Year: 1874




removed to the city where he now made
his residence. He had brought her home
to the house of his mother, who, with his
sister, was of the true New England type.
They were thorough going, practicallwomen,
notable housekeepers, slightly Puritanical
in their beliefs, and holding very little sym
pathy with youth and inexperience. The
young wife was impulsive, unused to dis
oipline Of any kind, careless ignorant of
any habits of industry, but warm-hearted
some relative to the staid, methodical wo-
men with whom she took up her residence.


Unfortunately for the wife, also, her hus-
band had been taught to look up to his
mother and sister as the best of women, and
had fondly fancied that when his new
treasure came under their control all those
little weaknesses Of which he had soon be-
come aware after marriage, would be cured
by their example and advice. But his san
guine hopes were doomed to early disap-
pointment. Instead of his wife growing
docile and yielding, she became more
willful and intractable, rebelled with high
spirit against any rule, and looked upon
her husband more as companion with
whom to enjoy the amusements of fashion
able society, than as helpmate and friend
with whom to pass through the trials and
cares of life. Still she had kind heart
and warm affections; and had more love
and sympathy been exhibited in connection
with efforts to change her habits, and less
cold, severe exactions shown on the part
of her husbands S relatives, the event might
have been better for ALL At last the usual
result followed. Quarrels became of fire.
quent occurrence estrangement grew up
between husband and wife /; and it was only
a year after their marriage that the young
wife, one day, after passionate outbreak
and most unhappy scene with her husband,
left his home and returned to that of her
parents. Here she was not only received
with open arms, but condoled and sympa-
thized with to her great iDjury--a divorce
proposed, and all chance of reconciliation
destroyed.


Such was the painful story as gathered
the particulars-no rare one in the world,
l am quite aware, and yet SAD enough as
embodying the wreck Of two lives. Perhaps
knowledge of the whole softened my
pride toward Mr.. Lee trife though it by
no means cured my wounded selfrespect
or put me more at ease with myself. What
more acquaintance might have followed is
uncertain; perhaps mono whatever, under
the changed conditions; nor have the
clearest idea how my revenge would have
been accomplished, had not been favored
by new and unexpected circumstances.


1t was in the month of December that
one very cold and clustering morning a lady
was ushered into the instruction-room by
one of the salesmen. She was young and
remarkably pretty woman, as / discovered
at the first glance, and dressed very becom-
ingly in the prevailing mode. The usual
remarks that "she was afraid she would be
stupid" and my reinsurance that had
taught pupils from twelve to eighty in age
and from Irish Norah to the Hon. Mrs.
Highfyer in position, passed between us
and then, after feet were comfortably
warmed, and gloves removed, the lesson
began. Upon the raising of her veil, as
she seated herself, discovered that her
beautiful brown eyes showed traces of re-
cent tears and several times as the lesson
progressed an unconsciously long sigh OF
sob proved very plainly that she had lately
passed through some strong emotion, and
that nature was kindly restoring the equi-
librium.


In the course Of the lesson, that day, she
told me that she was married and the moth
er of q little boy somewhat over year old.
She limited at trouble in connection with
her marriage relations, and of late news
that had caused the past night to be spent
very unhappily. She seemed low-spirited,
and deeply ashamed of her ignorance as re-
garded all knowledge of sewing or the con-
struction Of the simplest garment. en-
couraged her--told her that patience and
application only were necessary, as she
showed very good natural abilities and
would learn easily. But she replied sadly
that she was afraid that those were virtues
she had never cultivated, nor even until
lately deemed at all necessary. She assured
me that could form no idea how useless
and helpless she had been. She had never
liked to sew, and her mother had never
wished her TO do so, telling her that there
plenty Of poor people who would be glad 10
do such labor instead. She hoped would
not laugh at some OF her no doubt trifling