Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-11-28
The-Porrer Of Kindness.

n certain INDIVIDUAL whom we shall call Dull
lard, was one of the most cross grained and pee
wish Of men. 1t was misery to be near him. He
grumbIed and snarled necessarily and found fault
with every one and every thing around him. No
thing seemed to pleased him. He seemed TO ex-
ist in one perpetual ferment of lrascible impa-
thence, uncomfortable himself and sowing the
seeds of anger, frelfuness and discard wherever
he appeared. His home was especially unhappy.
Bitter retorts and passionate invective obtained
dominant sway. He constantly rallied at his wife
and she replied in the same unoving strain; the
children quickly imbbed like vndictive habit,
until such a thing as pleasant look or kindly
word was never know among them.
One day Mr.. Billiard was returning to his
cherries dwelling, more feverish in temper than
was his wont, in consequence Of some disappoint-
ment, ready to vent his angry spleen upon his
family as soon as he arrived. If the supper was
not ready to sit down to at the very moment, he
would almost turn the house upside down and
sting his wife to the quick with his taunting COM
plants. But CHANGING to approach little sunny
haired girl, whose mild blue eyes and loving face
were such a picture of bursting kindness as he
had never seen before, an incident occurred which
effected a complete revolution in his peevish frame
of mind and planted a feeling in his turbu.
lent breast The girl and one, evidently her old
er brother, were playing with small carriage
and suddenly turning near stone step she acct
dentally struck the carriage against one corner and
broke II into atoms In passionate burst of an
ger the boy advanced and struck his sister Sc
we're blow in the face with his clenched hand and
stamped his feet in tempest of fury upon the
ground.
But instead Ofreturnng the blow and revenge
full speech, after an involuntary cry of pain, the
noble girl laid her hand gently on her brothers.
arm, and looking sorrowfully into his flushed face,
RI N
you would do that In moment, as if stung
with hot iron, the boy shrunk back, and hung
his head in shame and conscience stricken pain.
Then he said forgive me dear Helen, | will never
do it again And scarce had the penltcnt words
left his lips, when his sisters arms were thrown
around his neck, and forgiveness sobbed on his
breast. Here was lesson for Billiard! At first
he was quite stunned by it; he could not under
stand it. 1t something utterly beyond 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 softened to 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 Bull
lard was dreading his arrival home, for supper
was not near ready, and abe had had the misfor-
tune to burn tire cakes she had baked for that
meal. And the children copying from her, were
unusually cross and bad. In vain she had scolded
and whipped them; they only snarled and struck
each other and almost drove her distracted with
their quarrelling confusion.
Mr.. Billiard entered, and whatever could be
the matter, Mrs. Billiard could scarcely give cred.
II TO her senses. Instead of dashing the door be-
hind him in pettish crash, and stamping his way
forward to the kitchen, he took the CRYING baby
from its bed, and hushed it with the so(iest ond
most endearing words he had ever used And his
face had smile on it-a real, kind, sunshiny
smile. What strange wonder was this Mrs.
Billiard was at first struck quite dumb with aston
lshment, and the children stared at their changed
father as if at a loss TO make the mystery out -
He spake and actually said. Mary nv dear. is
supper nearly ready Pm as hungry asa hunterr
Their wonder increased more and more The
children hardly seemed assured whether it was
their father or not and Mrs Billiard scarcely
knew whether to believe in the evidence of her
eyes and ears. But the change was real. AL
ready blessed feeling was diffused through the
family circle, like unto the falling of the morning
dew or the fragrant breath of summer flowers
AT first hesIatingy Mrs. Billiard replied, Supper
will be ready directly. But | am sorry these
cakes are burned. Must Willie run to the bakery
u.
lard, I'VE can scrape off the burned part, and then
they will taste as well as need be-
And taste as well they did, and better than
cakes had tasted in the Billiard dwelling for
long time before. Not one Earring speech marred
the pleasantness ofihat happy meal Mr.. Bull
lard's kindly speech and smiling face had de-
scended to his wife, and from both became re-
Elected in their children. The house looked
brighter. The beautiful mantle of cheerfuness
had fallen on it, and there was unutterahe music
in the very tickling at the old clock Mrs Bull
lard cried with delight, when she saw the baby
Growing with in its smiling fathsa's lap land he
promised, if the elder ones would be good, TO take
them nice walk with him on the next Sabbath
day. And she resolved never more TO speak a
peevish or angry word again, if constant watch
fulness could prevent THEFT utteranCe, but retain
the peaceful happiness which only kind words
and smiles bring. Happy influence too, was
exerted on the children. They on longer saw
peevIshness and anger in their parents and grad
ually, but surely, lost it in themselves And Mr..
Billiard, whenever he felt his old bad feelings
rising up to find an onter vent, he called to mind
the condnct Of the bue-eyed girl, and resolutely
crushec them down.
Reeder, believe us, kind words are the bright
est flowers of earlh's existence; they make
very paradise Of the humbest home the world
can show. Use them, and especially round the
hreslde circle. They are Jewels beyond price,
and more precious to heal the wounded heart and
make the weighed down spirit glad, than all 9TH
er blessings the earth can give.
CRANBERRY CULTURE.-Messrs Editors:-