The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-08-20

the subject" said the young man, who was
exceedingly panied by the strong language
he had heard. He spoke so firmly that the
matter was dropped, and not again alluded
to at the time.
We have, now, all explanation of the
change in the young husbands state of mind.
There were some truths in what his mother
| had said, and this made it SO much the llar-
! der to bear. The first shadow had fallen,
that dimmcd the brightness Of his new and
happy life. 49,.
Still the defects in IJa-vcry small to
his eyes, even after they were pointed out
10y his mother-were things of no moment.
| He had not intended her for household
drudge. Was she not loving hearted, ac-
colnplisl,cd and beautiful? What more
could he ask! True, lie had intended her
for the presiding genius Of his home and
there were sober, matter fact things to be
done in all homes. But her devotion to
these would come in good time.
How Edward came to speak as he did
about the tea and toast, was, almost on the
instant he had given uttcrancc to his words,
mystery to himself. lie started with tho
start he gave his young wife, and tremLled
for the effect of his unkindIy uttered words.
lie would have given much could he have
recalled them. But they were said beyond
amy power Of unsaying.
The reference of his mother TO the indif.
tercnt tea with which she had been served
at his table, had not only mortified him,
but made some things distinct in his men,
ory, which before, were only seen dimly,
and as matters Of Indifference. Where all
was SO bright, why should he turn lis eyes
upon few fragments of clouds skirting
the fair horizou3 lie would not have done
so if left to himself. The clouds might
have spread until very much larger than IL
mans hand, before their murky aspect
would have drawn his happy vision from
the allpervadng brightness.
ldas hand, which was raising a cup to
her lips, fell almost as suddenly as if pal,
sled; palcncss ovcrspread her couute-
nance; her lips had a motion between a
quivcr and 4 spasm. From her eyes, Which
seemed bound, as by spell, to her hus-
bands face, tears rolled out aud fell in large
drops over her checks.
Never before, since Edward had looked
upon that dear, young face, had he seen its
brightness SO vciled. Never before, had
word Of his been answered by anything
but smiles and love responses.
"Pm sorry, Edward" How the sad,
| trcmulous voice Of Ida rebuked the yonng
husbands unkindness. at shall not be SO
again"
And she kept her word. Suddenly he
had awakened her from a bright, dreamy
illusion. She had been in Il kind Of fairy
land. The hard, every day working world,
with its common working day wants, by
an unlooked-for shifting of scenery, had
struck with an unlovely aspect upon her
startled vision; the jagged edges Of the
real wourdng painfully her soft ideal. But
once awakened, she never slept again. 1t
was the first shadow that fell dimly and
collly upon her married heart the first,
aud 10 the Inexperienced, we need not
say the last.
Burnt toast and bad tea! To think that
common things like these should have
power to shadow young heart basking in
the sunlight of love! Ida had thought Of
her husband rs almost Indifferent to the
vulgar wants his words made manifest
She saw clearer now. lie was but ilesl,
and. bloo4 like the st.
Fery-yery tenderly spoken were all the
words of Edward to his young wife, during
tho sl'adowed evening that followed this
first dimming Of their home7liglt, And Ida,
who felt the kindness Of lis heart, tried to
smile and TO seem as Of old. But, some.
how, she could not force into existence. the
s'n'fes she wished to- send out ii, tokens OF
forgiveness. Thoughts of the bad tea and
burnt toast, the usual"-aL! l. there lay
Tho smart evening entertainment she had
provided; Or, rather, suffered to be provided
ny "nsk'iul hands-were' her own any
more skiIful?. for, her returning husband
haunted her all the willie. d, . -. =
at shall not be 50. again !" Not idly
I uttered were these words. All the eyenpn o
she kept repcati6gsthem to herself, will, a
steadily Increasing purpose apd a,clearer
vision, q Edward sbaIk never have anoth-
or OCCASION for freDuke." 90
Several times during the evening, the
young husband was tempted to refer to the
conversation held will, his mother, in expla-
nation of his own conduct, but ho wisely
kept his own counselr Of. all things he