The Hillsborough recorder., 1859-11-02
No, 2ol5.

I. for this yet. H. still f.lt moody, and udfor-
giving. The expression II h,s wifr's face
he interpreted 10 mean ill-uaturr. and with
lll-nature be had no patience. His eyes fell
upon the newspaper that lay spread out be-
fore him, and he read the sentence:
"A kind. cheerful word, spoken in a
gloomy home, is like the rift in cloud that
lets The sunshine through"
Lee struggled with himself while longer.
His own illnatnre had TO be conquered first
his moody, accusing spirit had to be subiued.
Hut he was coming right, and at last got right,
as to 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 wife should meet his advances with cold
rebuff. At last, .leaning towards her and
taking hold Of the luen busom npnn which
she was at work, he said, in a voice care
fully modulated with kun,lne.s,
You are doing that work very beautiful
ly, MARY"
Mrs LIE made no reply. Bu, herhusband
tli not fal to observe that she last, airuos,
INSTANTLY, that rigid erPctness with which she
had been sitting. nnr that the motion Of her
needle hanil ceased.
my shirts are better made, and whittier
than those Of any other man in our shop,
sall Lee, encouraged tn 20 on.
"Are they p Mrs Lees voice was low.
and had in II a slight huskiuess. 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. Ills hand was among the
cl"ais. and few feeble rays were already
struggling through the rift il had made.
Yes, Mary" he answered softly; "and
I've heard it said more than once, what a
good vile Andrew Lee must have"
Mrs. Lee turned her face towards her hus.
band. There was light in il, and light in her
eve. But there was something in The ex-
/ preston OF the countenance that little puz-
\ Leled him.
Do you think so:' she asked, quite So
berly.
What question:" calculated Andrew
Lee, starting up, and going around to the
side OF the table where his wife was sitting.
What question. Mary" he repeated, as
he stood before her.
"Do youf" II was all she said.
Yes, darling" was his warmly spoken
answer, and he stopped down and kissed her.
"How strange that you should ask me such
a question" :"
\ = II you would only tell me so now and
then, Andrew, il would do me good" And
Mrs. Lee arose. and Leaning her face against
the manly breast Of her husband, stood and
/. wept
I What strong light broke in upon the mind
uf Andrew Lee. tie had never given 10 his
i,ittful wife even the small reward OF praise
for all the loving interest she had manifested
laily, until doubt Of his lave had entered
her soul and made the light around her thick
darkness. No wonder that her face grew
clouhrd, nor that what he considered moodi-
ness and illnature took possession Of her
spirit.
i "Yon are good and true. Mary, my own
,lear wife. | am proud Of you'll 1--we you
and my f,st desire is lor your happiness.
Oh, il could always see yonr face in sun
shine, NY hume would be the dearest place
an earth"
" How prtciohs 10 me are your words Of
love and p,aise. Andrew" said Mrs. Lee,
smiling up through her tears into his lace.
:" With ih'm in my ears. my heart can never
lie IN shadpn."
How EASY had been the work for Andrew
Ire. lie had swept his hand across the
cloudy hurizou of his home, and nav the
r bright sunshine was streaming down, and
, iaoding that home with joy aud beauty.