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The Dream Lesson

The Dream Lesson image
Parent Issue
Day
19
Month
June
Year
1863
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

" Your partncr's wife lias tbem, Fre'derick, and I should tliink you would try and keop up witb liiin, wheu your income is preoiscly the samo. I havo been mortified to death evcry time Mrs. Denhara bus ciilled." " Pity, is n't it ?" was tbc laeonic rcply, and the lip of the young huaband to'ok a. dcoidcd curl, as be busiod bis eyos upon the emitcnts of tbo ïnorning pap r, whicli had been lying unnoticed beside hiin. Mrs. Percival pushed her plate avrny, and rose from the table with a dissatisfied air, and eiitcnuj; the purlor adjoiuing tbe copy little breakfast rooiu, eoiumenccd pulliiijr abstiaciediy at tbe bnuvn k&vea tliat bad bidden themselves atnong tbe bright green of the vigorous planta occupyittg üne window of tho pleasant parlor; and DOW and tbeu filie would be síow a contemptuous glance upon tbe plain white screens tbat sbaded tbe opper part of the window. " Iïow nieanly thcy do look," sbe fcaid to bfitwlf: "I wil] not give up so. Frederiek,1' (aloud,) " I wish you had tbe least bit of pride iii tbe Nvoild." " You have euo.ugb for us botb," was tbo quiek response, as tho busband threw down bis paper and joined bis wif'e. ' But, Affie, truly tliese plain shades suit my taste mueli botter tjian those X i 1 1 outs you are so dositous of obtuiuing. Ilicy are in such perfoet keeping witb the v.'bole room. Can 3-ou not see tbere is notbiug to compase witb tbc.se expen sive ourtains 'i" " I know everytbing is as cbesp and mean as it can be,' was he uuplcasant reply, " If you only Lud a liitle of Mr. Denhatn's spirit, tliiugs would wear a vcry different look." "Affie, you know Mr. Dmiham Las dono jcouiparatively nothing towards turiii.shiug Lia house; for Mrg. Denham is the oiily child of weulthy parents, wlio supply lier witb everythiüg she wishes Had you been sueh, you coutd b:ive been ['urnished with luxunes, perhaps." " I)ui)'t fliüg íuy poverty in my face, Frederick Poroiva1." was tho quiok retort, whilo the fair face flut-hed witli angcr. '' I wish from my heart you had uiarried a rich wifa I" "And you a rich husband ?" " I did not say it." " But you Ihought it. Very woll ; I wish you had." Mr. Percival turned into the hall, with a deep cloud upon his brow, almost the first that had been visible there since I the happy morning, one year before, when he had brought his bride to the plensant home, iti oue of the most beautiful of the suburban towns near the thriving metropolis, v.hore he had just eptérud into business upon the capital he liad earefully hoarded through the long years of his clerkuhip. Tho homo had lool;ed very swi'et aud beautiful to the newly-weddcd pair; and the new furniture, carefully and tastefully sclected and arranged, luid looked quite elogantly to Affie. But long bofore ihere was a spot or blemisli upon au arti.ole in hér nicelykept rooms, they wcre tarniehed in her eyes by tbs contrast presentad in the uewly furnished home ot hor husband's partner; and for weeks sbo had beeu growing more aud more dissatisfied ai d unhappy- constautly urg'ng some trilling ehauge, vbicfa her husbund made, or as kindly refused, till, wearied by her constant importuuities, this morning had braught an open disagreemeut. The young husband put on bis overcoat in the hall, and without the usual partiug fciss and kind ''good morniug," ïï en t out, aüd Affio watohtd him from the vii)(Ji)7, ::s hu hastened down the street, hopiüg for some tokeo of love, but thero was none. 'He stopped a moment to hail a passijig car, and jumping quiddy upou the platform, was carricd bcyond her iight. iJorrow and anger wera iningled in tier beart for a moment, but the latter quiok ly ained the aseendency, and, return ii)g to the breakfast-rooru, tha cotnruenced clearing the tabla witli such a resolution as to cause thu L1 uho was the only servant in the Lousehold, tn teavo her breakíast UDÜnished, ;ud gaze eagerly iuto the truubled l'aee of her mistrees. Oh, wljat hard, bitter thoughts, rolled over and over iü the inind of the young housckeeper, as sho (srent about her mnrunig duties. " To tliink how 1 liave to drudge aid delve, were a portion oi lier tiiouglit. i " I dim't get any time to read or practice, and niy hands are gotting so black aud dingy, and I grow o.d ;uid faded cry duy ot' my life, 01), dear ! and then ío tbiuk, after all I rio for hitii, I can't have auythiog I vraat." But wlien the w(irk was all nicely coinpleted, md a ehéerfu! 