Year: 1878

I
letter" said Mrs Barton to her hus-
band one day. Martha was a daughter
who had been married for three or
four months, and was then living some
several hundred miles away from the
town in which her parents resided.
Nor do |, was the answer. "If Ed
ward is in anything UnkiRd to her,
| have been greatly deceived in him.


There are peculiarities of character
and temperament in every one, that
only a close intimacy can make appar-
ent, and Martha has these as wei Us
Edward. 1t is not improbable that
something unseen before has revealed
itself since the marriage, and stands as
a source of irritation between them.


Mr.. Barton sighed. He was very
| fond of Martha. She had been Il pet
with him since childhood, and this sep
aratiOn, in consequence of her marriage,
was a great trial. The thought of her
being unhappy, panied him.


suppose, said he, that we send for
her to come home and make us a visit.
1t is nearly four months since she
went away"


q was going 10 suggest something
different"


W lldL


a visit to Martha"


"But that will be out of the question,
at least for me-" said Mr.. Barton.


Il did not" said Mrs. Barton, Smll-
ing, expect to include YOU in tie visit.


'Oh, then you are to take all the
pleasure to yourself. Now, it strikes
me as "A better arrangement to have
Martha pay lis visit. It Will do her a
great deal of good, more good than
merely to receive visit from you.
She will get back for little while in
to her own home, and see her father
and mother both. And then L will
come in for portion of the enjoyment
which is to be considered.


"I've thought of that" replied Mrs.
Barton, 'and yet favor the visit 10
Martha The reason is this: If l 90
there and stay a week or two l shall
have an opportunity to see how her
and Edward are getting along tOgeth-
er. We must live with people, you
know, to find out all about them.
There may be some little impediments
to happiness lying right in their path,
which / may help them to pick up and
cast aside; some little want of adap-
ton in the machinery of their lives.
which prevents a movement in har-
mOny that l may show them how to
properly adjust.


Il guess you are right in taking that
view of the case" said Mr.. Barton.


The visit of Mrs. Barton was made
accordingly. After the first brief sea
son of gladness that followed meet
ing with her mother had passed, Mar
tha's cOuntenance showed some lines
that were not there by sweet content.
The mother asked no questions, how
ever, in the beginning, to draw Martha
out. She wanted little time for OBJ
servatiOn. The young husband was
bright, cheerful, attentive and fond, as
he had appeared before the wedding
day. But on the second morning after
her arrival, she noticed that he didn't
talk as much as usual at the breakfast
table, and had something very much
like a cloud over his cOuntenance.
Martha's manner was a little con-
strained, also. and her face little sober.
Once or twice during the meal, Ed
ward exhibited feeling of annoyance
at things not rightly ordered.
Mrs. Barton was already beginning
to see the little impediments and OBJ
structiOns to which she had referred
in talking to her husband. But she
did not encourage Martha to speak on
the subject. She wanted to see more
and understand the case better. On
the third day, the cause of trouble be
tween Edward and MaTtha-fOr a dis
cOrdant string was really jarring the
| harmony of their hYeS-became more
clearly apparent to the mother. The
little external restraint that had been
assumed at the beginning OF her visit,
by both of the younger people was
gradually laid aside, and she saw them
in the real life they were living.
The basis of the difficulty lay in the
| total unfitneSs of Martha for the posi-
ton she had aSsumed-that of house
| keeper, mean. And in consequence.
her young husband, in whose ideal of a
home, perfect order had been included
found everything so different from his
authorizations, that indeed a graceful
| acquieScence was impossible.


Il don't know what has come Of Ed
ward" said Martha TO her mother on
the morning of the fourth day after
her husband had left for his place OF
business. Her ewes We're swimming in
tears, for Edward had spoken harshly
ftlAAA " AAlA Nh4tAOAAN AAA-AAaAAhAN ~ NAAN
breakfast table. "IIe used to lie so
kind. so gentle. so considerate Of my
comfort and feelings. But he seems to
be more impatient and harsh m ms
manner every day.


"IIas the reason of this never Oc-
CURED to youg" Mrs. BartOn's man.
ner was grave. He Is disappointed IN
| something evidently. He does not find
IN You all that he had expected
| Mother. The young wife had a
startled look.


at mast be so. Martha, or else why
should he be different from what he
was. He has had an ideal of 4 wife
and You have failed to reach that
ideal"


The face Of Martha, which had flush
ed. became almost pale.


And l am free to own" continued
the mother. that You fall considerably
below my ideal do not wonder at
Edwards disappointment


Tears began to fall over the young
wife's face. I'm sure, said she, sob
bing, that ! have been to him all J
knew how TO he. If love would draw
upon me favor and kindness he would
never look upon me as he does, some
times with a cold eye and a clOuded
face, nor speak in angry impotence
words that have hurt me worse than
! blows"


But you have not done for him al
that you know how to do" said Mrs
i Barton.


fail to comprehend you mother
was replied TO this.


"YOu do not make his home as pleas
ant as it should be. There seems tC