Year: 1870

if the lips of corpses had been stirred
by galvanism. Then, as if impatient
of hearing both man and God, Mrs
LausOn clasped her hands over her
ears, and fled away to some inner room
of the shaking old house, seeking per.
haps the little pity that there is for the
wretched in solitude. The Squire re.
mained seated, his gray and horny fin.
gers drumming on the arms of the
chair, and his faded lips murmuring
some inandible conversation.


For the wretchedness of Mrs. Lausou
there was partial cause in the disposition
and ways of her husband. Very odd
was the old Squire; violently combative
could he be in case Of provocationi and
to those who resisted what he called his
rightful authority he was tyraLt.


Having lost the wife whom he had
ruled for SO many years, and having en-
joyed the serene but lonely empire Of
widowhood for eighteen months, be
felt the need of some one for some pur-
pose, perhaps to govern. Once re-
solved on fresh spouse, he set about
searching for one in clear r-headed and
business-like manner, as if it had been
question OF getting family horse.


The woman whom be finally received
into his hinty bosom was a maiden of
forty-fve, who had known in her youth
the uneasy joys OF many flirtations, and
who had marched through various sue
cesses Uhe triumphs of a small univer-
sity town. to sit down at lest in a life
long disappointment. Regretting her
past, dissatisfied with every present, de-
manding improbabilities of the future,
eager still to be fattered and worship
ped and obeyed, she was wofully unfit
ted for marriage with an old man of
plain habits and retired life, who was
quite as egotistic as herself and far more
cOmbatiye and domineering. 1t was
soon horrible thing to remember the
young lovers who had gone long ago,
but who, it seemed to her, still adored
her, aud to compare them With this un-
sympathizing master, who gave her no
courtship nor tender reverence, and who
spoke but to demand submission.


I'm general way" says a devout
old lady of my acquaintance, "Divine
Providence blesses second marriages" !"


With 10 experience of my own in
this line, and with not large observa-
tion of the experience of others, am
nevertheless inclined to admit that my
friend has the right of it. Conceding
the fact that second marriages are usu-
ally happy, one naturally asks, Why is
it! Is it because q man knows better
how to select q second wife ? or because
he knows better how to treat her
Well disposed toward both these sup
positions, attach the most importance
to the latter.


No doubt Benedict chooses more
thoughtfully when be chooses a second
timei no doubt he is governed more
by judgment than in his first courtship,
and less by blind impulse; no doubt he
has learned some love- making wisdom
from experience. A woman who will
be patient with him, woman who will
care we'll for his household affairs and
for his children, woman who will run
steadily rather than showily in the do
mebtic harness, that is what he usually
wants when he goes sparkling at forty
or fifty.


But this is not all and not even tie
half OF the explanation. He has 40
quired knowledge of what woman is,
and knowledge Of what may fairly he
required OF her He has learned to put
himself in her place; 20 grant her the
sympathy which her sensitive heart
needs to estimate the sufferings which
arise from her variable health in short
he has learned to be thoughtful and pa.
tient and mercitul Moreover, he is
apt to select some one who, like himself
has learned command of temper and
moderation OF expectation from the les
ous of life. As he knows that a glori-
fled wife is impossible here below, SC
she makes no strenuous demand for an
angel husband.


But Squire Thomas Lauson had mar
ried an old maid who had not yet given
up the struggle to be girl, and who,
in consequence of leng and silly BELLE
hood, could not put up with any form
Of existence which was not continual
courlship. Furthermore, he himself
was not persmmon; he had not gath
cred sweetness from the years which
frosted his brow. An interestingly OBJ
durate block of the Puritan granite Of
New England, he was almost as self
opinIonated, dOmineering, pugnaciOus,
and sarcastic as he had been at fifteen.
He still had Overmueh of the unripe
spirit which plaques little boys, scoffs
Al girls, stones frogs, browns kittens,
and mutters domestic defances. Il
Mrs. Lauson was skittish and fractions,
he was her full match as wife breaker


In short, the Squire had not chosen
wisely, he was not fitted to win wo-
mans heart by sympathy and justice
and thus Providence had not blessed
his second marriage.


We must return now to Miss Mer-
cy Lauson and her niece Bessie. They
are alone once more, for Squire Lauson
has finished his sarcastic mutterings,
and has stumped away to some other
dungeon of the unhappy old house


"You see, Bessie !" said Miss Mercy,
aftar a pinchiup of her thin liDs which