A SAINTLY WOMAN.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1906, 11 February 1875, Page 3

A SAINTLY WOMAN.

One ofthose sentimental philosophers, whose writings .we delight in, says that; there is " something soothing and delis cious in the recollection of a pure-minded woman's affection; it is the oasis in the desert of a worldly-man's life, to which his feelings turn for refreshment, when wearied with the unhallowed passions of this working-day world." That's our feeling exactly: Had *we written that sentence ourselves we couldn't have more beautifully expressed our recollections of one pure-minded female. She was one*of the sort that was a success in making a desert around her. This pure-minded woman's custom was to attend church twice ;.eve.ry<: Sunday,/, and:?;[two J evenings in the week. .Her; ?; -husband wasn't one of the sort who hankered severely, .after the church. He would sooner have taken his pipe and flagon; of ale and sit on the backstoop and talk about politics and the drama, and old-time sprees. But as soon as he would plant himself for an evening's enjoyment, in would, come that pure-minded woman, and say: "Henry, it's near church time^and you haven't^gdt shaved^ yet. Hurry up, or we'll be too late for the opening service." Then Henry would say: /I "Lb'qb Eerei Julia, Pmjabbiit tired of this ctiurch-going. ' "I want Yo enjoy myself. It isn't much enjoyment to hear thoseold; fools that jhave about as much taste jfor music as a rabid oyster howl and shriek for an hour. And I ain't much interested in the-.;preacher. . You see, it seems to me that I am about through feeding on pap, and that's the kind of mental food he sets before- us. If you feel like going, go; but excuse me. I'll pass this once." Then that pureminded wife would sit down on a chair, and weep, and say she was rightly punished. She bad disobeyed her parents in marrying him, and now he was irreligious, and defamed that good and holy man, the pastor, and spoke disrespectfully of those godly men who led in the hymn-singing. Would he kill her? She would like it better if he would give her a dose of arsenic or cut her throat, than to kill her by inches. : . His ungod-

liness was destroying her. She could not live if^ she knew lie was ungodly. And then she would weep and sob, and bemo; n her sad fate, until this wretch of a husbmd would say, " Well, don't take on so about the matter. I'll go again and listen to those old blokes.'' And then they'd go to church, and get; home about eleven o'clock at night, and goto bed, and in the morning he'd have to- get up and make the fire aud cook the breakfast. After communin</ with saints, the pureminded did'nt feel like handling beef-stakes and onions, and sausages, and stewed tomatoes. But after he went away she would sit down at the table and put away a quantity of those edibles that must have astonished the sweet little angel that sits up aloft. She died one day, and now that man is married to an ungodly woman, and she dapiis his stockings, and washes his shirts, and makes the fire, and cooks the breakfast, and he thinks on that pure-minded woman and is happy—^because she is dead.—-Exchange.