Year: 1859

slty i0r gong TO housekeeping ut first
And then, you know, her father is
well off in the world, and he'll give a
her house and furnish it, no doubt
when she is married"


But Tom shook his head.


"Mary Eden's father he replied
may or may not be rich. My own
private opinion is, that he is living uT
to It not little beyond his income
And as to the house and furniture
which Mary's husband is going to get
that something very fine to feed fan
cy upon, The real bricks and mortar
is another affair"


"Oh, but Mr.. Eden is rich, Tom.'


The rich men of to-day are our
poor men of tomorrow, Lizzie.
wouldn't give the snap of finger for
a rich fathcr.in.aw as a dependence.
mean to trust in myself, an honest
purpose and a clear conscience. And
as for wife, | want IL woman with
fe, purpose, industry and indcpcn.
dence in her, not great bundle OF
silks, laces, bonncts and cull papers,
with a pretty little helpless do,nothing
and had almost said know nothing
doll hidden somewhere inside three
or four feet from the crinoline cilcum.
allation. And then, again, Lizzie,
| IN something Of an independent
young man, wonderful given to the
work of taking care of myself. !
happen to be at the bottom of the lad
der, and il ! ever get to the top of it
my own strength will carry me there.
Now, wife on my back, instead of
on the rounds of the ladder, keeping
step with me upwards, would be Il
dead weight, and keep me at or near
the foot forever. No, no, petty, | can,
not afford one Of your finished board
ing school misses for a ;, ife---lhe lux
ury is 100 expensive for me. So, am
going TO marry girl who knows
something OF IL real life, true, good,
pa lent, enduring, self-de rying, sweet +,
darling little body. who is not ashamed
to earn her living with the ne die
And | can tell you what, Dolly, only
wish you were more like Harriet Par
kor; there would be forty chances in
favor of your marrying a man of
sense where you have one now. Don't
you know that new society has been
formed among the young men, and
that some Of very best "catches'
among them have signed a pledge not
to marry any girl who is rot willing
to commence matrimonial life with
two rooms and kitchen. who doesn't
know how to bake, cook and sew, and
to wash and iron into the bargain'--
am the PRESIDENT


"Preposterous y exclaimed Lizzie


you'll cry some other word when
you get on the old maids list and sec
your place filed in the home Of some
man that is a man by woman who
was not ashamed of useful employ
mcnt, when she was girl. can
tell you what, my daint little sister,
there's reform at work, and men
worth having are beginning to choose
between no marriage or marriage
with girls of palmer notions and more
useful accomplishments than are pos
scsscd by the butterflies who lounge
on sofas all day knitting zcphyrs or
reading novels. So make up your
mind to reform or old maidism. -
And now as in all probability you un.
derstand that am quite in earnest
about marrying Harriet Parker.
hope you will reconsider your hasty
resolution about not speaking to your
sister.in.law. The loss, let me tell
you, will be all on your own side"


Brother Tom understood his own
position ent rely. He was not a man
to stoop below hi 1self in marrying.
He could not unite himself with one
who was ignorant and unreined-
aga nst that his generously cultivated
soul would have revolted. But he
wanted real, not an artificial wo-
man-onc who coul! take her place
beside him. as he had said, on the
lowest round of fortunes ladder, and
keep step with her upward. Such a
one he had found in Harriet Parker,
and he was independent enough to
make her his wife.


Lizzie was not long in discovering
after brother Tom had actually got
married and commenced housekecp.
ing in two rooms with his modest,
cheerful, elrnest minded wife, that
her new sister had about her some.
thing that insensibly won her love,
commanding the respect, and almost
ex,orted the admiration. of all who
were so fortunate as TO make her 40.
quaintance.