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90 CONSTANCY MISPLACED.
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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Transcript
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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...
Parsonages are generally ... renowned for their hospitality ; the reproach which is sometimes with considerable justice cast ation upon
the social life in southern Germany , that the hours of recre are separately spent by the men in public-houses , and by their wives in visiting , does not at all apply to the state of society in the
country , and there the families keep up social intercourse in the pleasantest had manner often when , and he Stern was , a Yicar who g looked ladly forward conformed to the to these time
when usages he , should have a , home of his own , and be able to dispense hosp As italit soon y as to possible his friends he . had introduced his beautiful young wife
to his neighbours , happy in the thought that they would admire his choicebut unfortunately Elise ' s reputation for learning and
eccentricity ; had preceded her , and was a great hindrance to her popularity . It was the general custom in the little reunions of
tinct the place parties that , the but men by degrees and women the began talk proceeded their conversation to matters in dis of
general interest , and the conversation became general , receiving depth and earnestness from the men , and life and animation from
the other sex . On the evening of Elise's first introduction , howeveran unusual constraint prevailed ; the men fancied themselves called , to converse in a specially sensible mannerand lost
their self upon -possession in consequence ; the ladies waited , in vain to hear something instructive from the learned wife of their Pastor ,
but at last put an end to the awkward pause by conversing about the matters which concerned them most , till by degrees their
enthusiasm increased , and they forgot the learned lady . The men kept themselves artand accidentally fell into conversation of an
exceedingly practical ap nat , ure . To the mortification of the Pastor , his wife became more and more silent , and was soon left quite
unheeded in the animated circle around her : he became uncomfortable himself where formerly he used to feel so much at home . He
proposed to leave very early ; Elise was ready to go ; they walked home in silence till the wife began _; " I cannot understand how
you spend can the find whole enj afternoon oyment in in such discussing company the , where tax upon the grain men , and can
the women have no ideas beyond hemp and flax . " " I assure you this is not always the case ; we have sometimes very profitable and
intellectual conversations , but it is necessary at times to speak of such practical mattersand they often lead the way to discourse
, upon higher at subjects home ; you must are often yourself have the heard daug conversations hter of a villag like e ?
parsonage this . _" " At ; home I you always took the liberty to withdraw from such trifling societyand I will do the same here in future . "
" Would it not be mor , e friendly to enter into such conversation , do
not and feel then myself to try called and g to ive the it office a hig of her a reformer tone ? " ; " I Thank like bett you er , to I be
90 Constancy Misplaced.
90 CONSTANCY MISPLACED .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), April 1, 1863, page 90, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01041863/page/18/
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