Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1861-07-05
THE BETTER WAY.
STORY FOR MOTHERS
BY T. s. ARTHUR. q

hushed quiet relgned IN the house.
With feet that stirred no echoes in silent
air, Mrs. Lawrence glided from the cham
bers and returned to the breakfast room,
where her husband sat reading. He did
not look up from the page on which his
eyes were bent, nor seem to observe her
entrance.
There was weight on the heart of
Mrs. Lawrence as she sat down by her
workable under the gas-light, and took
small basket in her lap-a weight, and
also a sense of relief. Her active, rest
less, noisy, and too often turbulent and
contentious brood were asleep and safe
from outward harm for this sentiment
of thankfplnes lay unspoken on her lips.
But with the stiffness that succeeded come
troubled memories, self-reproaches, ques-
tons as to the right and wrong of her
own life among her children, doubts,
fears, anxieties.
Not in sweet peace, like the passage of
a summer day had closed the twilight
hours in Ms Lawreuce's home on the
evening of the introduction to the reader.
They had fallen in the rain of passion.
Tired, fretted, and ill-natured, the child
rem met like state in their mother; and
angry authority chafed against blind will
fulness. So the day had closed in storm;
and now in the brooding hush that fol-
lowed, Mrs. Lawrence sat down with the
pressure of misgiving on her heart.
"What am to do with these children q
The words leaped out suddenly, giving
Mr. Lawrence a start He did not, how
ever, lot his eyes fall away from the page
he was reading, nor. beyond slight change
of position intimate a consciousness that
his wife had spoken. When the full heart
breaks silence. it does not usually rest IN
single utterance. Mrs. Lawrence went
on a1ter DrIeI pause,
a am out of all heart with Johnny"
Mr.. Lawrence let his book fall and his
eyes rest upon the shadowed countenance
of his wife.
"And Lydia is such trial So fret
full and irritable. Johnny keeps her in
trouble all day long-you don't know
what time | have with them
Still Mr.. Lawrence did not answer,
Not that he was indifferent not that his
thought was on his book, or away from
the present His thought was with his
wife and children, and on his mind lay a
pressure of concern. But what was it best
for him to say? That question perplexed
and kept him silent. He did not wish to
blame his wife, and hesitated on even an
intimation that the fault might not lie at
her door, She was very sensitive, and
could not bear to hear him say word
that involved disapproval.
What am l to do 2, Mrs. Lawrence
looked steadily at her husband, and paus-
ed as though expecting an answer. "Iou
saw how it was little while ago."
Yes" t ~ ~ eia9 Boa
Something in the voice of her husband,
as he uttered this single word, chafed on
the feelings of Mrs. Lawrence. She was
not ignorant of the Iact that she had lost
temper and dealt rather harshly with
Johnny before sending him to bed, and
that something in the voice of her hus.
band sounded like accusations or rebuke
/" What am | to do?' She repeated
the question with just a touch of asperity
in her tone.
There are two requisites of good gov.
eminent" said Mr.. Lawrence, raising the
book to his eyes, and affecting to read
self-government, and wise administra
ton. Without the former, the latter il
impossible" eei7iF ia
He let the book fall into his lap, and
looked calmly at his wife. The quicl
blood was already mounting to her face
She understood him thoroughly. rrg
al wish you had the trial Of them fol
aweak or two r. Mrs. Lawrence spok'
with considerable sharpness.
81 am not desirous Of changing places
Ruth" answered the husband in calm
soothing voice. "The difficulty Of yours
TAN ptl. Ola 1.ll.1fI -, aI.t II.