitage is averse to public
speaking. His religious life is but dim
reflection Of bis wife's. He has no rich
spiritual experiences to relate for the
edifying Of the brethren. No one ever
commends his prayers. Yet the minis
ter knows he can depend on Brother A,
mitage to help him out when there is a.
awkward pause in the service. Some
malicious persons aver that Ii ID not a
sense OF duty but nudge from Jaret's
elbow that brings him to his feet on such
occasions. To these same persons may
be traced the report that Samuel ID q
weak man and very much henpecked.
Whether this report Ia well founded let
each one Judge for himself. We are all
more or less the creatures of environ
ment, and 1t is an open question whether
there Is less merit in subservience to a
stronger win than in submission to the
pressure of events.
Samuel is proud of Janet, loving her
as well as most men love their wives i;
yet 1t irks him to feel that hers is SO
much the stronger spirit. So, though
he loves Janet dearly, his position has
seemed toIerable only becauseshe believes