Year: 1873




Every three years we say goodbye to
our friends and our enemies, wherever
we are, and take up our abode in q
strange place, and there to make new
friends and-oh it seems inevitable
new enemies. l did not intend to marry
a minister-that was years ago-but when
the opportunity offered, love had wrought
such changes in my hardened heart
would not for worlds have become united
to any other. So, as it was to be, l mar
ried minister, and-a minister married
me. No doubt you have all read elaborate
descriptions of what the wife of such a
parsonage has to endure, and time was
when l might have contributed my tes-
tirnony in this direction, and have given
nv experience outside of the classroom
but I was young and have undergone a
change since then, and besides my lines
have fallen in very pleasant places. So,
as it is, have only to say that some of
these accounts are very, very true, while
others are entirely false; and that, in
the main, believe these unhealthy re-
citals are the brain product of persons
far removed from ministers and their
respective families.


We came to H a month ago. The
house in which we are living is new;
built in the latest style of architecture;
fitted with all the modern improvements,
and furnished throughout in the most
complete manner. In our itineracy we
have not been accustomed to anything
so grand, and do not feel at all at home
in all these fine surroundings, though
the people are social, kind and consider
ate. I learned last night little fact
which 1 am going to tell you. The peo-
Piles choice of minister lay between
two individuals, Mr.. B and my hus-
band. They were not unanimous in
their vote until just before conference
but were about equally divided. Shall l
tell you what united them in our favor2
/ can only do it with fearful eyes and an
aching heart 1t was the simple fact,
that in our household there were no
little hedglings to litter up this grand
place; no little fingers to mar the paint
and the paper, to scatter tiny crumbs
over the handsome carpets; no little
boys to slide down the polished banisters
and to play cars with the heavy stuffed
chairs; no little girls to dance on the
sofa springs and draw hieroglyphics on
the door steps. "OnIy himself and wife"
said the committee, in council, whereas
the other brother has four children, with
eight mischievous hands and forty unruly
fingers to make havoc in this building;
eight noisy feet to shuttle through these
rooms all the day, and eight restless
eyes on the constant lookout for fresh
employment and new diversions" This
statement was sufficient. In a body they
declared it would never, never do, and
with one accord they voted for Frank,
my husband, and for me- his wife, "his
only encumbrance. This is why we two
are living in this great, large house, while


NJ l. &c 81 cicfa
and four children, is stationed at F.,
in cottage not much larger than good
sized dry-goods box, and about as bare of
comforts. | fancied shadow crept over
Franks face last evening, is impulsively
told him what had heard, and all day
long he had been so silent and so sub
dued; and yet his Sunday sermon is all
copied; there are no sick to visit. He has
money and the church is prospecting
spiritually. He mast be thinking of what
/ am, though he avoids my inquiring
glances and vouchsafes no communication
upon the subject And what have |
done to-day? l have gone about the
house as one demented; | have shivered
at the dreary order of things; l have
shut my eyes to this glaring, unpoetical,
white paint, that never knew the soil OF
little sticky hands; and, as the great





scornfully upon the high walls, so igno-
rant of the music that little feet can
make Going to the parlor this after
noon, disarranged the curtains; / placed
| the chairs awry; l tossed the books upon
the floor, and laid broken cookie on the
sill This done, the door-bell rang; and
| frightened, 1 locked the door and rushed
out l was one of the hard-hearted COM
mittee, and my head grew dizzy and my
heart rebellious as / extended my hand
and asked him into-the dining-room
He didn't seem to notice anything, poor
man, not even my cool demeanor. Ills
little girl was sick, perhaps dying; was
the minister in? and would he come right
away? Frank is so good hearted; he
interpreted my somewhat triumphant eX
preston Immediately, and looked at me
so reproachfully as he drove away. II
| was wicked know, but just for moment
l felt should like to have that mar
experience how destitute house may bt
that lacks a little child, and to feel {
little of the loneliness that steals ovel
one who sits for hours quite alone in ,
stiffness unbroken oh! in an tnendMrdbl
quietl


restless tonight, and my heart is full o
longings unsatisfied. In the year tina


has passed / never extended my arm


that could not feel the weight of q littl


body that used to creep therein; but tc


night-and in this hateful house-tha


dear remembrance has left me, and m


arms seem utterly empty. All, whe


Frank returns I'll beg him to take m
baclr to the parish by the sea. The