Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-07-06

not man who considered his actions in
their effects upon others. He was, more.
over, silent, undemonstatve rtani rarely
Expressing his feelings. lie gave few out.
ward signs by which any one could read
his heart. Here lay the origin of the Il ouble
at home-the beginning of tho eclipse
that left his little world in almost tola
1 darkness, when it should have been broad
MONDAY 1t was not enough for Mrs
Gran iall, in the earlier Years of their we'd
ded life, to know that her husband loved
her. Her heart asked for more. She
wanted loving looks and loving words
also; and fof lack Of these. itsgreeR things
withesed, .andits blossoms faded. Having
told her in the beginning that he loved her;
having afterward married her in prouf oi
his declaration; and having ever since
worked daily for the sustaining OF his home,
and keeping her as far above wantas it was
possible for him to do, Mr.. Crandall saw
no reason why le should bo all the time
passing compliments. Ilo could't do 1t.
| IL wasn't in him. lie w1uld have felt
ashamed of it rs weakness!
And so, almost from the beginning, he
failed to give those little outward signs of
affection--thoso pleasant tokens OF kind
| ness so grateful to all. When his wife
said. as WAS often tho case, during tho first
year that succeeded their marriage Thank
you, Petor," and smiled graz olully in re-
tnrn for some little act of kindness-or
expressed pleasure when he came home
from his work At evening, drawing her arm
around his neck and kissing hlnI-or told
him how lonesome she felt all day. and
what light his coming brought into
their little home--Peter Crandall felt n
glow Of pleasure in his heart. But it did
rot come within the range of his i'm
aguat on--dull at best to conceive that
like words from him would be 10 the
spirit of his wife like dow tho the thirsty
ground.
And so he never expressed pleasure at
meeting; but rather affected, from IA kind
of false pride. certain coldness, rs though
1t We're Il lack of manIness to act differently.
No matter how many little attentions his
wife might show him--no matter what
she prepared for his return, nor with what
dainty skill she cooked the evening and
noo"day meals, he never praised; and
rarely gave even the meagre reward of ex-
pressed 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 lot always in over
choice words.
AS Mrs. Crandall begsn to fail in cut
ward signs of Affection, Peter perceived
their Withdrawal as the gradual falling of
sunshine. when clouds gather over the sky
IN fiinsy nerves that deepen into obscuring
curtains. Eut the cause was to him
mystery. lie felt as of old to his wife;
AID worked for her cheerfullt as in
the beginning. The home feeling was rs
3trong as eNerj hhd, after Withdrawing
from the outer world, when the night
shadows fell, he had not the beginning of
Il desire to go abroad from his humble
sanctura:y, shoin as it was of chief at
traction-the smiles and loving tones,
and words of his changing wife.
From this inauspiciuus beginning went
on, steady, the unhappy change. The
coming of children. which, on IL cir advent,
was like the falling down upon them of
sunbeams through suddenly rifted clouds,
rather increased instead OF diminishing
the unpleasant aspect of things in the
house of Peter Crandall. 1.-THE mothers
heart had been cheerful! and stronr-ir
her husband had not shut out the light il
needed to keep its green thing unwithered
and its flowers i'll bloom-this would not
u I'VE been SO. The cheerful spirit would
have given life to the body would have
filled every nerve with vital force, ant'
every muscle with strength for daily toll.
But the chidlen proved more burden
than comfort. There was, in their home,
SO little sunshine, that few green things
hourished in their hearts; and the opening
Of Hover was a rare occurrence But
thorns to wound and weeds to offend were
there and hourly they seemed to gain
ranker growth. I
How it was in the home Of Peter Gran
dali will be clear TO every one now There
are, around us, thousands and thousands
OF such hoRles, MI the chambers of which
are made dark and cheerless, for lack OF
the "small, sweet courtesies' of life, so
cheaPly given, and eo magical In tleir'l
effect. /
One day, Peter Crandail WIS sent bv
h's employer TO do some work in the house
of customer. This work happened to
be in the family sitting room, IN whi, h !
were four children with their mother.
The lady spoke to linn politely when he
came in, and the chiIdref, treated him re-
specttully. lie had been n. worn only a !
little while, when his attention. WIS at
tracted by request from the mother to-
one ol the children, to so up stairs and
o''"S "oF s"ile drlIcle Sne namcus we
say request, for this WAS the form of words |
uttered. The child went Instantly, and !
was back i'll a few moments
'Fhank you, dear" said the mother.
Crandall turned and looked AZ the child. |
Her countenance was tranquil and happy |
Jane, will take those scissors, If YOU
please.''
Craudall looked again. II was the
mother who had spoken One oflhe child
reu was sitting or the floor, busily engaged |
in cutting ont pictures. But she started |
InS f.a,,t al 4 H.. l. II.