Year: 1876

foolish to you, but it is great trial to
me. l have tried, and I can learn; per-
haps would have made more progress
If Charley had acted differently, but
when make an effort he never praises
me for it, and if fail, he ridicules me
until have just given up trying, and
have left things to Jane, who, you know,
1s very Indifferent servant. Yesterday
morning the steak was burnt, the coffee
was muddy; to-day the bread was heavy,
the eggs overdone, the beef raw. Char
ley flew into q passion and said great
many unkind things as he arose from
his untasted breakfast. And when I
cried, and said wished I was at home
with mamma, he said he wished so too
and many things I ooull not repeat"
And Mary Stanwood's voice completely
broke down.


Soothing her gently, Mrs. Allen, the
good aunt, who had known and loved
the spoiled child from her babyhood,
said:


"Mary, how deeply I sympathize
with you is more than can express"


ooh, auntie, have not told you the
worst pet. When Charley left home he
|
several hours there, and he does this
very often. She has won his love from
me; this is the true reason of our un-
happiness. 1 have come to tell you
this, and to tell you am going home to
mamma"


And the sorrowing young wife wept
bitterly.


MARY, you know an your friend;
and 1; what am going to say to you
wounds you, it is yet for your own good.
You have done wrong, my child. ad-
NIT Charles, knowing your tender rear
ing as the only child of wealthy parents,
should not have been so exacting; but
he has been accustomed to the superior
housekeeping and good management Of
n domestic mother and industrious Sis
ters, and he doubtless attributes much
OF your errors in making his home COM
Portable to indifference on your part.
He does not understand your difficult
tics, nor does he deem your efforts
praiseworthy, because he has been in
the habit of seeing others make them as
matter of duty. AS for his visits to
Annie Glenn, [ can, I think, explain
them. Mrs. Glenn is q good house
keeper and a splendid cook; Annie,
bright, intelligent girl, who does not
grow cross over her household labors.
80, If Charles sometimes drops in there
to partake OF the deliciously prepared
little meal, and chat with the friend of
his childhood, in her bright, pleasant
little parlor, over the last new book, it
is not surprising."


| ooh, auntie, it may be true, but
Charles is cruel and unkind, and 1 am
sick OF it all. I am going home to
mamma; she won't want me to cook,
aid sweep, and make drudge of my
self.


"Hush, Mary; you do not know what
VOWS 80 solemnly spoken Just one year
| ago. 1t was until death do us part that
you promised to be the wife of Charles
Stanwood. Then it was not for health,
happiness and sunshine you took those
| vows, but for better, for worse : and
now, my child, if the worse has come 80
soon to blight the orange blossoms, you
must hear It"


"Oh, no, cannot; must go back to
my old home-my dear home, where
everybody loved me. I never want to
look upon Charley Stanwoods face
again." sobbed the homesick young
wife.


"Don't, Mary; don't speak those
words, said the old lady, with white,
trembling lips. They are an echo in
my heart that sounds like a funeral
dirge. And now, my dear niece, ere you
take this important step of leaving your
husband and your home. allow me to
tell you something of the history of my
own life-a chapter whose sad story has
never been unfolded to the view of your
brighter young life.


Mary, was about your age-seven-
teen-when married Carlton Allen, the
handsomest man in o6r town. Like
yourself, was spoiled child-the only
girl in family of ten children. I was
too young to understand the sacredness
of marriage, or to appreciate the depth
and strength of the manly nature Of my
husband; yet I loved him. He was very
considerate, very indulgent, and I pre-
sumed upon his affection and goodness
until our home became very miserable,
and at length, alas! desolate. had al
ways followed my own wishes in all re-
spects, and when married made no
change. One day we were to have a
well, and had arranged to have it with
was gentleman to whom = husband
had decided antipathy. He was too
much of a gentleman to treat any guest
with rudeness, but the next morning he
called me to him and told me never to
invite that man into his house again. I
answered angrily. One word brought
OH another, until declared my intention
of going home, saying to my husband,
as L left the room x never wish to
look upon your face again, Carlton Al
lem And oh, my God never did;