Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-12-09
uDON,T.n

0DON'T." tf4- II
"You are sober this evening"" said
Mrs. Landell to her husband; 81 hope
nothing has gone wrong during the
day."
MIR. Landell, who had been sitting
with his eyes upon the floor, silent and
distracted for some moments, reused
himself at these words Of his wife, and
looked up at her, smiled in a forced
way, as he answered.
"Oh, no ; nothing at all has gone
wrong"
"Don't you feel well?"
The voice Of Mrs. Landell was just
shaded with concern.
"Well enough in body, but not as
comfortable in mind as | DESIRE"
ssThen something has gone wrong,"
said the wife, her manner troubled.
"Nothing more than usual" replied
Mr.. Landell. Tbs forced smile faded
away from his countenance. Mrs.
Landell sighed.
"Than usual % she repeated his
words, looking with earnest Enquiry in
to her husbands face. Then she add
ed in tender manner
"Bring home your trouble, dear
Don't hide anything. Let me share
with you the good and i'll Of life. Did
you not know that hearts draw nearer
in suffering than they do in joy -
''Bless your kind heart, Alice!" said
Mr.. Landell, a 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. Pm
not going to fail in business haven't
lost anything worth speaking about
haven't cheated anybody and don't in
tend to +; it's only this hasty, impulsive
temper of mind that is always leading
me to do or say something that leaves a
sting"
The cloud passed from the face Of
Mrs. Landell.
ssYou will overcome that in time,
Edward.''
81 can't see that I make any pro-
gress. Yesterday I spoke sharply to
one Of my young men, when mild re-
proof would have been more just and
Of more salutary effect. He is sensi-
tive, and my words hurt him severely.
The shadow that remained on his face
all day was my perpetual rebuke, and ]
felt it long after the sun went down
My punishment was greater than his
But the lesson Of yesterday did no1
suffice. This morning I was betrayed
into captious language; and wounded
the same young man, and threw him OF
his guard so much that he answered me
with feeling. This ] regarded as
impertinence, and threatened to dis
miss him from my service if he daree
venture repetition Of his language
When feeling susided and thought be-
came clear again, saw that I had beer
wrong, and have felt unhappy about il
ever Stree. [ wish that I had more
self control that I could bride ny
tongue when feeling it suddenly spur.
red. But temperament and long indul'
ged habits are against me"
Mrs. Landell encouraged and soothee
her husband and SO won hia mind away
from its SELF reproache5.
On the next m orning as Mr.. Landel
was leaving fo. his store, his wife look
ed IN at MN, and with q meaning SAT-
to him
e.Don't."
There YES the slightest percepsibl
warning In he. tone.
s'Don't wat % Mr. Landell scenes
a liStse puzzled.
ssDon'S forget yourself"
"Oh!" Lighs broke in upon hi
mind. ''t.lhank you, :. will not - an
he vent forth to meet the trials Of tn
day.
Almost the first thing that fell unde
tbs noriee Of Aanoell was an importan
letter, which after writing, he mad Civ
en- 80 olerk to copy and mail. In
stead Of being IN Boston, as it shoult
have been, il lay upon his desk. Nag
lect like this he felt to be unpardona
BILE.
"Jchn," he called sharply to youns
man at the farther end Of the store.
s.Don'f 10 It seemed to him like thu
voice Of big wife in his ear-"don't
forget yourself"
This mental warning came just il
season. The clerk came quietly to-
wards him. By the time he reached
the desk Of Mr.. Landell, the latter
was under self CONTROL.
"Why was not this letter mailed
John?' he asked.
The tone was neither Imperative mol
captious, but kind l; and the question
was asked in way that said, Of course
there is good reason for omission and
so there was.
:sI think, sir" answered John, "that
there is mistake, and thought it not
best to put the letter in the mail"
ga mistake How 2" and Mr.. Lam
dell opened the letter.
cit reads" said the clerk, "three
hundred cases of shawls.''
"Oh, no thirty cases." replied Mr..
Landell. But as he said this his eye
rested on the three hundred. $50 it is.
How could I have made such an error?
You did right, John, in not sending the
letter at ALL"
The clerk went back to his place,
and the merchant said to himself, Chow
glad I am that I was able to control