The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-05-05

If have said or done anything to hurt
your feelings, it was unintentionally.-
You ought to know | would not do such
thing"
lie spoke so earnestly, so kindly, that
the tears began to flow from Ellen's eyes.
His words compelled her to exoncrate
him FROM blame, and had Ellen consulted
the first instinct of her heart, she would
have thrown herself into her husbands
arms and confessed what it was that pain
ed her. But Ellen was not faultless :
pride was her foible and beginning now
to think that she had been very foolish
to get angry and continue so all the even
ing, she was really ashamed to tell the
cause of her constrained manner. Frede-
rick, however, tendcrly soothing her,
sought still to win her secret.
"It is nothing" she said ssI have
been very FOOLISH
But it was for something" he said
rcrseveringly," or else, why these tears"
"Oh, am nervous! that is all"
Ellen" said Frederick, seriously,
"this is not just. 1t is very evident
that have offended you in some way,
and you refuse to tell me how. If | knew
what had done, could avoid doing so
again ;-Sor | really am ignorant of it now,
and must have done it unconsciously.--
lfso, l may do, or say the same thing
Tomorrow, and be innocent all the time.
Now, your happiness is dearer to me than
my own. Sometimes, | know, our sex
will say things which jar on the more
dclicately strung heart of woman; it is a
jest sometimes, and again only the tone
we use. Often a man, harrassed by bust
ness and interrupted i'll his thou ghts,
will speak sharply, but without knowing
he does so. Have done this! :"
But, Notwithstanding all Frederick
could say, his wife refused to reveal the
cause of her tears, and endeavored to
evadc his inquiries Her pcrtinacity led
him to think the affair was more serious
than he had at first supposed. He was
uncomfortable, hurt, and at last piqued !;
for he thought there could be no good
reason to conceal the offence. At last
he resumed his book, but the constraint
still continued, and was now as much on
his side as ON E!len's.
The next day came with no decrease
Of the uncomfortable feelings existing be-
tween the husband and wife. Frederick
ate his breakfast in almost total silence,
and went abroad.
All that morning Ellen was restless
and unhappy. She could not fix herself
to any occupation, but wandered about
the house out Of humor with herself, with
the servants, with everything. A dozen
times she resolved to tell her husband
the cause of Yesterdays anger but the
whole affair appeared so foolish to her
now, that as often she shrank from her
task. She felt that Frederick was now
really vexed at her, but what could she
do? Every time she thought of telling
him the truth, she blushcd with shame,
for her anger seemed SO childish.
Frederick, too, spent an unhappy morn
ing. He was hurt at his wfe's refusal
Of her confidence, aud kept taxing his
memory to recollect what he had said to
offend her. But he could not remember
anything until his return to dinner, when,
as he entered the dining-room, his remark
Of yesterday REQUIRED to him, and with ii
the thought that this possibly might have
been the origin of the whole difficulty
He instantly referred to his wife, and
Ellen's embarrassed manner satisfied hin
he was right.
But how could that offend you 3
Yet ! will not ask Twas wrong to speak
so hastily, though, believe me, never
thought of approaching you"
"Oh, it was very foolish, and let u.
say no more about it ~ said Ellen, hid
ing her face on her husbands shoulder.
"But, my dear, you should have tolt
me the cause of my offence last night
for if you had, nearly whole days un.
happiness would have been spared me-"
"I know l ought, but | could no
bring myself to do so the whole matte
seemed childish to me, when found tina
you really meant nothing by your words
And then you grew angry at me -
"l did feel your refusal to confde thu
cause of your sorrow; for whether | o
another was the origin of it, | thought
ought to know it. Do, in future, dearest
confde everything in me you see how
unhappy the want of it has made us both
Had you yesterday at dinner told m,
what | had done, twenty-four hours o
mutual misery would have been avoided
"We have learned lesson, and vii
have this confidence in future,'' sal,
Ellen; 81 will never allow a trihe t,
come between us and happiness again"
"Nor ~ said her husband and tn
promise thus mutually given was kept
Nowhere, in consequence, is there
happier couple than Ellen and Fredcrol,
1t would appear, at first, to be incredi
bic, yet experiments prove that disagree
ment in the married relations general
has it's origin in some trihe. Well doe
the poet say
"Alas! how light thing will move
Dissention between hearts that over'
| Al. .