6ro lighted in the parlor, Aifie went in and sat down to her sewii'g. It was a dreas for erself slie was making, of a new ;md costly pat tero, wLicb Frederick had p!:icod benéatb her pillow a few i;iglits previou?, and batl provad such a weleoine surprise. N)w it had lost all its beauty; her tliread knotted, her stitches looke.d loog and unovenvand at last s!ie threw it down irapnt ieutly, and taking ei bonk whicli was lying open upou the table, tried to interest herseli'.iu tta pages. Frederick had heard her wish for that, too and it was bis hand that bad traeed the loving lincs Op .1 the fly-leaf the day previous. - Soiaelio.w, everythir:g she touchcd ap peaíed to her better nature, that lier husband was not sueh a hard bebrted wri ich, j after al! ; but she was hardly ready to acknowlcdge it to berself, just then, so she petted and nourished the hard, revengeful feclings till she dropped asleep pon the sofa. The visión of an elegant homo roso i before her. The hangiogs upou the wall wei-o choico and costly ; the oarpet was I of the iinest texture ; the ricli furniture and all Uic aceompanimonts of woalth aud luxury surrounded her ; while before the windows huDg fcbe idcntical sbades which , had fillcd lier waking moments with sucli anxinns wishes. A vague, undeñned fear found lts way throuuh the ituizes of sleep. HtT lmsband's affetioos soemed ulietiatcd from her, and slie was alone at oightfull, anxiously awaiting his return. A confused muruaur of voices ran tlirough lier dream : heavv footsteps wero tread1 iiijr tho hall ; the door oponed, and the lifeless body of her husband was borne uto her presence. So sudden and terrible was the shock, she oiily gazed in spieohless agnny upon the wounded body of her btloved eompanion. The stranrers who had borue him hiihor withdrew, and sho was 'left alone with the partner of her husbaud, who approache.d her, and, graspiug her arm lirmly, said, in tonos of deep stenmess : " Won au, behold your work ! In your foolish pride and ainbition, you have wreoked the hap'iiness of that noble, generous soul. Que sinpe lie irrai' in to the store with a palé face and agitated frame. 'Valter,'he said, feelingly, l am a ruined man. To gratify Aflic's iimbition, and have peace in my liouseholü, I have bartered soul and body, and now lbo end has como. I am overpowered with debt ; I can not meet the eyes of the world, nor the reproacties of wy wife ; ' aud before I cuuld detain him, ho had taken his life in his own hiiudh, áud eiied his misorable existence. You have sent him nq.CiUled aud unpropared into eternity. His blood be upon your head ! " In agoriy, Affie awoke from her troubled sleep, and springing np, gave oue eagcr glance around the apiirtment. " TlTaik God," broke fervently from her-lips, " it is only a dream." Never before had hor own lit-tle parlor looked so svveetiy in itsplain, substantial dress; and even the despised shades wore a chansed look, now that she no longer saw theui tbrough a distortcd visión. f' Dear Fred, what a naughty wife I make you I ought to bo a:hatned, aod I am, truly. You are yet liardly started in business, and of course want to be prudent till you know liow you are to succoed ; and I aqo burdening you with roproacbes, -and teaaing jou for everytbing that comes hito my littlo willf'ul hond. 01), what if tliat dream bad been true ! It must serve me for a lesson, at my rate. I was no happier in my sleep, thít I bad all those beautiful objects around me, for wbicb I bavc been wisliing so constantly; and what would they all be worth ií Frederick did uot love ne, or if lie was goae from me ? W'hile I havo bim, and the wealth of bis deep affection, I ought, and will be satisfied." The tcars flowed down the flushed cheeks - not the bitter tears of uusatisfied pride, but of hearty, generous repentance. Be foro tlieT were quite wiped Rway, the door bell rang ; the uow aliados had come 11 Mr. Percival sent tlioin. In wmoli oom Tïill you Lave them hung ? " Affie vas not expecting them, aud there was only a mompntary struggle be fore sbe answered firmly : " I am sorry to havo trouhled you, air ; but siucc my husband went out, 1 have