Daughter in Law

"I am afraid, my love, you find yourself worse than usual this evening," said Mr. Franklin to his wife, as he approached the sofa where she was sitting.

"On the contrary, my love, I am rather better than usual, and find myself able to sit and chat with you a little," replied Mrs. Franklin, while a faint smile played on her pallid features.

"What can be the matter with Louisa, I wonder? her eyes were very red when she bade me good night on the stairs, and I concluded the poor child was distressed on your account; though very happy to find myself mistaken, yet I wish I had inquired a little further into the cause of her uneasiness."

"Sit down my love, and I will satisfy you. Louisa has been crying, in consequence of our conversation, which has been of a nature to affect us both; but she is no longer distressed, and will eventually be no worse for the pain a sense of duty urged me at this time to afflict her with; she will never forget what I have said, and we shall both be spared the necessity of renewing the subject."

"You surprise me, my love; the child is in general so tractable and good, that I had no idea she could do any thing to offend a mamma she loves so fondly, at such a time as this especially."

"Nor has she, my dear, offended me in any way; I have only awakened her feelings, by pointing out a few errors she may escape, and a few duties she ought to practise, in a situation she will probably find herself placed in by-and-by, where her conduct must, in a great measure, determine not only her own happiness, but that of her dear father also."

"You are very considerate, my love," said Mr. Franklin, as, with a shrinking eye he gazed on the altered form of his beloved wife, "you are very considerate to guard our poor little girl from the errors you speak of so very long beforehand; but it will be something wonderful indeed, though she is an extraordinary child, if at nineteen she should remember the lectures you gave her ten years before, and regulate her conduct in the choice of a husband, by precepts given at a period when the choice of a doll is her principal concern."

"Very true, my love," returned Mrs. Franklin, with a look of great tenderness and anxiety; "but the advice I gave Louisa did not respect her own marriage (for that would indeed have been somewhat premature); it is probable that of her father may take place a great deal sooner."

"My God! Louisa, what do you mean? my love, my own dear love, why will you tear my heart by such a cruel supposition?—if—if I were so very wretched as to lose you, which God in mercy forbid! do you think I could ever think of any other woman supplying your place? Oh, Louisa! surely you cannot think me capable of it! I have not deserved such an opinion as this, from a wife so fondly, so constantly beloved."

Mr. Franklin threw himself on the sofa, and, overcome by his feelings, wept aloud.

Mrs. Franklin hoped that she should have had strength to bear this trial, but she found her nerves exceedingly shook, and her own tears would spring to her eyes; but she endeavoured to lift up her heart to Him from whom cometh all consolation; and as soon as she perceived the violent emotion under which her husband suffered gave way, she thus addressed him:—"I am convinced, my dear Charles, that the time will come, when you will see, that without doubting your love, your constancy, or the propriety of your conduct in any respect, I might yet conclude it a very possible thing, that you would, at some future period, make choice of another wife, in case my present disorder terminates in the way we have both reason to expect."