Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-11-05
A RIFT IN THE CLOUD.

out Of spirits; came home to his wife, who
was also tired and out Of spirits
"a smiling wife and n cheerful home-what
paradise it would be-" said Andrew to him.
self, as he turned his eyes from the clouded
face Of Mrs Lee, and sat down with knitted
browS, and moody aspect.
Not word was spoken by either. Mrs. Lee
was getting supper, and she moved about with
n weary step.
Come" she Sad at last, with side glance
at her husband.
There was invitation in the word only, none
in the voice Of Mrs. Lee.
Andrew arose aud went to the table lie
was tempted to speak an angry word, but con.
uollcd himself, aud kept silent. lie could find
no fault with the chop, nor the sweet home
made bread, nor the fragrant tea. They would
have chrcrcd his inward man, ir there had
been only glcam Of sunshine on the face OF
his wife. lie noticed that she did not eat.
" Are you not well, Mary :" The words
were ON his lips, but he did not utter them, for
the farc Of his wife looked 40 rcpellant, that he
feared an irritating reply Aud so, in moody
silence, the t%HiM sat together until Andrew
bad finished his supper. AS he pushed his
chair baCk, his wife arose, aud commenced
clearing off the table --t -t.--.-------
This is purgatory !"-said Lee to himself
MS he commenced walking the floor of their
little breakfast room, with his hands thrust
desperately away down in his trOwsrrS pock.
cts, and his chin almost touching his breast
Alter removing all the dishes, and taking
them into the kitchen, Mrs. Lee spread green
cover on the table, and placing fresh trimmed
lamp thereon, went out, and shut the door al.
ter her, leaving her husband alone with his I'M.
pleasant feelings. lie took long, deep breath
as she did 50, paused in his walk, stood still
for some moments, and then drawing q 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 tend
ed to increase the disturbance Of mind from
which he was suffering,
q should like to find some occasion for
praiSing mine" How quickly his thoughts
expressed that ill.natured sentiment. But his
eyes were Oh the page before him, and he read
on:
Praise your wife, man; for PHYS sake,
give her little encouragement; il won't hurt
her"
Andrew Lee raised his eyes from the paper,
and mutterrd, go, yes. That's all very welt.
Praise is cheap enough. But praise her for
what! For being sullcn and making your
home the most diSagreeable place in the world:''
His eye fell again TO the paper:
"Shc has made yonr homo comfortable,
your hearth bright and shining, your food
agreeable; for PHYS Sakc tell her you thank
her, if nothing more. She don't expect il; il
will make her eyes open wider than they have
for ten years; but it will do her good for all
that, and you, too"
1t seemed to Andrew as il this sentence
were written just for him, and jU>.t for the oc-
casiou. 1t was the complete answer to his
question, "Praisc her for whats" and he felt
it also as rebuke. He rad on further, for
thought came too busy, and in Q new direc-
ton Memory was convi letting him OF Injustice
towards his wiSe. She had always made his
hcms as comfortable for him rs hands could
make it, and had he offered the light return ot
praise or comnendatiOn Had he ever told
her Of the satisfaction he had known, or the
comfort cxperNnSedS lie was noe able to re-.
call the time or the occasion. AS he thought
thus, Mrs. Lee came in from the kitchen, and
taking her work basket from the closet, placed
it on the table, and sitting down, without
speaking, began TO sew. Mr.. Lee glanced al
most Stralthly at the work in her hands. and
saw that it was the bosom Of shirt which
she was stitching neatly. lie knew that il
was for him tina; she was at work.
"PraiSc your wife" The words wero be,
fore the eyes Of his mind, and he COull moi
look away from them. But he was not ready
for this yet. lie still felt moody and uni1rgiv
! ing. The expression Of his wiS's face he in.
terpretcd to mean ill-naturp, and with ill.na.
ture he had no patience. His eyes foil upon
the newspaper that lay spread out before him
and he read the sentence:
"A kind, cheerful word, spoken in gloomy
home, is like the rift IN cload that lets the
sunshine through,
Lee struggled with himself q while longer
His own ll-naturc had to be conquered first
his moody. accusing spirit had to be subdurd
But he was coming right, and at last got right
AS t0 will. Next came the question as to how
he should begin. lie thought Of many things
to say, yet feared to say them, lest his VIII
should meet his advances with n cold rebuff
At last, leaning towards her. and taking holi
of the linen bosom upon which she was al
work, he said, in u voice carefully mOduatrJ
with kindness,
"You are doing tho work very beautifully
Mary"
Mrs. Lee made no reply; but her husband
did not fail to observe that she lost, almost in
>tantly, that rigid e'oetncSs with which Sh,
had been sitting, nor that ths motion Of hel
needle hand ceased
"My shirts are better mNde and whittier thar
those Of any other man in our shop" salt
Lee, encouraged to go on.
".\rc they" Mrs. Lees voice was low, ant
had in il slight huSkincSS She did not turr
her face, but her husband saw that she Leaned
little towards him. liz ha.l broken through
the ice of reserve, aud all was easy now. Hi
hand was am6ng the clouds, and few ftehl,
rays were already struggling through the riff
it had made.
"Ses,. Mary" he answered, softly tan,
I've heard it said more than once, what goo'
wife Andrew Lee must have"
Mrs. Lee harncte her Sce towards her hus
band. There was light in it. and light in he
eye. But there was something in the expires
sion Of the OOuntenance that little puzzle,
! him.
do you think so =" she asked, quite so
berlv
"What q question:" calculated Andrev
Lee, starting up, and going around to the sid
of the table where his wife was sitting.
"Whata question, Maryp he repeated, q
he stood before her. ....,....
"DO your" it was all she sai;i.
"Ycs, darling" was the warmly.spoIen an
swer,, and he stopped down and kissed her.
How strange that you should ask mssnch
question:" .,..
"lE you. would only tell me 50 now an,
then, Andrew, il would do me good."' An,
Mrs. Ere arose, and leaning her hee aESiNs
the manly breast Of her husband, stsOa an,
wept. r., .,...r - .