Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-09-02
MISCELLAN N Y .
The Power of Kindness.

A certain individual whom we shall call
Bulard, was one of the most crossed grained,
and peevish of men. 1t was misery to be near
him. He grumbled and snarled necessarily,
and found fault with every one and everything
around him. Nothing seemed TO please him.
He seemed TO exist in one perpetual foment of
lrasclble impatlence, uncomfortable himself,
and sowing the seeds of anger, fretfulness and
discord wherever he appeared. His home was
especially unhappy. Bitter retorts and pas
sionate invective obtained dominant sway. He
constantly rallied at his wife, and she replied
in the same unloving strain the children
such thing as pleasant look or kindly word
was never known among them.
One day Mr.. Bulard was returning to his
cherries dwelling, more feverish in temper
than was his wont, in consequence of some
disappointment, ready to vent his angry spleen
upon his family as soon as he arrived If the
supper was not ready to sit down at the very
moment, he would almost tear the house up
side down, and sting his wife to tine quick with
his taunting complaints. But CHANGING to ap-
proach little sunny-haired girl, whose mild,
blue eyes and loving face were such picture
of bursting kindness, as he had never seen be-
fore, an incident occurred, which effected
complete revolution in his peevish frame of
mind and planted a new feeling in his turbu-
lent breast. The girl, and one, evidently her
Oldest brother, were playing with a small car
riage, and suddenly turning near stone step,
she accidentally struck the carriage against
one corner, and broke it into atoms In pas
slonate burst of anger, the boy advanced and
struck his sister severe blow in the face with
his clenched hand, and stamped his feet in
tempest of fury upon the ground
But instead of returning the blow and re-
vengeful speech, after an involuntary cry of
pain, the noble girl laid her hand gently on her
brother's arm, and looking sorrowfully into
his flushed face, softly said, 'Oh brother Tom
| did not think you would do that In mo-
ment, as if stung with hot iron, the boy
odCh3 duu Hclu IlS uCdu III SIfdlDe anu
conscience stricken pain. Then he said, For
give me, dear Helen, will never do it again. }
And scarce had the pentent words escaped
his lips, when his sisters arms were thrown
around his neck, and forgiveness sobbed on his
breast. Here was lesson for Bulard! At
first he was quite stunned by it; he could rot
understand If comatb;n<r H.
yond his philosophy. But he felt that it had
somehow done him good. Bit by bit, as he
proceeded on, his own angry feelings vanished
till he felt more calm and kindly than he had
done for years. Yea, he was soflened 10 his
hearts core, and he felt something very like
moisture springing to his eyes.
Little noting the wonderful change which
had taken place in her husbands temper, Mrs.
Bullard was dreading his arrival home, for
supper was not near ready, and she had had
the misfortune to burn the cakes she had baked
for that meal. And the children copying from
her, were unusually cross and bad. Tn vain
she had scolded and whipped them they only
snarled and struck each other, and almost
drove her distracted with their quarreling con-
fusion
Mr. BuIlard entered, and whatever could be
the matter, Mrs. Bullard could scarcely give
credit to her senses. Instead of dashing the
door behind him in pettish crash, and stamp
ing his way forward to the kitchen, he took
the crying baby from its bed, hnshed it with
the softest and most endearing words he had
ever used. And his face had a smile on it-a
real, kind, sunshny smile. What strange
wonder was thisa Mrs. Bullard was at first
struck quite dumb with astonishment, and the
children stared at their changed father, as if at
a loss to make the mystery out. He spake
and actually said, MY dear Mary, is supper
nearly ready! I'm as hungry as hunter
| Their wonder increased more and more. The
children hardly seemed assured whether it
was their father or not and Mrs.. Bullard
scarcely knew whether TO believe in the evil
dence of her eyes and ears. Already blessed
feeling was diffused through the family circle,
| llh0 uItO tiic idililS vi tuO hoihihS o0" VII
the fragrant breath of summer flowers. All
first, hesitatingly, Mrs. Bullard replied, Sup
per will be ready directly. But | am sorry
these cakes are burned. Must Willie run to
the bakery for loaf1' No, never mind,
returned Mr.. Bullard, we can scrape off the
burned part, and then they will taste as wei
as need be-
And taste as well they did, and better thar
cakes had tasted in the Billiard dwelling for
long time before. Not one jarring speecl
marred the pleasantness of that happy meal
Mr.. Billiards. kind speech and smiling fac