Year: 1875

| the women, L mean. During the nrsI


one, two, three, or FIVE years of married
lille man is king emperor, despot, any


thing you choose to call him which will


Halter his vanity and express absolute
power; but the next five, and all the


other fives succeeding, are invariably


ruled over by ys feminine head of ye


family. How they accomplish it in SO


great number of instances that 1t Is safe


to regard the experience as universal, L


do not pretend to be Informed; but it
has fallen under my observation to know


how one little woman, in her own quiet
| way, came to be queen of her household.
George Linwood had very peculiar
ideas as to marital rights and privileges,


which, however, he never considered 1t


worth while to ventilate in Bessie Gray 8


hearing until after he had taken her out
of the happy family group where she was
loved, petted, and consulted an innumer-
| able number of times every day.


Bessie was installed in a beautiful
| home, furnished from attic to basement
IN the latest style, with nothing left for
her busy little fingers to do towards its
completion.


Well, Bessie, if you are not happy
! here" said Kate, an older sister, who had
several years ago married papa's book
keeper, and found it decidedly difficult
to make both ends meet, then I'm sure
you never will be. Such elegant cur
tains !" she added, in the same breath, as
her eyes fell upon the soft folds of lace
which decorated either end of the richly
furnished apartments.


Nevertheless, after Kate had gone Bes-
sic sat down and had good cry" Ev-
cry woman knows just what that means,
and what an efectual safety valve
good cry" is to the over-fraught heart.
That very morning George had spoken
to her most severely because she had
ventured to alter the arrangement of
several pieces of furniture in the parlors


II wish you to understand" he had
said, as he left her. that want the fur
niture to remain where / place it; l in
tend to be master in my own house"


Poor Bessie would have had cry then
and there, only that she was called off to
the kitchen, and then Kate came, so that
the luxury had to be postponed to a
more convenient season.


Bessie felt perfectly confident this
morning that she was not nearly as hap
py as she had expected to be- George
had shown her a number of times though
never quite plainly as now, that his
will was not to be disputed; he was king,
but Bessie had already learned that he
would not brook the rivalry of queen
And, besides, Bessie was lonesome; eve
rything and everybody had been so gay
and cheerful at home; mamma never OBJ
jected to any changes the young folks
might make if they would only attend
to them themselves, and not trouble her
about it. Tom and Will and Many. and
even papa, seemed to think there could
not anything be quite right until Bessie
had given it little magic stroke with
her tasteful fingers. Now everything
was different-oh, so different!


George bought everything he liked,
without once seeming to think of what
nice, cozy chats he missed by not talking
it all over with Bessie beforehand; then,
when the new article was brought home, he
placed it wherever he pleased, without
once consulting his little wife as to its dis
position. Stupid fellow he never seemed
to realize that he was missing some of
the tenderest experiences of life, and
that if he and Bessie had even INDUCED
in spicy little disagreement now and
then, there would have been all the fun
of making up again. and, besides, almost
any other way would have been better
than this miserable, onesided one.


Six months rolled by, and Bessie was
frightened at the change which had
taken place in her disposition. Scarcely
day passed now in which angry words
were not exchanged between her and
George. Being woman of spirit, she
could not submit without an occasional
remonstrance to such tacit acknowledge
ment of her nonentity. Now and then
an indignant voice would protest.
George, won't be treated so, I'm nei-
ther child nor slave" and cool.
strong tones would answer back. II told
you at the first that there was to be but
one master in this house"


OF one thing Bessie felt certain on this |
half-yearly anniversary of her marriage, |
and that was that change of some sort
must be effected if she was ever to look |
for happiness again in this life. Not
that many joyful hours and even days |
had not frightened these few months, |
but she had learned that they were not |
to be depended upon a single opinion |
upon her part, or quick and womanly de- |
cision, would cause George to arm him
self with all the weapons of his master
ship, viz, unreasonable commands and |
an assertion OF his marital superiority.


Now, as Bessie thought the matter
over, she knew very well that her hus-
band trusted to her own good sense and |
spirit not to execute his absurd whims,
and that, had she carried them out to the |
letter, he would have been again and |
again involved in the most embarrassing /
circumstances.


Suddenly she determined this would |
be the very thing; yes, she would exc
cute. cost what it might, every direction
of her lord and master


1t so happened that that very night |
Bessie had an opportunity to carry out |
portion of her plan The dinner of lamb |
George chose to consider under-done, |
and, consequently, an occasion was af- |
forded for him to assert his authority;


Bessie, ring the bell for Ann, will |
you? Tell her to take this lamb out and |
throw it into the fire; it isn't half done"


George knew that it was Bessie's GUS
tom upon such occasions to ring the bell, |
give quiet, dignifed message to the girl |
to the effect that the meat needed to be |
little more thoroughly cooked, conse-
quently he was not little surprised to |
hear her say. in calm, quiet tones:


"Ann, Mr.. Lnwood wishes you to
take the lamb off the table and throw it |
into the fire."


Ann looked from one to the other in |
blank amazement, while George gazed at |
his wife as if he considered her fit sub |
ject for a lunatic asylum.


NO, Ann, leave it here" he said impa- |
tiently, as the girl reach out her hands |
for the platter


What on earth did you give such
command as that for p was asked, the
moment Ann was safely beyond hearing


Because, George, that was just what
you told me to tell her" Bessie answered,
pleasantly, without the least affectation
at martyrdom.


You are not ordinarily so extremely
docile, said George, sarcastically.