Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-12-24
DON'T.

ny r. $. ARTHUR.
lyon are sober this evening"" said Mrs
Landell to her husband 81 hope nothing
has gone wrong during the day"
Mr.. Landell. who had been sitting. with
his eyes upon the Aoor, silent and abstracted,
for some minutes, reused himself at these
words, and, looking up at his wife, smiled, in
forced way, as he answered.
"Oh, no. Nothing has gone wrong
Don't you feel well :" The voice of Mrs.
Landell was just shaded with concern.
"Well enough in body; but not so COM
Portable in mind as desire"
"Ihen something has gone wrong, said
the wife. Her manner was slightly troubled.
Nothing more than usual" Mr.. Landell
replied. The forced smile had faded away
from his countenance Mrs Landell sighed.
Than usual - she repeated his words,
looking with earnest enquiry into her hus-
band face. Then she added, tenderly--
Bring home your trouble, dear. Don't
hide anything. Let me share with you all
the good and III Of life. Hearts draw nearer
in suffering than they do in joy
"Bless your kind heart, Alice said Mr..
Landell broad smile sweeping over his
tace, as be caught her round checks between
his hands, and kissed her. "Thcre isn't
anything in the case so serious as all that
comes to. I'm not going to fail in business
haven't cheated anybody, and don't intend
doing So It's only this hasty, impulsivc
temper Of mine that is all the while leading
me 10 do or say something that leaves a sting.
The cloud passed from the face of Mrs.
Landell.
you will overcome that in time, Ed
ward said she eucouragingly.
81 can't see that make any progress
Yesterday, | spoke sharply to one of my
young men when mild reproof would have
been iuster, and of more salutary effect He
is sensitive, and my words hurt him severely.
The shadow that remained on his face all day
was my perpetual rebuke, and | felt it long
after the sun went down. Ny punishment
was greater than his. But the lesson of yes
terday did not suffice. This morning / was
again betrayed into captious language. that
wounded the same young man, and threw
/ him so much off his guard that he answered
me back with some feeling. This regarded
as impertnence, and threatened to dismiss
him from my service if he dared venture a re-
petition of his language. When feeling sub
sided and thought became clear again, ] saw
that had been wrong and done wrong. And
| have felt unhappy about it ever siuce. |
DO wish that had more solf-control-that !
could bride my tongue when feeling is sud-
denly spurred. But temperament and long
INDUCED habits are both against me-
Mrs Landell encouraged and soothed her
husband. and so won his mind away from his
brooding self-reproaches.
On the next morning, as Mr.. Lendell was
about leaving for his store, his wife looked
up at him. and, with meaning smile, said
Don't
There was just the slightest perceptible
warning in her tone.
Don't WHAT Mr.. Landell seemed a
little puzzled.
Don't forget YOURSELF
"Oh!' Light broke in upon his mind
Thank you l will not. And he went
forth to meet the trials of the day
Almost the first thing that fell under the
notice of Mr.. Landell was an important let
ter, which, after writing he had given to a
clerk to copy and mail. Instead of being in
Boston, where it should have been, it lay up
on his desk Neglect like that he felt to be
objectionable.
"Johnw he called sharply to a young man
at the farther end of the store
"Don't' II seemed like the voice of his
wife in his ears. Don't forget yourself!' -
This mental warning came Just in season.
The clerk came quickly towards him. by
the time he reached the desk of Mr.. Landell,
the latter was under self-control.
"Why was not this letter mailed, John :;
The tone was neither imperative nor oapti-
Gus out kind, and the question asked in a
way that said, Of course there was good
reason for the omission. And so there was
Il think, sir answered John, "that there
is "a mistake, and thought it not best to pu
the letter in the mail"
"A mistake; Howl" And Mr.. Landel
opened the letter.
1T reads, said the clerk, "three hundred
cases of shawls.'
"Oh, no--thirty cases, replied Mr. Ian
dell But, as he said thirty, his eye rested
ON three hundred. $50 it is How could
have made such an error; You were right
John, in not.sending the letter away
The clerk went back to his place, and the
merchant said to himself, "How glad | an
that | was able to control myself. If had
spoken to that young man as ! felt, ] should
have wronged and alieuatod him, and made
trouble for myself all day
Not long after this case of goods iel
through one of the hatchways, crashing dowr
upon the landing with a noise that caused
Mr.. Landell whose temperament was exceed
ingly nervous, to spring to his feet IL
blame somebody was his first impulse
''What careless fellow has done this p wa
on his tongue.
Don't" The inward monitor spoke il
time. Mr. Landell shut his lips tightly, an'
kent silent until he could command himself
He then calmly inquired into the cause of thu
accident. and found that special blame attach
ed to no one On opening the case of goods
the damage was found to be trihing.
"Another conquest said Mr.. Landcll, as
he went back to his desk "Self-control i
easy enough if the trial be made in earnest.
A dozen times that day was the torch ap
piled to Mr.. Landel's quick temper, and al
often was he in danger of blazing out. Blu
he had begun right, and he kept on right
until the sun went down And then he turn
ed his steps homeward, feeling more comfor
table in mind than he had felt for some weeks
There was no shadow on his countenanc
when he met bis wife, but smiling good hu
NOR.
"You said Don't as ! left you this morn
ing"