Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-05-06
familg Giirtlt.
The Shadows We Cast.
BY t. S. ARTHUR.

felt himself to be the creator OF a thing
of beauty" and was conscious OF a new
born power. Arch, wall, buttress, gate.
way, drawbridge, lofty tower and battle
ment. were all the work of his hands. He
was in wonder at his own skill in thus
creating, from an u~nseemly pile of blocks,
a structure of such rare design.
Silently he stood and gazed upon his
castle with something of the pride OF an
architect who sees, after months and
years of skilfully applied labor, some
grand conception in his art, embodied In
his imperishable stone. Then he moved
around, viewing it on every side. 1t did
not seem to him a toy, reaching only a
few inches in height, and covering but a
square foot Of ground, but a real castle,
lifting itself hundreds of feet upwards to
the blue sky, and spread wide upon the
earth its ample foundations. As the idea
grewHmore and more perfect, his strange
pleasure increased. Now he stood with
folded arms, wrapped in the oyermaster-
ing illusien-now walked slowly around,
viewing the structure on all sides, and
noting every minute particular, and now
sat down, and bent over it with the fond
ness of a mother bending over her child.
Again he arose, purposing to obtain
another and a more distinct view Of his
work. But his foot struck against the
buttresses, and instantly with a crash,
wall, tower, and battlement fell in hope
less ruin.
In the room, with the bow, sat his IA
ther, reading. The crash disturbed him;
and he uttered a sharp, angry rebuke ;
glancing for a moment, towards the
stalled child, and then returning his eyes
to the attractive pages before him, I'M
conscious Of the shadow he had cast upon
the heart of his child. Tears came into
those fair blue orbs, dancing in light a
moment before. From the frowning face
of his father, to which his glance was
suddenly turned, the child looked back
to the shapeless ruins of his castle. Is it
any wonder that he bowed his face in ST.
lence upon them, and wet them with his
tears?
Fore more than five minutes, he sat
still, as if sleeping then, in a mournful
kind Of way, yet almost noiselessly, ne
commenced restoring to the box, from
which he had taken them, the many shap-
ed pieces that, fifty joined together, had
grown into a noble building. After the
box was filled, he replaced the cover, and
laid it carefully upon a shelfin the closet
Poor child! That shadow was a deep
one. and long in passing away. His
mother found him half an hour afterwards
on the floor. with cheeks flushed
to an unusual brightness. She knew
nothing Of that. troubled passage in his
young life and the father had forgotten
in the attractions of the book he read,
the momentary annoyance expressed in
words and tone, with a power in them to
shadow the heart of his child.
A young wife had busted herself for
many days in preparing a pleasant sur
prise for her husband. The work was
finished at last and now she awaited
his return, with a heat full Of warm emo
tions. A dressing gown, a pair of ele-
gantly embroidered slippers, wrought by
her own skillful fingers, were the gifts
which she meant to delight him. What a
troop of pleasure fancies was in her heart!
How almost impatiently did she wait for
the coming twilight, which was to be
dawn, not approaching darkness to her !!
At last she heard the step of her hus-
band in the passage, and her pulse leaped
with huttering delight. Like a bird
upon the wing, she almost few down to
meet him, impatient for the kiss that
awaited her.
To men in the world of business, a few
days pass without their disappointments
and perplexities, 1t is mems business to
bear this in a manly spirit. They form
but a portion of life's discipline, and
should make them stronger, drawer, and
mor enduring. Unwisely, and we may
say, unjustly, too many men fail to leave
their business cares and troubles in their
stores. workshops or counting rooms. at
the days decline. They wrap them in
bundles, and carry them home to shadow
their households.
1t was so with the young husband on
this particular occasion. The stream of
business had taken an edying whirl, and
thrown his vessel backwards, instead of
EDWARDS, for a brief space, and though it
was still in the current, and gliding safe
" onward against it, the jar and. disap.
continent had fretted his mind severely.
There was no heart-warmth in the kiss
lie gave his wife, and because he had let
ARE o%yershadow love. He drew his
Lrm around her ; but she was conscious
ia diminished pressure in that embracing
"Are you 0 we'll? ?"
With what tender concern was the
question asked.
"Very WE'LL"
He might be in body, but not in mind Il
hat was plain for bis voice vas far
rom being cheerful.
She played and sang her favorite pieces
to restore by the charm of music.
brightness to his spirit. But she was con.
of only partial success. There
vas still a gravity in his manner never
perceived before. At tea time she smil-
I'D upon him SO sweetly across the table.
md talked to him on such attractive
themes, that the right expression return
to his ceuntenance and he looked as
happy as she could desire.
From the table, they returned to their
parlor. And now the time has
come for offering her gift, and receiving
the coveted reward of glad surprise, fol-
lowed by sweet kisses and loving words.
Was she selfish? Did she think more Of
her reward than Of the pleasure she would