concluded to do without them. - What shall I pay ycu for your isicohvencuce, and get you to talco tliem back ?" " Not anything, Mi's Peroival," was the hearty response. " Indeed, I hardly kuew how to let your husband have them, as they were partly promised to another; but he seemed to have quite set bis heart upon them. It wijl be all rigbt, I presume." The clerk went down tlie steps, and Affia turned baek to the parlor, with a happier lioar.t than she haj ever known at the gratificatiou of her most cherihcd deeirea ; and wben, on the same afternoon she reeeived a c:ill from the partnei's wife, so fair v face had her home put on, shu f'orgot tbe aontrast botweer the two, and coased to feol iha least mor tiiiciilioii at her own humble lot. Tho düy wore away siowly, and long beforo tha usual bour, Affio bad tea ready, and stationtd herself at tho window to Wateb tho coming of tho absent oue. Tho warm breath tbat left itsfaiut impresa upon the glass agaiust whicb' her anxious face was pressèd. carne a little quioker as the familiar form oamo up tho strett. tfho ran to opeu the hall dooi as usual, hut blushes nestled in he oheeks, and thero was au embnirassnien uiitiüled witl) her joyful greetmg. Her husband met her kindly, but a faint. reniembraDce raukled in his beart, and lie could uot forbear the thougbt, "I ahould have met wit a a eooler reoeption, had it. uot beeu for the shades ; " o queutïy bij first glauce was towards tlie wiudovvs, but the game old curtaioa ocoupied tiieir place. ' Didn't Mr. Webster send thoee übades, as I ordered ? " he asked, a trine i.rpatient-ly. " Whatsbades, Frederick ? " inquired Affie, with a strong uSoit to control the rairth that was speakiDg from her oyes, and wbich at last brokc from hér üps v,-ith the bistory of Ü.o dar. But, as silo proceuded, tcars tooi tlio plaóo of smiliH, aiid the eyes of lier husband presented a syinjiathetio appcarauce, as ho pressiid her more olosely tu him, and said, "Biess you, my liitle vt ifo, and forgive rue, :oo, for harboring sucli unkind, unjnat thouphta towards you, I went into 'towii Éeeling vciy bitierly, and evcrything went so badly, it on!y increawed bad feelings. Alter a ILttJo time, 51ra. Dcnbam and lier 00U8ÍU ea::ie in. 1 was bidden from thora by a pilo uf gooda, and the first wordfi I notice.d were from tlie youDgcr lady. ' ' We are going to cali on your partner's wife this ai'tei-noon, Mr. Dciiham, 1 and I am prepared to lovo her dearly, ! from Hestcr's account.' " '"She is a paragdn of perfeotion in her cye?, I believe,' was the reply ; ' and sho quilo raentB it, for slio is truly a charming litllo wmnaii.' " " Oh, Fred, Mr. Denham didn't say that about me ? " ohjmed in the young wife, in a plcaeaiifc voice. " Yes, and that's not all. Mrs. Denham went on to spoak of you in terms of the warniest praise, and thcn sho said, 'Sho is a capita! hoiisokecper; I ini going to ask her to give rnelessons, when wo aro a littlo belter ;!Ctu:iinted. Her house is so noat and niee, when I come frum a cali tlioro, I feel really ashamed at my lack of taste ! " By-tho way, Affie, I guess that is a way you ladies have of soeiiig othcr people's hoUses. - Well, than I thoaght I was a perfect monster. I knew the conversation was truc, overy word of it, and I determinad at once to spare nothing that would add to your gratification, and show otlicrs what a model I had for a wife. That was how the shades happencd to coni e. " Ah, Affie-, in my pride of and for you, I might, indeed, havo realized the bittor tornoss of your dream, had I not rcached the fatal endiogi Let us wait awhile, dear lit-i'lo wife, tül we are established in business, and be sure not to go one cent boyond our inoome now, and perhaps ono day wo tnay havo luxuriea, too." " And don't we havo now, doar Fred ? Isn't it ;i luxury to havo you como homo so strong and woll, and to hold ko ïmicli love for each other within our hcarts ? How foolish I ha"e boen to onvy Mrs. Denhasa, :nd m'ake myself so wretchod and you, too. Forgive mejust thisonce, and I promiso nevor to forg-et the Dream Lcs&on.'1' There was an interchange of sweet wbrda. It was al! " made up,"' and hap py the two went out together to the iieerful supper room, while evevything ore apain the rosy glow reflocted from ie sweet peaco and love of contented, happy hearts.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus