Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-12-09

"You are sober this evening"" said Mrs
Landell TO her husband II hope nothing
has gone wrong during the day"
Mr. Landell, who had been sitting with
| his eyes upon the floor, silent and abstract
/ ed tor some moments, reused himself at
these words Of his wife, and looked up at
her, smiled in a forced way, as he answer
led ;:
ooh, no nothing at all has gone wrong
Don't you feel well ?"
The voice of Mrs. Landell was just sha-
|ded with concern.
"Well enough in body, out not as COM
Portable in mind as I desire = .,..<
"Then something has gone Wrcng," said
the wife, her manner troubled. @:..;
'Nothing more than usual replied Mr..
Landell The forced smile faded away from
his countenance Mrs. Landell sighed
Ethan usual Y She repeated his words
looking with earnest inquiry into her hus-
bands face. Then she added in a tender
Bring home your trouble, dear. Don't
hide anything. Let me share with you the
SoOu duu III VI ilIo'~ -Olu vou uOI KNOW
that hearts draw nearer in suffering than
they do in joy?'
"Bless your kind Leart, Alice !" said Mr..
Landell, broad smile creeping over his
face as he caught her round cheeks between
his hands and kissed her. "There isn't
anything in the case SO serious as all that
comes to. I'm not going to fail in business;
haven't lost anything worth speaking about;
haven't cheated anybody and don't intend
to; it's only this kasty, impulsiye temper
Of mine that is always leading me to- say or
do something that leaves sting"
The cloud passed from the face Of Mrs
Landell.
You will overcome that in time, Ed
ward" III ..
Il can't see that I make any progress.
Yesterday | spoke sharply to one Of my
[young men, when mild reproof would have
been more just and Of oteSsalptary effect
He is sensitive, ana my words. hurt him
severely. Tie shadow that remained on
his face was my perpetual rebuke, and | felt
lit long after the sun went down Ny pun
F.! ishment was greater than his. But the les
son Of yesterday did notsufice. This morn
ing I was betrayed into captious language,
and wounded the same young man, and
threw him off his guard SO much that he an
swered me with feeling. This / regarded
as impertinence, and threatened to dismiss
him from my service if he dared venture a
repetition of his language. When feeling
lsubsided, and thought became clear again,
| saw | had been wrong, and have felt un-
happy about it ever since. | wish that ]
had more self-control; that ! could bride
my tongue when feeling it suddenly spur
ed But temperament and long INDUCED
habits are against me-"
Mrs. Landell encouraged and soothed he,
husband. and SO won his mind away from
its self-reproaches.
/ On the next morning as Mr. Landell was
Ileaving the store, his wife looked up at him
and with meaning, said to him
Don't"
There was the slightest pe-ceptiblo warn
hing in her tone.
! :'Don't what? ?" rTr. Landell seemed ,
little puzzled. q
Don't forget yourself"
cob" Light broke in upon his mind
sThank you, | will not;" and he wen
forth to meet the trials Of that day.
I Almoststhe first thing. that fell under The
notice of Landell was an important letter
which after writing, he had given to {
clerk to copy and mail. Instead Of being
in Boston, as it should have, been. it lay
upon his desk Neglect like this he felt K
be unpardonabls,