Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-09-23

lay spread out before him, aud be read
the sentence:
"A kind, cheerful word, spoken in a
gloomy home, is like the rift in a cloud
that lets the sunshine through
Lee struggled with himself while
longer His sullenness had TO be con-
quered first, and his high spirit bad TO be
subdued But he was coming right, and
at last got right, as to will. Next came
the question as to how be should begin.
He thought OF many things to say, yet
be feared to say them, lest his wife should
meet his advances with cold rebuff.
At last, leaning towards her, and tax
ing hold of the linen bosom upon which
she was at work, he said, in voice care
fully modulated with kindness
You are doing that work very beau
tifully, Mary
Mrs. Lee made no reply, but her hus-
band did not fail TO observe that she lost,
almost instantly, that rigid erectness with
which she had been sitting, nor that the
motion OF her needle had ceased.
My shirts are better made, and whittier
than those of any man in the shop said
Lee, encouraged to go on.
Are they?' Mrs. Lees voice was
low, and had in it a slight huskiness. She
/ did not turn her face, but her husband
saw that she leaned little towards him
He had broken through the ice of reserve
and all was easy now. His hand was
among the clouds, and few feeble rays
were struggling through the rift it had
made.
yes, Mary he said softly, 'and I've
heard it said more than once, what q
good wife Andrew Lee must have"
Mrs. Lee turned her lace towards heI
husband. There was light in her eye
But there was something in the expires
sion of the countenance that a little puz
zled him.
do you think SOP she asked, quit
soberly.
What question: r calculated Andrew
Lee, starting up, and going round to th'
side of the table where bis wife was sit
-:-- SUI--.. ....~-.;>.-, = ha repeated
as he stood before her.
DO your 1t was all she said.
Yes. darling was his warmly-spokel
answer; and he stopped down and kisse'
her. How strange that you should asI
me such question !
IF you would only tell me so now an,
then, Andrew, it would do me good
And Mrs. Lee arose, and leaning he
face against the manly breast of he
husband, stood and wept.
What a strong light broke in upon th
mind of Andrew Lee. He had neye
: given his faithful wife even the small re
ward of praise for all the loving intere.
she had manifested daily, until doubt {
his love had entered her soul, and mad
the light thick darkness. No wonde
that her face grew clouded, nor that wis
he considered moodiness and ill-patur
I took possession of her spirit.
You are good and true, Mary N
: own dear wife 1 am proud of you
love you; and my first desire is for yol
happiness. Oh, if ] could always st
: your face in sunshine, my home wou
T be the dearest place on earth
r How precious TO me are your worl
e of love and praise, Andrew said AIr
s Lee, smiling up through her tears IN
i; his face. With them in my ears, u
d heart can never lie in shadow
How easy had been the work for A
D. drew Lee. He bad swep. his han
st across the cloudy horizon Of his hon
le and now the bright sunshine was streal
'r ing down, flooding that home with j
p" and beaufy.-Home Magazine.