Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-12-27
hat eternai-"Do unto others as ye would

that eternal-'Do unto Others as ye would
they should do unto you"
30, thank God thank God thank
God, you were delivered from this evil
| had rather You should go down to your
grave without dollar than have commit
TED this SIM said Mary Malcolm; and the
tears were bright 10 her blue eyes.
And afterwards there fell little silence
between those two, husband and vile. Il
was broken by the latter. She looked in.
to the mans face, and ler little fingers
sitted themselves through the dark hair
that had 10 shocks OF gray, and Der look,
bright, gra eful, loving, and touching, COW
cred great deal.
=" What is it Mary"
II was thinking, John, how much bet.
ter Oft l am to day than thousands of
wives throughout the land. How many
there are who sit in tier lonely homes,
wearing the slow hours away with hopes
and fears for the husbands who have gone
to the war, and whose dreams al night
are filed with visions Of battle feds,
where the one beloved face lies white and
CHASTITY Oh the sodden grass, with no hand
to offer tie last cup of cold water, no ear
to catch the last low word. All, John,
my eyes have never searched, as so many
eager eyes do, for your name among the
lists of the killed and wounded; and fail
ed seems a word to thank God for, when
| think of that"
She was crying now-the broken mer.
| chants wife-crying for Joy.
Mary" said John, b" / never thought of
all this, never once thanked God tor it,
through this day, that mas been the dark
| est and the brightest of my lite; for out of
| the thick cloud has its blessed light
| shined"
AID after while their talk went on all
the practical matters and uses which so
| nearly concerned them-the retrenching
their expenses, the selling the furniture at
4 once, and settling themselves in the cot
tage, as Mary called it, always speaking
the word with a tone which gave it a
sweet flavor of home.
4" can get clerkship, and we can con-
trive to live on a small salary till the war
is over, which God grant NAV not be long,
and afterwards | shall, doubtless, see my
way clear into business again. But, Mary,
don't you know how folks will pity you
behind your back, and say you've come
down dreadfully in the world, and say
that it IS shame you ever threw your
self away upon such poor dog as | am p
They won't know what they are say
ing then, and | certainly shan't care Tor
it,"
Her smile was clear and bright now, as
sunshine that has struggled with the
cloud, and come out OF it triumphant.
Well, Mary, a strong heart makes a
| stout arm and [ shall toll with both for
you and the children, as man does tor
those who are deerer than life to him"
Dear John - her band fluttered down
on his shoulder in a pretty caressing way,
though her tones needed nothing more.
81 came home, Mary, a miserable, dis
couraged, broken-spirted man; and now
L feel as brave, as strong, as cheerful too,
as ever did, in my l'te-aye, richer; for
it needed this day and this trial to show
me what the woman | have married was
worth, and all she could be to me- On,
Mary, if there were only more wives in
the world like you"
Dear reader, have you ever stood, like
this woman, face to face with adversely ?
And have you, too, learned in What spirit
/ to take it3