CHAPTERVIII。
ThereligiousattitudewhichMrs。McKinstryhadassumedtowardsherhusband’sweakcivilizedtendencieswasnotentirelyfreefromhumanrancor。Thatstrongloyalnaturewhichhadunsexeditselfintheoneideaofduty，nowthatdutyseemedtobenolongerappreciatedtookrefugeinherforgottenwomanhoodandintheinfinitesimallysmallarguments，resources，andmanoeuvresatitscommand。Shehadconceivedasingularjealousyofthisdaughterwhohadchangedherhusband’snature，andwhohadsupplantedthetraditionsofthehouseholdlife；shehadacquiredanexaggerateddepreciationofthosefemininecharmswhichhadneverbeenafactorinherowndomestichappiness。Shesawinherhusband’sdesiretomitigatethesavageausteritiesoftheirhabitsonlyaweakconcessiontothepowersofbeautyandadornment——degradingvanitiesshehadneverknownintheirlife-longstruggleforfrontiersupremacy——thathadneverbroughtthemvictoriousoutofthatstruggle。\"Frizzles，\"\"furblows，\"and\"fancyfixin’s\"hadneverhelpedthemintheirexodusacrosstheplains；hadnevertakentheplaceofswifteyes，quickears，stronghands，andendurance；hadnevernursedthesickorbandagedthewounded。Whenenvyorjealousyinvadesthefemaleheartafterfortyitisapttobringabitternesswhichknowsnoattenuatingcompensationinthatcoquetry，emulation，passionateappeal，orinnocenttenderness，whichmakestolerablethejealouscapricesoftheyoungerwoman。
Thestruggleforrivalryisfelttobehopeless，thepowerofimitationisgone。OfherforgottenwomanhoodMrs。McKinstryrevivedonlyacapacitytosuffermeanlyandinflictmeansufferinguponothers。Intheruinedcastleofheryouth，andthefallinginofbanquetinghallandbower，thedungeonandtorture-chamberappearedtohavebeenleft，or，touseherownmetaphor，shehadquerulouslycomplainedtotheparsonthat，\"Accordin’tosomefolks，shemouthevbinthebarrenfig-treee-lectedtobearpersimmums。\"
Hermethodswerenotentirelydifferentfromthoseemployedbyhersufferingsisterhoodinlikeemergencies。TheunluckyHiram，\"worritedbystock，\"washardlyplacatedorconsoledbylearningfromherthatitwasonlytheresultofhisownweakness，actinguponthe’cussednessofthestock-dispersingHarrisons；theperplexityintowhichhewasthrownbythenewsofthenewlegalclaimtohislandwasnotsoothedbythesuggestionthatitwasatrickofthatYankeecivilizationtowhichhewasmeanlysuccumbing。
Shewhohadalwaysbeenaroughbutdevotednurseinsicknesswasnowherselfovertakenbyvagueirregulardisorderswhichinvolvedthegreatestcareandtheabsenceofallexcitingcauses。TheattendanceofMcKinstryandCressyata\"crazyquiltingparty\"hadbroughton\"blindchills；\"theimportationofamelodeonforCressytoplayonhadsuperinducedan\"innerdrash，\"andathreatenedattackof\"palsycreeps\"hadonlybeenwardedoffbythetimelypostponementofaneveningpartysuggestedbyherdaughter。Theoldnomadicinstinct，morbidlyexcitedbyherdiscontent，causedhertolayartfulplansforafurtheremigration。Sheknewshehadthegermsof\"mashfever\"caughtfromtheadjacentriver；sherelatedmysteriousinformation，gatheredin\"classmeeting，\"ofthesuperiorfacilitiesforstockraisingonthehigherfoot-hills；sheresuscitatedherdeadandgoneMissourirelationsinherdailyspeech，toamanifestinvidiouscomparisonwiththeliving；sherevivedeventheincidentsofherearlymarriedlifewiththesamebalefulintent。Theacquisitionofafew\"biledshirts\"byHiramforfestiveappearanceswithCressypainfullyremindedherthathehadmarriedherin\"hickory；\"shefurtheraccentedthechangebyherselfappearinginheroldestclothes，onthehypothesisthatitwasnecessaryforsomeonetokeepupthetraditionsofthepast。