The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-05-26

the first years Of her widowhood, his
mother had taught private school
for young ladies'; and it was the boys
highest ambition to. relieve her of this
necessity. and give her the rest her
feeble health required. cannot tell
you all his privations, his willing sac,
ridce of every recreation, his contin,
ucd selfdcnial, that he might tighten
the burdens of those so dear to i'm.
Year after year, success crowned
his efforts. In the village where his
mother had passed the years Of her
childhood and the first years of her
married life, he purchased a pleasant
residence for her, and then n lucrative
business beginning to rise in the West,
he came here.
At the time Of his removal here, ac.
cidcnt revealed to him the fact, that
the widow and invalid daughter Of one
who's fortune was, by his fathers ad.
vice, riskcd in hat unfortunate spec.
/ ulatiou which had so changed his
own life, were living in extreme pow
crty. To him they are indebted for
the pleasant home that now shelters
them, and for the delicate, thoughtful
mn>trations to their daily comfort.
| Nov, when the commercial world
is cloudcd and disasters crowd thick
and fast upon him, and upon others,
his anxious thoughts turn to the moth.
cr, and suffering sister in the little vii
lagc home, whose comfort depends
upon him, to the o her lonely GrcSidc,
to which his constant thOught!uInrSs
imparts its own light. and to his own
home, and the young wife, whose hap.
pincSS is dcarcr TO him than life. For
this, Margaret, Ralph Hale gives his
days TO inccssant toll and willingly
sacrifices the social pleasures he is so
emincnlly fitted to enjoy.
have been in these three homes.
With a love that is almost reverence,
his mother and sister speak his name,
and with full hearts thank God for his
litr--lhat life so filled with the brau-
ty Of scli-rcnunca,ion The widow
and daughter, whose hearts he has
made glad, tell of his nUmbcrIcsS acts
Of Kindness, Of his delicate and un.
ccaSing wa,chfuInrSS, and daily they
ask Gods blessing on him whose life
is II blessing to others.
In his own home, the wife. whose
love should bless him. whose gentle
ministry shouldcomtort ndstrcngthcu
him, turns coldly from him, because
he prefers the happiness of others to
his own qualification, because the
pressing duties of life claim all his
waking hours, leaving him little lei
sure for the claims Of Society, or for
the high intellectual culture which
few attain whose lives are not who'll.
ly devoted to it,"
"Oh, Ralph, | have never known
YOU! have so cruelty misjudged YOU
said the weeping wife.
The old man continued Some men
talk poetry, some write it in words,
and some write it in their lives. Tie
true hcrosm which poets have sung,
the beauty Of scli.abncgation and of
cCasrIcSs devotion to duty. which have
been their inspiration, Ralph Hale has
lived. The woman who has won
the deepest love o! such u heart should
revcrcnlIy and gratefully cherish it as
the richest blessing Of her life"
In the twilight Of that day, Margar-
ct was waiting her husbands return.
Amid the bitter seIl-rcproachings that
darkcncd the hour, cleaned new
and holy light. Higher purposes
were aroused within her. In the tu-
lurc she would make divincIy real in
her life the beautiful ideas which had
filled her heart with unsalislied long
inys. She, too. would live for others,
and first Of all for him whom she had
so misunderstood.
A hurried step in the entrance hall,
then on the stairs, and the next mo-
mcnt she was clasped in her husbands
arms.
"You hayc been very ill., said n
voice, faltcring with emotion, "but.
thank God, you are safe now, my
Margaret
"Oh, yes, ! am safe indeed now"
said Margarct's heart.
In that hour all was made clear be.
tween them. With new resolves for
the future, with a deeper love for each
other. and prayer for strength, an
other page Of life was turned for them.
Years afterwards, Margaret, a proud
and happy wife, wrote al cannot
tell you all he has been to me-my
guide when | was ignorant my
strength when faltered, my best