Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-09-23
A RIFT IN TIE CLOUD.
By T. 5. ARTHUR.

from the shop where he had worked all
day, tired, out of spirits came home TO
his wife, who was also tired and out of
spirits.
A smiling wife and cheerful home /;
what paradise il would be r said An
drew to himself, as he turned his eyes
from the clouded face of Mrs. Lee, and
sat down with knitted brow and moody
aspect.
Not a word was spoken by either
Mrs. Lee was getting supper, and she
moved about with weary step.
Come she said at last, with a side
glance at her husband.
There was an invitation in the word
only, none in the voice of Mrs. Lee.
Andrew arose and went 70 the table.
He was tempted TO speak an angry word,
but controlled himself, and kept silence.
He could find no fault with the chop, /
nor the sweet, homemade bread, nor the
fragrant tea. They would have cheered
his inward man, if there had only been
CLEAN of sunshine on 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 not
-, +J,o,v, Co, .bo Co. "a ~, ,,-;f, I,>Hol
so repellant, that he feared an irritating
reply. And so, in moody silence the
twain sat together until Andrew had fin
ished his supper. As he pushed his
chair back, 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 breakfast room, with his
hands thrust desperately away down in
his trowsers' pockets, and bis chin almost
touching his breast.
After removing all the dishes, and tax
ing them into the kitchen, Mrs. Lee
spread green cover on the table, an
placing fresh trimmed lamp thereon,
went out and shut the door after her,
leaving her husband alone with his un-
pleasant feelings. he took long, deep
breath as she did so, paused in his walk,
stood still for some moments, and then
drawing a paper from his pocket, sat
down by the table, opened the sheet and
commenced reading. Singularly enough
the words upon which his eyes rested
were, 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 ilI-natured SEN
timent. His eyes we're on the page be-
fore him, and he read on.
Praise your wife, man; for PHYS
sake, give her a little encouragement; it
: won't hurt her.
Andrew Lee raised his eyes from the
. paper, and muttered, o, yes, that's all
! very well; praise is cheap enough. But
praise her for what? For being sullen
: and making your home the most disa-
D greeable place in The world ? His eye
J, fell again on the paper.
r She has made your home eomforta-
: BILE, your hearth bright and shining, your
g food agreeable; for PHYS sake, tell hei
you thank her, if nothing more. She
r don't expect it; it will make her eyes
e open wider than they have for ten years
II but it will do her good for all that, anC
IS you too
II 1t seemed to Andrew as if this sen
d tenee were written just for him, and jus
e for the occasion. 1t was the complet
IS answer to his question, Praise her 70
" what !? and be felt it also as rebuke
: He read no further, for thoughts cam
n too busy, in new direction. Memoir
e was eonyicting him of injustice toward
o. his wife. She had always made his hom
as comfortable for him as hands coul
make it, and had he offered the light re
le turn of praise or commendation Ha
el he ever told her of the satisfaction be ha
known, or comfort experienced II
re was not able to recall the time or the o.
~ casion. As be thought thus, Mrs. Le
to came in from the kitchen, and takin
be her work-basket from closet, placed
". on the table, and sitting down, withol
I'D speaking, began to sew. Mr.. Lee glance
ar almost steaIthily at the work in h'
= hands, and saw that il was the bosom Of
ID shirt which she was stitching neatly. +
u knew that it was for him that she was
Z work.
m 10 Praise your wife, The words we
be- before The eyes Of his mind, and eou
YER not look away from them. But be "
4, not ready for this yet. He still f
~ moody and unforgiying. The expressi
a. Of his wife's face be interpreted to met