Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-24

to steer clear between the Scylla of re
proach and the Charybdis OF retalia
tion.
"You are beautiful, sweet and
good, but if, in the future, some face
less fair than yours, perhaps, attracts
him, you must not be surprised and
must suppress all jealous pain. He
often tells you, now, how much he
cares for you, but by and by he will
begin to say it less frequently, aud at
last those three little words, L love
you, will be but memory, as the re-
frain of some sweet song that you
loved in days gone by, and whose
melody still hovers family round you
And you would give your life to hear
them, too. Your heart will ache so
without them. He will be proud of
you, aud will give you money without
the asking, all of which is very neces-
sary, of course; but there will be many
times when you will feel that you
would be the happiest woman on
earth if he would just take you in his
arms and say, 'Oh, I love you sor al
though he had not Collar in the
world and you would understand that
you would have to work your fin
gers ends off for enough to live on.
''You will weep many bitter tears
over it, but you will not dare to re-
monstrate with him, because he will
not mean to be careless. In all prob
ability he will not know he is, and
would be very indignant were any one
to hint at such thing. 1t is simplya
mans way. There will be times when
you will want to go to him aud say,
oh, what have I done, that you
should grow so cold toward me? Why
don't you love me rs you used to? I
nm we'll fed, we'll housed, and well
clothed, but for all that am starving
for the dearest thing on earth to
woman-love. I would rather you
would beat me once in a while, and
then make up by indulging in fit Of
genuine love making, than to break
my heart by degrees with your indif.
ference. But you won't dare to do
it. He would become angry and say
you were unreasonable; that he cares
for you, of course he does, and that
you ought to know it by his uniform
kindness and generosity. Oh, no, you
mustn't say anything. That would be
nagging, and nagging woman is ex.
cluded from the elect both on earth be-
low and in heaven above. A man de-
spises nagging woman. Were you
to reproach him he would be apt to de-
clare that YOU were driving him away
from you! So you must smile and
seem calm and serene, and bear it all
as matter of course-which it is.
"But have you any conception, my
dear, of the extent of the love re-
Quired to do all that? You can bear
it by gradually acquiring Indifference
yourself, but Indifference is never
patient, uncomplaining, and true.
Only love can be all that, and it must
be q boundless love-a love that
passeth all understanding. Is yours
such rs that? Have I frightened you,
my dear little girl? II is cruel. isn't
it? Perhaps it would have been bet
ter, after all, to let you live the lesson
instead Of having it inculcated by
means of the cramming process. But
L meant it for the best. Ponder over
these proof sheets of experience, and
store away strength. You will need
it. All women do. He is only man,
you know. and he is just like the rest
of them, however different you may
think him. Men are not like women.
because-well, because they are men,"
The happy flush had died out of the
young girls face and her lips were
pale and drawn.
"Oh," she cried, "it is such nor
rible picture. Take some magic brush
which you surely have Mt your COM
mand, Mrs. Walton, and paint it all
away. No, no, 1 do not love him
enough for that. J. could work for
him, and suffer with him, but I could
not endure the dying Of his love"
"But remember" resumed the
other, "that love is woman's life,
aud is not modicum of the divine
gift better than none at all?"
"Oh, I do not know. I cannot
think. Marry him--for that? No,
no, Mrs. Walton, cannot. Tell me
what to say. He will he here in few
minutes"
my dear, do not ask me. I have
said too much already"
The young girl arose and stood, tall
and firm, before the woman Of the
world.
"I will say no." she said deci-
sively. 81 will not cultivate the best
love of my woman's heart, only that I
may be the accomplishing slave of o
selfish man."
He came at four o'clock
She was very dignifed, very cold,
and very beautiful when he took her
hand in his, but one look from his
honest dark eyes brought the tell-tale
flush to her cheeks again, and her lips
II embed.
els it to bc yes ?" he asked
softly.
She shook her head.
"O," she said, 81 am afraid. l
love you, but you will change, know
you will. You will grow cold and"
He cut short the sentence by draw
ing her close beside him and kissing
her
"Never," he said. Gas you see me
to-day, SO will You see me ten, twenty,
thirty years from now, if we live that
long-only grown more devoted, per-
haps, through years Of common veal
and woe."
She rested her head on his shoulder
"Mrs. Walton was wrong, wasn't
she?" she whispered timidly.
"What did she say?"
ooh, she said that all men grow in-
different after the novelty of having
wife wears off, and that"
"Oh, she's cynic. She doesn't
know what she is talking about. You
mustn't pay any attention to her.
Some men may do 50, but never
shall"
"Why, my DEAR" she said, with a
happy little laugh, "of course you