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CONSTANCY MISPLACED. 85
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
•The Pastor Replied: " Dear Elise, I Wil...
humility to perceive her deficiencies . The uncomfortable feeling which the consciousness of any omission brought upon hershe
as-, cribed to her husband ; and when she was in reality aware of her fault , he failed in the generosity which is always the accompaniment
of a fine nature , and which shows itself in the good-humoured foriveness of little faults . Little disasters almost too trifling to be
mentioned g ended in mutual bitterness ; the pricks of many needles , cause a serious wound .
Not that Elise had been forgetful at the commencement of her married life of all the fine maxims which had reference to it ; she
could often have entirely sympathised with the feelings of her noble , indulgent husbandbut it seemed as if an envious demon was on
the watch to destroy , in the germ every blossom of connubial happiness . The evil star of the Pastor , who had not much poetry in his
nature , was generally the first disturbing cause . One winter evening , when Elise sat alone during the absence of her husband , who
was engaged on some errand of parochial duty , her thoughts were , for oncemore occupied with the present than with the past . She
thought , of her husband , of his fidelity in his calling , his honest honourable mind , she felt how greatly in many things she came
behind him , and determined by the sacrifice of her own morbid feelings to make his home a happier one than it had been ; she began
to weary for his return as she had never done before , planned to lay draughts with hima favourite game of his long agoand
p p laced his slippers and dressing , gown before the fire . At last , the door-bell she went to meet himbut before she had time for
a word of rang welcome ; he began to complain , in a tone of great annoyance : " ReallElisewhat is the meaning of this ? The wood
never taken into y , the shed , but left in the court during all this rain ; it is a week since I desired , it to be placed under cover ; what is the
use of hewing servants ? " "I can do it myself , _" replied Elise angril"if it is of so very much importance that you have no
y , other thoughts in your mind when you come home . " Still more annoyed by her angry tone , Stern took no notice of the implied
reproach in her answer , and continued to fret over the _damag-e done to his wood . This was a sad damper to Elise ' s kindling resolutions
of kindness and affection ; she took refuge in a provoking silence just when the Pastor , noticing the unwonted attention to his
comforts which the warm slippers betokened , would gladly have withdrawn his words . " Misunderstoodmisunderstood" was again the
voice in her heart . The image of her , brave young , hero , of the life full of blessed harmony which she would have led by his side , rose
again before her mind , and the wall of separation grew higher and higher . It had been a bitter struggle for her to bestow her hand
upon . Stern and thus to sacrifice her ideal , of faithfulness to the dead : and in the mistake into which so many wives fall , she had
expected that this sacrifice on her part should have been continually
Constancy Misplaced. 85
CONSTANCY _MISPLACED . 85
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), April 1, 1863, page 85, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01041863/page/13/
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