Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-06-16

! fend were there, aud hourly they seem
ed to gain a ranker growth.
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 homes, all the cham
bers of which are made dark or cheer
less, for lack of the small. sweet cour
tssies" of life. SO ohesply given, and SC
magical in their effect.
/ One day, Peer Crandall was sent by his
employer, TO DO some work in the house
of customer. This work happened to
be in the family sitting in which
were four children with their mother
The lady spoke to him politely when he
came in, and the children treated him
respectfully. He had been at work only
4 liltle while, when his attention was at
tracted by request from the mother fol
one of the children to go up stairs and
bring her some article she named. We
say request; f1r this was the form OF
words uttered. The child vent instant
ly. and was back in a very few mo,
ments.
Thank you, dear" said the mother
Crandall turned and looked at the
child. Her countenance was Tranquil
and happy.
Jane. I will take those scissors, il
you please?'
Cran3all looked again. Il was The
mother who had spoken. One of the
children was sitting on the floor, busiy
engaged in cutting out pictures. But
she started up Instantly and brought the
scissors to her mother.
"Thaak you, DEAR" was the mothers
Acknowledgement of the service, as in The
former case.
"Wnl you want them lOng?" asked
the child.
"No, dear; cnly few minutes. Then
you shall have them again.
The child stood patiently by her moth
er's side until the scissors were out Of
service. aud then received them.
"Thank yon," she said. as she took
them from her mothers hand, and then
danced back, singing, 10 her place on
the floor where the pictures lay.
All this struck Crandali as beautiful,
aud he 81 he'd as the harsher image OF
his own home 'fntruded Itself. While yet
at WORK, the husband and father came
home. His presence vas hailed with
delight. Every child had something 10
show or tell him. and he entered into The
feelings Of each, p,aising iheir little
achisv ments, and approving wherever
there seemed a chance for words of ap.
probation. Il vas the same toward his
wife. She spoke Of some direction she
had given 10 Crandal
That was right" he answered, add,
lag, "How thoughtful you. areP'
A pleased smile went over the wile's
coun'enance.
"YOu forgot your pocket-handkercbiei
this morning. said the latter, handing
a white linen handkerchief 10 her hus-
band.
80 did. Thank you, dcarl'' And
he received the handkerchief with as po-
lite an acknowledgment in manner as in
words.
Many other little instances Of home
courtesies were observed BY Cfandall,
who left the house, when his work was
completed, with new impression Of lie
stamped upon his consciousness. The
image of that pleasant home was fixed
on 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, in the general way,
as thriving man of business, who came
frequently, TO the establishment where
he worked. His face wore, generally, a
grave aspect-a little sour he had
thought He had not given him credit
for much kindIiness of feeling; and was,
therefore, the more impressed by what
he had seen.
The sweet, musical way in whieh
''Thank you, dear!' had been said, re-
ciprOcally, by mother and children,
many times, and on all occasions of SER
vice rendered, no matter how small, had
found an echo in his mind, where it was
continually repeated. until. Thank y GU.
dear!" as he mused at lis vork, came
almost to his lips in vocal uuerance.
When Crandall went home at night
fall, he was sill dreaming oyer the pic
ture in bis mind, and The words. Thank
you, dear" were sill ecboing there in a
kind oflow music. He was very much
sabdued in ieeling-almost sad; and
there was an air of languor about him,
as he came into the room where his wife
was at work getting supper ready, that
she observed as something unusual.
''Jane, take your fathers coat and
hang it up" said Mrs. CrandalI, 10 her
eldest daughter.
The girl obeyed, but there was no af
lection in her manner, as she moved, in
listless sort of way. toward her father,
and reached Gu! her hand for his coat
Mr.. Crandall, gave her tie garment,
saying, THANK you, dear