Year: 1864

IT was a matter of principle with Mr..
Coldstream to be always on the contrary
side. In this respect he differed from
the amiable old woman immortalized by
Dickens; for whereas everybody went
contrary" with her, hewent contrary with
everything.


Had he been born in England, and had
fitness been all that was necessary, he
would, doubtless, have figured largely be-
fore parliament as one fthe "oppositiOnj
but, being born in America, he was obli-
ged to confne the exercise of his pecu-
liar talent to more limited sphere.


To find out what his opinion was upon
any snbject, you had only to express your
own, for he was sure to be on the oppo-
site side.1 He was politically Republi-
can---that is, he always voted that ticket,
but if We may credit his repeated decla-
ratiOhs, he was opposed to every princi-
pie they advocated. He quarreIed per-
sistently With all they did, and all they
failed to do.


He had been a member of one Of the
orthodox churches for number of years ;
but why he ever joined it, @as a puzzle
to most of the brethren. For, according
to his own language he subscribed to
none of the articles of faith; very strenu-
lOusly opposing them whenever they were
mentioned with the slightest approval.


He carried his amiable spirit into all
the relations of life. He married his wife
simply because his friends opposed the
match, and displayed wonderful ingenu-
ity in finding out her opinions and pref
srences, in order that he might contra
dict and thwart them, until after the first
few months, she moved about the house
to whose well ordering she devoted all
her energies, with timid dePrecating
air; as though she really begged pardon
for being there at all


She rarely ventured to express an
opinion of her own but when she did,
she was cut short by the original obser-
vation, "What do women know about
such matters 2" OF, my wardrobe is in
shocking, condition, Mrs. c. not decent
collar, or above a dozen shirts that can
wear Not very remarkable circum-
stance, however, when you will occupy
yourself with matters entirely beyond
your province and comprehension b


In the early part Of her married life,
she had inadvertently expressed the be-
lief that in purchasing articles belonging
exclusively to her own attire, she could
lay out the money to better advantage
than he. Thiswas enough. Ever after
ward, at a serious inconvenience and loss
of time, he insisted upon purchasing ev-
erything for her, from shawl down to a
skein Of cotton. Hewas, as he frequent
ly asserted, ga martyr to her incompe.
tence;" spending whole days in pehetra-
ting into the mystery of dry goods and
millinery, and bringing home such bar
gains in the shape of dingy silks and rib
bOns, and prints and delaines, of such a
pattern, that his wife trembled whenever
she saw him coming home with bundle
under his arm, for he would rarely trust
Commodities to the care of another.


Mrs. COldstream bore this very patient
ly, until one day he sent home a bonnet
OF light blue and prOfusely Ornamented
with flowers of the same delicate hue
She was a dark brunette, and taking it
from the bandbox, she held it at arms
length, and surveyed it with an air Of
CONSERVATION.


Chow could you select such color as
this, my dear?" she said to her husband,
who stood by regarding it with evident
complacency. :" I can never wear it in
tie world; I look like a fright in blue. !"