True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-07-28
A HOME SKETCH.
A Rift in the Cloud.
BY T. $. ARTHUR.


ANDREW LEE came home at evening
from the shop where he hal worked all
day, tired and out OF spirits home
to his wife, who was also tired and oul
of spirits.
"a smiling wife and a cheerful home
what a paradise it would be !" said
Andrew to himself, az he turned his eyes
from the cIouded face of Mrs. Lee, and
sat down with knitted brows and amoody
aspect.
Not a word was spoken by eithe;:-
Mrs. Lee was getting supper, and she
moved about with weary step.
"Conle." she said at last, with a side
glance al her husband.
There was invitation in the word only,
none in the voice of Mrs. Lee.
Andrew arose and went to the table
He was tempted to speak an angry word.
but controlled himself aud kept silence.
He could find no fault with hechop, nor
the sweet home made bread, nor the fra
grant tea. They would have cheered
his inward man, if there had only been a
CLEAN of sunshine OH the face of his wife.
He noticed that she did not eat.
"Are you not well, Mary :" The
words were on his lips, but he did mo-,
utter them, for the face of his wife looked
so repellant that he feared an irritating
reply. Aud SO, in moody silence, the
twain sat in together, until Andrew had
finished his supper. AS he pushed back
his chair, his wife arose and commenced
clearing off the table.
"This is purgatory." said Lee to him.
self, as he commenced walking the floor
of their little breakfas, room, with his
hands thrust desperately away down into
his trowsers pockets. and his chin almost
touching his breast.
After removing all the dishes, and
taking them into the kitchen, Mrs. Lee
spread green cover on the table, placing
fresh trimmed lamp thereon, wen: out
and shut The door after her, leaving her
husband alone with his unpleasant feel
ings. He took long deep breath as she
did SO, paused in his walk, stood still for
some moments, and then drawing paper
from his pocket, sat down by the table,
opened the sheet, and commenced read
ing
Singularly enough, The words upon
which his eyes rested we're, "Praise your
wife," They rather tended to increase
the disturbance of mind from which he
was suffering.
Il should like to find some occasion
for praising mine." How quickly his
Thoughts expressed that i'll nalured senti.
ment. But his eyes were on the page
before him, and he read on.
Praise your wife, man !; for pity sake
give her little encouragement, i! won't
hurt her."
e. Andrew Lee raised his eyes from the
paper, and muttered. "Oh yes. That's
all very we'll. Praise is cheap enough
But, praise her for what! For being
.sullen, and making your home the mos
disagreable place in the world? His eyes
fell again on the paper.
"She has made your home comfortable
your hearth bright and shining, your fooc
agreeable; for pity sake tell her yol
thank her, if nothing more. She dom
expect it; it will make her eyes oper
wider than they have for len years bu
it will do her good. for all that, and yo'
too"
It seemed to Andrew as il this sentenc'
were. written just for him, and just TO
the occasion. II was the complete an
swei 10 his question. Praise her 70
what 2" and he felt it also as rebuke
He read no farther, for thought came to-
busy, and in new direction Memor.
was cOnvicting him Of injustice toward
his wife. She had always made his hom'
as comfortable for him as hands coul'
make it, and had he offered the light re
turn Of praise and comnendation ha
lie ever told her of the satisfaction he ha
known or the comfort experienced! H
was not able to recall the time or the oc
casion. AS he though, thus. Mrs, lie
came in from the kitchen and taking lie
work basket from closet, placed it o
the table, and then sitting down wiIhou
speaking, began toSsew.
Mr.. Lee glanced almost stealthily att
work in her hands, and saw that it wa
the bosom of shirt, which she wa
stitching neatly. He knew that it wa
for him that she was al work. q
" Praise your wife," The words wer
before the eyes Of his mind, and he coul
not look away rom them. But he wa
no, ready for this yet. He still felt mood
and unforgiving. The expression Of h
wiie's face being interpreted to mean il
nature, and with ill-nature he had +
patience. His eyes fell upon the new
paper that lay spread out before him, al
he read the sentence
"a kind, cheerful word spoken in
gloomy house, is like the rift in clot
tina. lets the sunshine through"
Lee struggled with himself arwhi
longer. His own ill.nature had 70