The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-07-08

u
tion. They never spoke loving words,
nor manifested, except on rare occasions,
any pleasure at meeting, or any mutual
interest. The little courtosies Of life
we're something unknown in their cheer
less dwelling Rude, boisterous, quar-
relsome, the children grew up, bringing
| discord into the house that was uncom-
Portable enough without that disagreea-
! bic inmate The mother scUlded and
punished in anger, but saw no good re-
suit of her discipline. The father some
times scolded in concert, but always
felt an unpleasant sensation afterwards
as if he had been doing something
wrong.
And so the years went on, and the
sunbeams came not across the threshold
into their dwelling. Occasionally Mr.
Crandall obtained q brief glance into
some other homes; and, as the vision
passed, a sigh would disturb his bosom
Light and warmth were there
Something was wrong in his own
home; that he had felt for a great while
and he did not wholly blame his wife
But the exact location Of the wrong he
could never clearly perceive. In the
beginning it was different. Then there
was warmth in the heart, and sunshine
in the face of his wife But it was in
his memory, marked day after day, as a
dial records the advancing shadow, how
the brightness Of her face diminished
steadily, until all was eclipsed. All! if
he had dreamed of the causel But Mr.
Crandall was not q man who looked
inward upon his own life--not man
who considered his actions in their ef-
focts upon others He was, moreover, a
silent, undemonstrative man, rarely ex-
pressing his feelings lie gave few out
ward signs by which any one could read
his heart Here lay the origin of the
trouble at home-the beginning Of the
eclipse that left his little world in al
most total darkness, when it should have
been broad MONDAY Itwas not enough
for Mrs. Crandall, in the earlier years
of their welded life, to know that her
husband loved her. Her heart asked
for more. She wanted loving looks and
loving words also; and, for lack of these,
j its green things withered, and its bios
SONS faded Having told her in the be-
ginning that he loved her; having af-
terwards married her in proof of his
declaration; and having ever since
worked daily for the sustaining Of his
] home; and keeping her as far above want
o. as it was possible for him to do, Mr.
2 Crandall saw no reason why he should
Q be all the time passing compliments
r He couldn't do it. 1t wasn't in him.
, He would have felt ashamed Of it as a
e weakness!
r And so, almost from the beginning
e he failed to give those little outward
signs Of afection--those pleasant tokens
of kindness, so grateful to all Wher
his wife said, as was often the case dur
ing the first year that succeeded theil
marriage, "Thank you, Peter" anC
smiled gratefully in return for some
little acts of kindness--Or eXpresseC
pleasure when he came homo from hi
work at evening, drawing her arm
around his neck and kissing him--ol
telling him how lonesome she felt al
day, and what a light his coming brough
into their little home-Peter Crandal
felt glow Of pleasure in his heart
But it did not come within the range of
his imaginatiOn--dul at best--to con
oeiye that like words from him woulC
be to the spirit of his wife like dew t
,. the thirsty ground.
And so he never expressed pleasure
atmeeting; but rather affected, from
kind of false pride, a certain coldness
as though it were a lack of manliness t
D act differently. No matter how man,
little attentions his wife might shoV
him-no matter what she prepared fo
his return, nor with what dainty skill
she cooked the evening and noonday
meals, he never praised, and rarely gavr
- even the meagre reward Of expressed
b qualification. But if things went wronl
; If the coffee was bad, or the breat
sour, or the meat burntin cooking, HI
was sure to speak out, and not always il
over choice words
AS Mrs. Crandall began to fail in out
ward signs Of affection, Peter observed
their withdrawal as the gradual failing
Of sunshine, when clouds gather owe
the sky in flmy wells, that deepen int,
obscuring curtains. But the cause wa
to him a mystery. He felt as of old Il
his wife, and worked for her as cheer
fully as in the beginning. The hom
+ feeling was as strong as ever; and, afte
n Withdrawing from the outer world, whel
. the night shadows fell, he had not tn
q beginning of desire to 80 abroad from
y his humble sanctuary, shorn as it was Of
q a chief attraotion-the smiles and lovinl
tones, and words Of his changing wife.
From this inauspicious beginning
}, went on, steadily, the unhappy change
r The coming of children, which, on thei
o advent, was like the falling down upol
them Of sunbeams through suddenl
- rifted clouds, rather increased than di
y minished the unpleasant aspect of thing
s in the house Of Petor Crandall If tn
It mothers heart had been cheerful an
r strong-if her husband had not shut ou
r the light it needed to keep its greel
c things unwithered and its flowers il
n bloom-this would not have been so.-
2; The cheerful spirit would have givel
i life to the body-would have filed ey
- cry nerve with vital force, and ever
muscle with strength for daily toll
). But the children proved more a burde