THE MISTRESS OF THE MANSION.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 709, 27 September 1876, Page 3

THE MISTRESS OF THE MANSION.

‘ Well, Bridget, what do you think of the bride !’ * Oh, she’s a pretty young thing, but if she had known as much as you and I do of her husband’s mother, she never would have come to live with her. She’s a perfect old hyena ; and if she don’t bring the tears into those blue eyes before the honeymoon is over, my name isn’t Bridget! Why, she’s the most imperint person I ever knew ! She overhauled all her wardrobe, yesterday, before she could get here ; and, as I passed through the hall, I heard her muttering to herself, ‘ Silk stockings, humph 1— ruffled underclothes 1 Wonder if she thinks I’ll have them ironed here ? Embroidered nightcaps ! silk dresses ! Destruction and ruin!’ ‘ I’ll tell you what, Bridget, there never was a house built that was big enough for two families to live in ; and you’ll find out that this won’t be, I reckon.’ ***** ‘ What ! tears, Emma ?—tears V said the young husband, as he returned from his counting-room, one day, about a month after marriage; and, with a look of anxiety, he drew her closer to his breast. ‘ Tell me, you do not so soon repent your choice ?’ The little rosy mouth was held up temptingly for a kiss; and in the confiding countenance of his young wife, he read the answer his heart was seeking. What, then, is your pet canary ill ? Can’t you dress your hair to suit you ? Or are you in despair because you can’t decide in which of all your dresses you look prettiest V * Don’t be ridiculous, Harry!’ replied Emma, laughing and crying together, * I feel nervous that’s all. I am so glad you’ve come home !’ Hairy felt sure that was not all; but he forebore to question her, for he was sure she would tell him all in good time. The truth was, Harry’s mother had been lecturing her daughter-in-law all the morning upon the degeneracy of the times hoped she would not think of putting on all the fine things her friends had been so foolish as to provide for her—times were not as they used to be—that if Harry gave her pocket money, she had better give it to her to keep, and not be spending it for nonsense —that a young wife’s place was in her husband’s house; and she hoped she would leave off that babyish trick of running home every day to see her mother and sistsrs. Emma had listened in silent amazement. She was a warm-hearted, affectionate girl; but she was very high-spirited. The color came and went rapidly in her cheeks ; but she forced back the tears which were starting to her eyes, for she had too much pride to allow her mother-in-law to see them fall. After old Mrs Hall retired, she sat for a moment or two recalling her words. ‘ Babyish to love my own dear home,’ she mused, 1 where I was as merry as a cricket from morning till night 1 Where we all sang, and played, and read, in mother’s dear room, and father and mother the happiest of us all ! ’ Then she rose and paced the room. Babyish ! I won’t be dictated to! ’ repeated the young wife. ‘ I’m married, if 1 am only nineteen, and my own mistress I ’ And the rebellious tones would come in spite of her determination. But then she thought of Harry—dear Harry—whom she had already learned to love so well. Her first impulse was to tell him. But she had too much good sense. And so she smiled and chatted gaily with him, and hoped he had set it down to the account of nervousness.’ Still the hours passed slowly when he was absent at his business ; and she felt uneasy every time she heard a step on the stairs, lest the old lady should subject her to some new trial. * I wonder what has come over our Emma?’ said one of her sisters ; she has grown so grave and matronly. I half hated Harry when he carried her off ; and I quite hate him now, for she’s so sedate and moping. I desire to keep my neck out of the matrimonial noose!’ Shortly after this, Emma’s mother sent her some little delicacy, manufactured by herself, of which she knew her daughter to be particularly fond. Mrs Hall brought it into her room, and set it down on the table as if she were testing the strength of the dish. < I wonder if your mother is afraid you’ll not have enough to eat here?’ she said. ‘ One would think you were a child at a boarding school.’ Emma controlled herself by a strong effort, and made no reply, simply taking the gift from her hands, with a nod of acknowledgment. Every day brought her some such petty annoyance; and her father-in-law, who was old and childish, being quite as troublesome as his wife in these respects, it required all Emma’s love for Harry to carry her through. She still adhered to her determination, however, to conceal her trouble from her

husband; and though he noticed she was less vivacious, perhaps he thought the mantle of matronly dignity so becoming to uis young wife, that he felt no disposition to find fault with it. In the meantime, old Mrs Hall being confined to her room with influenza, the reins of government were very unwillingly resigned into Emma’s hands. What endless charges she received about the dusting, and sweeping, and cooking, ending always with the soliloquy, as the door closed upon Emma’s retreating form—* I am a goose to tell her anything about it. She’s as ignorant as a Hottentot; it will all go in one ear and out of the other.’ And the old lady groaned in spirit as the vision of the nose of the tea-kettle pointing the wrong way, or the saucepan hung on the wrong nail, flitted through her mind. Emma exerted herself to the utmost to please her ; but the gruel was always ‘ not quite right,’ the'pillows not arranged easily behind her back, or she expected to find ‘ bedlam let loose’ when she got down stairs, and various other encouraging prognostics of the same character. * Emma,’ said Harry, one day, * how should you like living five miles out of the city ? I have seen- a place that just suits my fancy ; and I think of hiring it on trial.’ Emma hesitated. She wished to ask, * Does your mother go with us ? ’ —but she only said, ‘I could not tell, dear Harry, how I should like the place till I saw it: but I fear it would take jou too much from me. It would seem so odd to have five miles distance between us for the whole day. Oh, I’m very sure I shouldn’t like it, Harry I’—and the thought of her mother-in-law clouded her sunny face, and in spite of herself, a tear dropped on her husband’s hand. * Well, dear Emma, now I’m very sure you will like it,’ —and his large dark eyes had a look she did not quite understand, even with all her skill and practice in reading them ; ‘ and so I’m going to drive you out there this very afternoon ; and we’ll see,’ said he, gaily kissing her forehead. Thither they accordingly went. * Oh, what a little paradise, Harry I Look at that cluster of roses 1 What splendid old trees 1 See how the wind sweeps the drooping branches across the tall g r ass ! And that little low window latticed over with sweetbriar ; and that pretty terraced flower-garden —oh, Harry 1’ * Well, let us go inside, Emma.’ And, applying a key he held in his hand, the door yielded to his touch ; and they stood side by side in a rustic parlour, furnished simply, but yet so tastefully. Tables, stands, and mantles covered with vases, sending forth fragrance from the sweetest of wild flowers ; the long white muslin curtains looped away from a window, whence could be seen wooded hill, and fertile valley, and silvery stream. Then they ascended into the chambers, which were as unexceptionable in their appointments. Emma looked about in bewildered wonder. * But who lives here now, Harry 1 ’ * Nobody,’ ‘Nobody? What a tease you are 1 To whom does all this furniture belong—and who arranged everything with such exquisite taste ? I have been expecting every minute to see the mistress of the mansion step out.’ ‘Well, there she is,’ said Harry, leading her gaily up to the looking-gla-s. * I only hope you admire her half as much as I do. Do you think I’ve not seen my high-spirited little wife struggling with trial day by day, suffering, enduring, gaining the victory over her own spirit, silently and uncomplainingly. Do you think I could see ail this, and not think she was the dearest little woman in the world V —and tears and smiles struggled for mastery, as he pressed his lips to her forehead. ‘ And now you will have nobody to please here but me, Emma. Do you think the task will be difficult V The answer was highly satisfactory to the husband, as the reader may rest assured.