Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1858-06-17

Ter now many iittle attentions Ills Vile might
show him-no matter what she prepared for
his return, nor with what dainty skill she cook
ed the evening and MONDAY meals, he never
praised and rarely gave even the meagre re-
ward OF expressed qualification. But if things
went wrong-if the coffee was bad, or the
bread sour, or the meat burnt in cooking, he was
sure to speak out and not always in over
choice words.
AS Mrs Crandall begun to fail in outward
signs Of affection, Peter perceived their with
drawal as the gradual failing Of sunshine, when
clouds gather over the sky in tilmy wells that
deepen into obscuring curtains. But the cause
was to him a mystery. He felt as of old to
his wife and worked for Der as cheerfully as
in the beginning The hone-feeling was as
strong as ever and, after Withdrawing from
the outer world, when the night-shadows fell, lie
h ID not t! b.ggil n'rg Of a desire to go abroad
from his humble siLc.uary shorn as it was of a
chief attraction-the smiles, and loving tones,
and words of his changing wife.
From this inauspicious beginning went on,
steadily, the unhappy change The coming of
children, which, on their advent was like the
falling down upon them of sunbeams though
suddenly riftcd cowds, increased instead of d-
minishng the unpleasant aspect of things in
the house of Peter Crandall If the mothers
heart had been cheerful and strong-if her
husband had not shut out the light it needed to
keep its green things unwithered and its flow
ers in bloom-ttlis would not have been So
The cheerful spirit would have given life to the
hody-would have filed every nerve with vital
force, and every muscle with strength for daily
toll But the children proved more burden
th.n ~ fart tNbopa woc in tln hnfno
little sunshine. that few green things fourished
was a rare occurrence. But thorns to wound,
and weeds to offend were there, aud hourly
they seemed to gain ranker growth.
Hoy it was in the home of Peter Crandall
will be clear to every one now. There are,
around us, thousands and thousands of such
homes all the chambers of which are made
dark Or cheerlcss for lack Of the small, sweet
courtesics" of life, SO cheapy given, and so
magical in their effect.
One day; Peter CrandaH was sent by his en-
ployer, to do some work in the house of Il
customer. This work happened to be in the
family sitting-room, in which were four chill
dren with their mother. : The lady spoke to
him politely when he came in, and the chill
dren treated him respectfully. He had been
at work only little while, when his attention
was attracted by Il request from the mother
for one of the children to go up stairs and
bring her some article she named We say
request for this was the form of words utter
ed The child went Instantly, and was back
in few moments
"Thauk you, dear" said the mother.
Crandall turned and looked at the child
Her coun!e nance was tranquil and happy.
7 "Janc, will take these scissors, if you
please 2"
Crandall looked again. Tt was the mother
who had spoken. One of tire children was
sitting Oh the floor, busily engaged i'll cutting
out pictures But she started up instantly
and brought the scissors to her mother.
"Thank you DEAR" Was the mothers ac-
acknowledgement of the service, as in the former
case.
"Wili You want them long?" asked the chi d.
No, dear only few minutes. Then
you shall have them again."
| The child stood patiently by her mothers
side until the scissors were out Of service, and
then received them.
Thank you," she said, as she took them
from her mothers hand, and then danced back
sinking to her place on the floor where the
! pictures lay.
All this struck Crandall as beautiful, and
he sighed as the harsher image of his OWL
home intrudtd itself While yet at work, the
husband aud father came home His pres
encc WAS hailed with delight Every child
had something to show or tell him, and he en-
tered into the feelings of each, praising their
little achievements, and approving wherever
there seemed chance for words of approba-
ton 1t was the same toward his wife She
spoke OF some direction she had given to Gran.
dali.
That was right" he answered adding
tlIow thoughtful you are y
! A pleased smile went over the wife's coun
tenance. a>s ~
"You forgot your pocket-handkerchicf this
morning. said the latter, handing u white lin
eli handkerchief to her husband.
I" So did. Thank you, dear !" And be
received the handkerchief with as polite an
acknowledgment in manner as in words.
Many other little Instances of hone-courte-
sizes were observed by Crandall, who left the
i house, when his work was completed, with a
new impressions Of life stamped upon his con.
scousness. The inlageUf that pleasant home
was fixed in his mind Ikea thing Of beauty
j He had dreamed family Of such homes-ol
read Of them in books but the reality was
now before him. The husband and father
! whose presence had frightened that home, hs
knew, in general way, as thriving man
! business, who came, frequently, to the estab
I lisliment where he worked His face wore
generally, grave aspects little sour he hac
thought lie had not given him credit fol
much kindness of feeling and was there
fore, the more Impressed by what he haG
seem
! The sweet, musical way in which Thanh
4 you, dear y had been said, reciprocally, b,
mother and children, many times, and on al
occasions Of service rendered, no matter hov
} small, had found an echo in his mind, where j
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