Year: 1874

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If ever young couple were intended,
one might almost say made for each other,
it was DR.. Heinrich Wahlborn and Sophie
Metkorn, the eldest daughter of not rich
but well-tO-do citizen, and certainly q
handsomer girl it was not easy to find.
Fortunately it fell to the doctors lot, even
before he paid his addresses to her, to OBJ
serve her closely during whole year at
her own home; for. as the medical attend
ant of the family. he had occasion, during
the long and tedious illness of her mother,
to call every dav and at all hours. Dur
ing this period the conduct of household
affairs fell naturally to Sophie, while. at
the same time, she nursed her sick mother
with affectionate and preserving care.


The young doctor, both in his personal
habits and in his bachelor housekeeping,
was punctual and orderly He was a
lover OF good washing and clean linen. as
well as Of capable, cheerful housewifery.
In this respect the house of the Metkorns.
in striking contrast with many others
where he had to call in the early mornings,
and which he often found in terrible
plight, seemed to him model. Call when
he would, it was bright and clean, Sophie
herself always a pattern Of neatness, and
when he once got a glance into the kitchen.
the various utensils shone as if made OF
pure silver.


And then Sophie was always simply
clad. In the fashion, of course !; but with
out that foolish devotion to its various
modes, now SO common, she was elegance
itself. This, indeed, it was easy for her
to be, for pretty face beauties almost
ch0 hal
figure, SO that we cannot blame the doctor
when at last he found himself captive;
indeed, the wonder is that he had resisted
so long.


1t was evident, also, that she was do
mesticated and thrifty, for he called one
day and found her bargaining with q green
grocer for a measure of beans. He could
almost have fallen upon her neck and
kissed her, so grave was her countenance
and so resolute was her determination
not to be cheated even in single copper.
But "who is faithful in little will be faith.
tul in much" and he saw that she did not
consider ''the Titles" beneath her care
The doctor himself was possessed OF
some fortune, and this, with tolerably
good practice, would have enabled him to
maintain wife respectfully, even if she
had brought no dowry with her. He had
no sooner made up his mind than he went
to work; and one day after he had sent
his now rapidly recovering patient for
fortnight to neighboring spa, he made
Sophie acquainted with his wishes-my
fair readers will pardon me for commenc-
ing my story where others usually end
and in the midst of lovely bushes and APP
proving glanceS there came the word
which made him the ''happiest of mortals "
The parents, though first consulted when
the young people had settled the matter
between themselves, were not averse to
the match; and in little while, without
pomp or show, the wedding was celebra-
ted in the midst of sympaihizing friends
from the family circle.


As a matter of course. the young couple
took wedding trip to Switzerland. 1t was
the fashion, though the most unnatural
and inconsistent thing for newly married
pair to do. Instead of rejoicing in their
triumph over all difficulties, in their COM
mon happiness and newly acquired do
mestc life, they 90 to be shaken together
i'll the midst of dust and heat in railway
carriages; to be lodged in strange hotels
and uncomfortable inns; to be thrown in
to the society of multitudes of unknown
persons, and annoyed by exorbitant
charges; and then at last, almost worn
out and completely weary of travel, they
seek the place which they should never
have left-their own home and hearth.
But to those who would change the fash
ions. the invariable reply is, 'What every
body does we must do also," and things
90 on in the usual course.


Heinrich Wahlborn had in due course
returned with his charming young wife,
and, after the lapse of a week or so, found
that he had fortunately survived those in
evitable ceremonial visits which were as
intolerablc to the bride as to himself, and
then first began to enjoy the pleasures Of
welded life. The young people possessed
everything that could contribute to the
happiness of quiet, domestic life, having
enough not only for its necessities, but for
many otits luxuries also. Besides, Sophie
understood how to arrange everything 50
neatly, and to make everything so cOmfor-
table . She never gave herself any rest
until the little house was transformed into
a fairy palace; so that Wahlborn, as he
saw the process, was never weary of look
ing at her, and he hardly knew which
most TO wonder at--her taste, her dill
gence, or her perseverance.


His long absence on his wedding tour





First, he had his numerous patients to
visit, and then he was regular cores
pondent of an important medical journal,
and found his work much in arrear. All
this he had to make up, and. to tell the
truth, he was often disturbed by the clean
ing and arranging that was constantly
going on in the house. This was es-
pecially the case when coming out of his
study he met, as he often did, strange
faces belonging sometimes to the uphol-
sterer, or to the locksmith, or to the
joiner, but more frequently to charwomen
or washerwomen; but then his little wife
took pleasure in it, and the time would
come when she had her work finished, a
period to which he locked forward with
intense desire. He felt little constraint.
but it was not worth mentioning-his dear
wife could not endure smoke. Smoking
had never been allowed in her fathers
house, and if for a few minutes she was in
room where the fumes of tobacco lin.
gered. she suffered from headache-and
then it ruined the curtains She wished
him. therefore, not to smoke in her room,
1