Year: 1874

very stones under ones feet. 1 envied
even the servant girls but, alas the
mysteries of the cuisine were as Greek
to me, and dared not apply for 30
menial a situation as theirs. My poor
husband was in wretched health, and
almost frenzied at thought of the misery
and, degradation he had brought upon
me. For his sake 1 did my aching
heart behind smiling face. One night
after he had retired, in hanging up his
coat, vial dropped from the pocket.
Picking it up, 1 found it labeled
"Laudanum, and then 1 knew that he
was beset with the terrible temptation
to take his own life. Flinging the vile
drug into the street, 1 sank on my
knees, and % my God lead him not
into temptation, but deliver him from
evil, was the prayer that went up from
my agonized heart. How desc .ate felt.
In the midst of great city, friendless,
well-nigh penniless, and, worst of all,
haunted with the dreadful fear that my
husband would commit suicide. From
the time we would separate in the
morning until We met again at night l
lived in a state of absolute torture. At
length, despairing of finding anything
in the city to do, We turned our faces
country ward, feeling that our slender
stock of money would last longer than
in town. After many weeks of painful
anxiety, my husband found situation
in small village, with Just salary
enough to keep the wolf from the door.
How longed to do something to better
our condition but, alas what could l
do? 1 might have had a fine music
class in the village, but while played
and sang very well, was not proficient
enough in music to teach it success
fully. Oh, how 1 wished 1 had given
the time to it 1 had spent on French
and Latin. Many an houro of hard study
had 1 given to these branches, and of
what practical advantage had they been
to me !? / never met any French people
with whom I could converse, and had
never been able to secure a class in
either language, while all the while my
knowledge was becoming rusty by nom
use. 1t is painful to recur to this
period of my life; I was so unhappy.
1 expected every day would be the last
my husband would be able to attend to
business. Finally, driven to despera-
ton by our misfortunes, 1 resolved to
do something or die in the attempt. At
tached to the house we occupied was
large lot for gardening purposes, and l
made up my mind that out of that bit
of earth L would dig our fortunes, or at
least, living, with my own hands. 1
made horticulture and Horticulture a
study, and brushed up my knowledge
of chemistry. 1t was hard work and
small profits the first year ; but having
once put my hand to the plough,
never turned back. Our table was
bountifully supplied with fresh vegeta-
bles and fruits, and what was better,
my step had grown elastic, my eye
bright, and my cheek rounded with
health. My husband too. found many
a spare moment from business to assist
me, and in doing so found himself
growing strong and well again. Oh,
how happy we were! Surely there is q
dignity in labor unknown to ease! How
proud l felt when received the returns
from my first shipment of vegetables to
the nearest market! 1 counted it over
and over it seemed to possess value
that had never attached to money in
the old days when father had lavished
it so freely upon me. Then l would
have thought nothing of spending such
a paltry sum upon the trimmings of q
single dress now every penny was
boarded with miserly care, for we had
resolved upon having a home of our
own. Well, to be brief, each year 1 at
tempted something more - first
poultry-yard, then the culture of bees,
and so on-until, before we were hardly
aware of it, our home was paid for, and
we were in easy circumstances.


81 had carefully concealed every trace
of our adversely from my parents. l
think would have died rather than gone
home-a beggar. Now that the dawn
of prosperity had set in, wrote, asking
them to come and see the little silken.
haired girl that, like sunbeam, danced
through our home. They came. Father,
accustomed to his broad acres, was as
tonished at the products of my small
plot of ground. He declared l was the
best farmer he knew of, and should
have greater scope for my powers. He
bought a fine large tract of land adloin-
ing our grounds, that happened to be
for sale Just then, and made me deed
for it. This is the igin Of the country
seat you visited last summer, and ad-
mired so much. Belle is fine horti-
culturist and an accomplished house
keeper.-Should she ever be thrown
upon her own resources in the country,
she could make living, and wish her
to be equally as independent In town.
We came to town to superintend her
education. She thinks her forte is
journalism, arc desires, in addition to
this. to become a practical printer. And
now, can you wonder. Mrs. Ellis, after
my experience, that I am trying to have
her avoid the errors that well nigh
made my young life failure


"No, indeed, Mrs. Morton, and 1
honor you for it. have been greatly
benefited by the narration OF your
early troubles, and ] think you will see


49, ~