Year: 1867

Husbands at Home.


A Raey Sketch for the Ladies.


Mrs. "Patsy Spangle,' charming correspon-
dent Of the Louisville Courier, addresses the fol-
lowing to Mr. "Yub dam" There are many
ladies, we dare say, who think with Mrs. Spangle
if they do not speak out. To them this letter
will be great treat:


SPANGLE AS LOVER.


I first met Spangle at a country fair. We
were introduced to each other at about 10 o'clock
in the morning, and, if you believe me, did not
get chance to speak to any other gentleman
that day. [ never saw fellow so struck at first
sight. I don't think he saw horse, or in fact
anything that was on exhibition that day but me,
although there were present many of the most
beautiful and accomplished young ladies of that
section of the country. AS he was extremely
good looking, of good family, and of unexception-
able character and habits, |, of course, felt fiat
tered by his marked preference. | had tc take
him to dinner, and introduce him to pa and ma
and the whole family. He made very good
impression. In fact, Spange can shine when he
tries [ remember the fact with pride. Well,
it is the old story. He became infatuated and
obtained my permission to visit me at my home
and spend day there in just two weeks from the
time we met. During these two weeks l re-
ceived daily long letters from Simon, closely
written and cross-written. [ wish [ had kept
them AT length the day Of his visit arrived
and 10 and behold the servant girl awoke me in
the morning with the pleasant information that
Spangle was waiting for me in the parlor
Here was lover for you!


MARRIAGE AND HONEYMOON.


Well! we'll As [ said before, it was the old
story ever recurring, ever sweetly told, and ever
listened to by willing ears. Suffice it to say that
from that day [ saw no peace until became Mrs
Spangle. Our honeymoon was, | suppose, like
all honeylnoons, short and delicious.


The REALITIES OF LIFE.


And then came all the realities of life. It is
my belief that this is the most trying period of a
woman's life. However kind and attentive her
husband may be, young wife, when she enters
upon the actualites of life, has disclosed to her
state of facts of which she has little or no con-
ception before marriage. When she leaves an
atmosphere of romance and adulation and enters
upon the realities Of life, it is like stepping out
of garden of summer flowers into the regions of
perpetual winter and unless she brings all of her
good sense and philosophy to her aid, her affec-
tions will become chilled and she will regard her.
self disappointed if not deceived woman for
the balance of her life 1t is the hope that our



induces me to reveal some of the domestic Incl
dents and infelicities of twelve years Of married
! life.


After our brief holiday, Spangle-to use his
own Xpression-took tilt at the world deter
mined to wrest from it not only a competency,
| but fortune that would place me in the most
beatifc attitude to be obtained by opulence.
| The dear fellow did work hard, and if he met
with obstacles and difficulties and trials the world
never knew it. He reserved them for his fire
| side, and although he did not accuse me as the
cause, yet 1 could but feel that [ was some way
or other accountable for his troubles.


Although [ never seriously doubted his love
for me, yet he certainly permitted many excel
lent opportunities for manifesting it to pass un-
improved. Before we were married, he seemed
to have perfect mania for holding my hand;
and [ used to wonder if he would ever give me
an opportunity to do any needle work after mar
riage. But, bless your soul! after marriage
when opportunities for ndulging in that delicious
pastime were abundant, it seemed to have lost its
| charm Poor foolish me! I was often aggrieved
at his apparent GOODNESS, and would ask him
twenty times day if he did love me. "Why
certainly do, my dear little puss; [ knew it y
| Perhaps did. [ also knew that we had plenty
| of flour and bacon in the pantry but that knowl-
edge did not satisfy my hunger.


THE HONEYMOON IN A PARTIAL ECLIPSE
1t is true that this affliction manifested itself
sporadically with all the warmth and ardor Of the
| old days; but these ebulitons were the excep,
! tions The rule was, Il thought you knew it. y
Yes girls, when you get husbands, they will ex.
pect you to know it, and my advice to you is
that you get all the courting you want before you
are married for after that event what little court
ing is done in the family will have to be done by
the wife.


| SpANGLE AS A FATHER.
| We have six Children all beautiful and good
Spangle takes great pride in them, loves them
and grows at them, like dear old bear. You
must not think that Spangle regards the new
comers' as burdens. Quite the reverse. He
goes into ecstacies over each one dilates upor
its beauties and perfections for five minutes, ano
then seems to think it ought to be laid away te
grow up, and be no further trouble to him unit
they want to marry. If one of them has an ache
and cries at night Spangle thinks that the pair
is special hardship to him, because it keeps hin
awake few minutes The fact is undenlablt
that the best men are selfish brutes SO far a:
babies are concerned.


SpANGLE AT HOME.


I will saw though, of all the children have
Spangle is the biggest baby. IT'S true he wa
through with most of the ailments have emu
merated before got him, but in thousand othe
respects he still is, and always will remain in tha
chronic state of babyhood which ever attend
over-indulged and spoiled husbands. When "
were first married my old baby would almos
break his back to pick up my fan, and he woul
kill a Hv in n minnie if the fy manifested a dis