"There is scarce any matter of duty but it concerns them both alike,
and is only distinguished by names, and hath its variety by
circumstances and little accidents: and what in one is called love, in
the other is called reverence; and what in the wife is obedience, the
same in the man is duty. He provides, and she dispenses; he gives
commandments, and she rules by them; he rules her by authority, and
she rules him by love; she ought by all means to please him, and he
must by no means displease her."
STORY TELLING.
A favorite evening pastime at the Hall, and one which the worthy
Squire is fond of promoting, is story telling, "a good, old-fashioned
fire-side amusement," as he terms it. Indeed, I believe he promotes
it, chiefly, because it was one of the choice recreations in those
days of yore, when ladies and gentlemen were not much in the habit of
reading. Be this as it may, he will often, at supper-table, when
conversation flags, call on some one or other of the company for a
story, as it was formerly the custom to call for a song; and it is
edifying to see the exemplary patience, and even satisfaction, with
which the good old gentleman will sit and listen to some hackneyed
tale that he has heard for at least a hundred times.
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