The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-08-18
Thursday Morning, Aug. Is, 1864.
The Right End of the Skein.

Mrs. Morris had passed a delightful Sab
bath. Ii had closed a week, every day of
which had been devoted to special religious
offices by the church to which she belonged
aud eacn day, by its prayers, its sermons aud
hymns, had lifted her as by successive wave
on wave, to higher and still serener height
Of religious enjoyment. Seated now In the
calm twilight OF the Sabbath, she reviewed
the week as from some serene height the
traveller looks over an evening landscape
Never had she seemed to herself TO have risen
TO calmer regions OF the spiritual life The
world OF common interests and petty cares
ali that had ever distracted or weared her
seemed to lie far below her feet as a family
remembered dream. There seemed no long
er TO be any trouble she could not endure, any
cross she could not easily carry. The year
had been marked with disappointment and
bereavement; bit now the yearning of be-
reayement was still celestial light seemed
TO gid even that distant grave over which she
had shed so many tears. "Yes," she said to
herself, 10 sort OF inward rapture, "at last
the mystery OF sorrow begins to explain it.
self, and Gods will and my will have become
one. This great peace Is worth all /. costs"
In the midst of all this peace she was con-
scious OF sort OF shuddering aversion at the
thought OF Monday. Mother OF large fami-
ly, pressed with thousand daily and hourly
serene, spiritual regions Of tranquil thought
to the coarse commonplace of life. Then, 100,
she was woman Of sensitive nerves, quick to
feel the jar and shock OF aught that was Jar
ring. All, she sighed, IL 1t were only nv duty
to listen and TO adore, IL the worship and SER
vices OF holy week like this might be per-
petual, If could be In some serene, calm re-
treat, where selected souls worship perpetual
ly, surely, might almost live without sin for
ever.
But Monday rose-brieht, positive, sharp.
worldly Monday-most Martha-like of all
days 10 the week; and when 1t came burned
toast aud washy coffee for breakfast, to the
manifest discomfort OF the masculine head of
the family; and when inquiry was made into
the causes, came back the message, "Cook
says she Is not going TO get the breakfast
washing days any more. Them as wants tt
must get ii themselves"
Tue second girl ia the staff, from whose un-
practiced hands originated the defective ar
ticles, was sure 1t wasn't her place to get 1t,
and in general the week was ushered in, in as
uncomfortable manner as possible; and Mrs
Morris being thoroughly discomposed, lost
patience. and spoke several sharp words all
around the celestial peace was broken The
domestic trouble was after while smoothed
over, and arranged, but she was vexed with
herself, and somewhat vexed that she should
be met in the very outset OF the week by such
a modification.
In the course of the forenoon came in Miss
Martha Bright Body, the general factotum of
all the benevolent arrangements and sewing
societies of the church, to hold consultation
with Mrs. Morris-and as Is very apt to be
the case with these excellent people who
gather handful of seed out of ever 5body's
vineyard, she dropped some grains of strife
here and there among her good seed
HDa yQu kuaW Mrs Morria vsba said Me-
Brown said she thought you hadn't shown
good judgement in buying those calicoes
She said you paid too much a yard by three
cents. stood up for you. For my part,
think Mrs. Brown always wants to have the
lead in everything herself; and then Mrs.
Simpkins said you didn't do your part in hay-
ing the society meet at your house; and put
'en In mind how you had been afflicted, and
all that. | always stand up well to em can
tell you;" and then came another half hour
OF talk, and the good soul went away, leaving
the sting Of two nettle strokes to infiame in
her listeners heart.
"Why should mind ?' she said to her
self dozen times that day; but she did mind
1t. 1t came between her and her peace and
often hung on her with a vague sense of some
thing disagreeable, even when she put ii out
OF her mind.
1t would seem as il the week so inauspi-
ciously begun, was iated 10 poor Mrs. Morris.
Her cook was in one OF those surly periods TO
which the minds Of most human beings are
often subject, aud nobody can say why cooks
should'n be allowed their ill-humors some-
times, as well as their bstters; at all events.
Mrs. Morris's head woman had such phases.
which were only borne in peace because OF
her general honesty and ability. The second
girl, a new hand, was well-meaning, bat blum
dersng, aud succeeded on Tuesday in breaking
an elegant cut glass dish, which had come
down as an heirloom to Mrs. Morris from her
mothers family. Had it been the loss of a
child Mrs. Morris would have borne the stroke
like an angel, but as 1t was Only her best glass
dish, she thought she did well 10 be angry
and was angry accordingly. In short so man y
mischances happened in this luckless week
that when Sunday came again she seemed 10
herself like some shipwrecked fmariner, who
crawls, shivering, on to q rock TO dry his wet
garments and look about him. What differ
enee between this Sunday and last.
"How am Lever to make progres In reli.
gion ~ she said TO her old aunt Martha, who
came to see her II really think if / had
nothing to do but attend on the means O
grace, II we could have constant Sabbaths
and prayers, and hymns, l might endure; bu
one weeks care seems TO wash out what Sun
day does"
"Daughter" said aunt Martha, "you haven I
got hold OF the right end of the skein. II
won't unwind as you are doing It."
do tell me, then, what is the right end ~
The right way is TO call your crosses and
your cares your means OF grace. They art
better than prayers, and psalms, and hymns
when you take them In that way. You
means OF grace this week, have been your ser,
wants ili-tempeTs; the breaking of your glass
dish; your childrens heeilessness: the little
unjust, provoking things people have said o
you. Caii these your means of grace, accept
value, use them as such, and you will grow
faster In religion than II you went TO churnl
every day of the week."
Mrs. Morris was silent A whole new vol,
OF thought was awakened within her.
"Now," said Aunt Martha, shave Won tol.
your Father In heaven all these things that Won
have been telling me?"
"These things! o, no! 1t has been my oh
ject to keep such trifes out of my mind in m
prayers"
"Better let them In, and show them t
Him."
"These little foolish things?'
"It seems they are great enough to hinde
your peace 10 stand in the way ofyour Chri
tian life il they can do that they are not ltt
things. Call them your lessons; take them II
to your prayers speak freely to your Fathe
OF them look at them as the daily talks b
sets you; believe every one of them has a
appointed meaning, and no church or sermo
can do so much for you. My child, had M
been alive this day, If had not learned to q
this"
Mrs. Morris knew that her aunt had bee
through the long trial which only the wife