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

they seemed to gain a ranker growth
How it was i'm the home of Peter
Crandall will be clear to every one now.
There are, around us, thousands and
thousands Of such homes, all the cham
bers of which are made dark and cheer
less for lack of the "small, sweet cour-
tesies' Of life, so cheaply given, and SO
magical in their effect.
One day, Peter Crandall was sent by
his employer to do some work in the
house Of a customer This work hap
pened to be in the family sitting-room,
in which were four children, with their
mother The mother spoke to him po-
litely when he came in, and the child
rem treated him respectfully. He had
been at work only a little while, when
his attention was attracted by q arequest
from the mother to one Of the children
to 60 up stairs and bring her some art-
Gle she named. The child went Instant
ly, and was back in a few moments.
"Thank you, DEAR" said the mother.
Crandall turned and looked at the
child. Her countenance was tranquil
aud happy.
."Jane, I will take those scissors, if
you please"
Crandall looked again. It was the
mother who had spoken. One Of the
children was sitting on the floor, bus
lily engaged in cutting out pictures
But she started up instantly, and
brought the scissors to her mother.
"Thank you, dear" was the mother
acknowledgement of the service, as in
the former case.
"Will you want them long?" asked
the child.
ono, 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, singing 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 own home intruded itself. While
yet at work, the husband and father
came home. His presence was hailed
with delight. Every child had some
thing to show or tell him, and he enter
ed into the feelings of each, praising
their little achievements, and approving
wherever there seemed a chance fol
words Of appreciation. 1t was the same
toward his wife. She spoke of some di
rections she had given to Crandall.
"That was right" he answered, add
ing, chow thoughtful you areI'
A pleased smile went over the wifei
cOuntenance.
"You forgot your pocket handker
chief this morning" said the latter
handing a white linen handkerchief tt
her husband.
$50 1 did. Thank you, dear" Anl
he received the handkerchief with al
polite acknowledgment in manner as il
words.
Many other little instances Of hom,
courtesics were observed by Crandall
who left the house when his work wa
completed, with a new impression Of
life stamped upon his consciousness
The image of that pleasant home wa
fixed upon his mind like a thing Of
beauty. He had dreamed, family, of
such homes-or read Of them in books
but the reality was now before him.
The husband and father, whose presence
had frightened that home, he knew, il
a general way, as a thriving man of bus
iness, who came frequently to the es
tablishment where he worked
His face wore, generally, a grave as
pect-a little sour, he had thonght.-
He had not given him credit for mucl
kindliness of feeling; and was, there
fore, the more impressed by what h
had seen.
The sweet, musical way in whicl
| "Thank you, dearl" had been said, re
ciprocally, by mother and children, man
times, and on all occasions of servic
rendered, no matter how small, hat
found an echo in his mind, where j
was continually repeated, until "Thanl
you, dear" as he unused at his work
came almost to his lips in vocal utter
ance.
When Crandall went home at night
fall, he was still dreaming over the pic
ture in his mind, and the words, "Than
you, dear, were still echoing there in
kind Of low music He was very mucl
subdued in foeling-almost sad; an
there was an air of languor about hir
as he came into the room where his wifi
was at work getting supper ready, tha
she observed as something unusual.
"Jano, take your fathers coat an
hang it up" said Mrs. Crandall to he
eldest daughter
The girl obeyod, but there was no al
fection in her manner, as she moved
in a listless sort Of way toward her faith
er, and reached out her hand for hi
coat. Mr.. Craudall gave her the gar
ment, saying, "Thank you dear"
The words were spontaneous, not o
design, and spoken with a tender utter
ance. He was but repeating the tone
that were still sounding in his memory
What instant life seemed to quicke
through the childs framel She CAV
one glance Of surprise into her father
face, and stepped away with the Goa
like one we'll pleased to render service
. Mr.. Crandall was surprised at him
self and, for an instant, half ashame
Of what he had done, as if it were
weakness.
"Will YOU have a glass of water?