The Van Buren press., 1860-02-03
Slg1iistella,lgg,
Don't.
BY Z s. ARTHUR.

You are sober. this evening"" said Mrs
Landell to her husband. "I hope nothing
has gone wrong during the day.
| MIR. Landell, who had been sitting with
his eyes upon the floor, silent and abstract
ed for some moiaents, reused himself al
these words of his wife, and looked up a,
her, smiling 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 shad
ed with concerns
Well enough in body. but not as COM
Portable in mind AS DESIRE
"Then something has gone wrong" said
the wife, her manner troubled.
Nothing more than usual" replied Mr..
Landell. The forced smile faded away
from his count.nance. Mrs. Landell sighed.
Than usual p She repeated his
words, looking with earnest inquiry into her
husbands face. Then she added in a ten
der 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 knowthat
hearts draw neare, in suffering than they do
bless your Kind heart, Alice % said
Mr. Landell, broad smile creeping over
his face, as he caught her round checks be-
tween his hands and kissed her. There is
not anything in the case so serious as all
that comes too. Pm not going to fail in
business haven't cheated and don't intend
to it's only this hasty, impulsive temper
of mine that is always leading me to say
or do something that leaves sting.
The cloud passed from the face of Mrs
Landel.
"You will overcome that in time, Ed.
ward,
"I can't see that make any progress.
Yesterday spoke sharply to one OF my
young men, when mild reproof would
have been more just and of more salutary
effect. He is sensitive, and my words hurt
him severely. The shadow that remained
on his face all day was my perpetual re-
huke, and l felt it long after the sun had
gone down. My punishment was greater
than his. But the lesson Of yesterday did
not suffice. This morning l was betrayed
into captious language, and wounded the
same young man, and threw him off his
guard SO much that he answered me with
feeling. This regarded as impertinence,
and threatened to dismiss him from my ser
vice if he dared venture repetition of his
language. When feeling subsided, and
thought became clear again. saw that /
had been wrong, and felt unhappy about it
ever since. Iwish that had more self-con-
troll tha. / could bride my tongue when
feeling it suddenly spurred But tempera-
ment and long indulged habits are against
me.
On the next morning as Mr.. Landell was
leaving for his store, his wife looked up at
him, and with meaning, said to him
Don't"
There was slight, perceptible warning
in her tone.
Don't what ?" Mr. Landcll seemed a
little puzzled. f.
Don't forget YOURSELF"
"Oh!" Light broke in upon his mind.
"Thank you, ! will not - and he went
forth to meet the trials of the day.
Almost the first thing that fell under the
notice of Landell was an important letter,
which, after writing he had given to clerk
to copy and mail. Instead of being m
Boston, as it should have been. it lay upon
his desk. Neglect like this he felt to be un- :
ParuOnaDie.
''John !'' he called sharply to young
man at the farther end of the store.
Don't ~ it seemed to him like the voice
of his wife in his ear" don't forget your
self''
This mental warning came Just in season.
The clerk came quietly towards him. By
the time he reached the desk of Mr.. Landell
the latter was under self-control.
"Why was this letter not mailed, John 90
he asked.
The tone was neither imperative nor cap
tious, but kind and the question was ask
ed in way that said. of course there is
good reason for omission and so there
was.
Il think, SIR" answered John, "that
there is mistake, and thought it not best
to put the letter in the mail''
!" A mistake How ?'' and Mr.. Landell
opened the letter.
cit reads" said the clerk, :" three hun
dred cases of shawls.
"Oh, no; thirty cases. replied Mr..
Landell. But as he said this his eve rested
on the three hundred. So it is how could
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
merchsnt eaid to himaelf, /. How r]ad lam