Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-10-27
misfellaaeons.
A RIFT In THE CLOUDS.

Andrew Lee came home at evening from
tho shop where he had worked all day
tired, and out ofspirits; came home to hi.
wife, who was also tired, and out ofspirits
"A smiling wife and cheerful home
what a paradise it would be- said An
drew to himself as be turaed his eye from
the clouded face of Mrs. Lee, and sat down
with knitted orows and moody aspect.
Not a word was spoken by either. Mrs
Lee was getting supper, and moved about
with a weary step.
"Come," she said at last, with side
glance at her husband.
There was an invitation in the word on
ly, none in the voice of Mrs. Lee.
Andrew arose and went to the table
He was tempted to speak an angry word,
but controlled himself and kept silent He
could find no fault with the chop, nor the
sweet homemade bread, nor the fragrant
tea They wouldha cheered his iaward
man, if there had only been CLEAN of
sunshine on the face of his wife. He no.
ticed that she did not eat.
"Are you not well, Mary?' The words
were on his lips, but he did not utter them,
for the face efhis wife looked so repellent,
that he feared an irritating reply. And
SO. in moody silence, the twain sat togeth
er until ANDREW had finished his supper.
As he pushed his ekair back, his wife
arose and commenced clearing off the ia
BILE
"This IS purgatoryi" said Lee 10 him
sell, as he commenced walking the floor of
ther little breakfast room, with his hands
thrust desperately away down into his
trowsers pockets, and his chin almost touch
ing his breast.
After removing all the dishes, aud Ia
king them into the kitchen, Mrs. Lee
spread a green cover on the table and
placing fresh trimmed lamp thereon,
went out, and shut the door after her,
leaving her husband alone with his un-
pleasant feelings. He took a long, deep
breath, at she did so, paused in his walk,
stood still for some moments, and then
dcawing paper from his pocket, sat down
by the table, opened the sheet, aud com
menced reading. Singularly enough, the
words upon which bis eyes rested were,
praise your wife" They rather tended
to increase the disturbance of mind from
which be was. suffering.
II should like to find some occasion for
praising mine" How quickly his thoughts
expressed that i'll naiured sentiment. But
his eyes were on the page before him. and
be read on.
"Praise your wife, man; for PHYS sake,
give her a little encouragement; it won't
hurt herr
Andrew Lee raised his eyes from the
paper, and muttered, "Oh, yes. That's all
all very well. Praise is cheap enough.
But praise her for whats For being sui
len, and making your home the most disa-
greeable place in the worlda" His eyes
fell again on the paper.
"She has made your home comfortable,
your hearth bright and shining, your food
agreeable; for PHYS sake thank her, ifnoth-
ing more. She don't expect it; it will
make her syes open wider than they have
for ten years; but it will do her good for
all that and sou too"
II seemed to Andrew as if this sentence
was written just for the occasion. 1t was
the complete answer to his question:
"Praise her for what?" and he felt it also
as rebuke. He read no further, for tho't
came too busy, and In new direction.-
Memory was convicting him of injustice
towards his wife. She had always made
his home as comfortable for him as hands
could make it, and had be offered the light
return Of praise and commendation? Had
be ever told her of the satisfaction be had
known, or the comfort experienced? He
was not able to recall the time or occasion.
As he thought thus, Mrs. Lee came in
from the kitchen, and taking her work bas-
ket from closet, and placed it on the ia
Bile, and sitting down, without speaking
began to sew. Mr.. Lee glanced almost
stealthily at the work in her hands, and
saw that it was the bosom of shirt.
which she was stitching neatly. He knew
that It was for him that she was at work.
"Praise your wife," The words before
the eyes Of his mind, and he could not
look away from them. But he was not
ready for this yet. He still felt moody
and unforgiving. The expressions of his
wits's face be interpreted to mean i'll na-
ture. he had no patience. His eyes fell
upon the newspaper that lay spread out
before him, and he read the sentence:
IA kind cheerful word, spoken in q