The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-10-11
"a RIFT IN THE CLOUDS"

Andrew Lee came home at evening
from the shop where he had worked all
day, tired and out Of spirits came home
to his wife, who was also tired and out of
spirits.
GA smiling wife and cheerful home
what q paradise it would be ~ said
Andrew to himself, as he turned his eyes
from the clouded face of Mrs. Lee, and sat
down with knitted brows and moody as
pect.
Not a word was spoken by either. Mrs.
Lee Was getting supper, and she moved
about With a weary step.
"Come," she said at last, with side
glance at her husband.
There was invitation in the word only,
none IN the voice Of Mrs. Lee.
Andrew arose and went to the table
He was tempted to speak an angry word
but controlled himself and kept silent
He could find no fault with the chop, nor
the sweet homemade bread, nor the fra
grant tea. They would have cheercd his
inward man, if there had ouly been a
CLEAN of sunsbine on the face of his wife.
He noticed that che did not eat
care you not well, Mary 2" The words
were on his lips, but he did not utter them,
for the face of his wife looked so repel-
liant, that he feared an irritating reply.
And so in moody silence, the twain sat
together until Andrew had finished his
supper
As he pushed his chair back, his wife
arose and commenced clearing off the
table.
"This is purgatory w said Lee to him
self, as he commenced walking the floor
Of theit little breakfast room, with his
hands thrust desperately away down into
his trowsers pockets, and his chin almost
touching his breast
After removing all the dishes, and tax
ing them into the kitchen, Mrs. Lee
spread green cover on the table, and
placing q fresh trimmed lamp thereon,
went out and shut the door after her,
leaving her husband alone with his un-
pleasant feelings. He took long, deep
breath, as she did so, paused in his walk,
stood still for some moments, and then
drawing paper from his pocket, sat down
by she table, opened the sheet, and COM
menced reading. Singularly enough, the
words upon which his eye rested were,
"P.aise your wife" They rather tended
to increase the disturbance of mind from
which he was suffering.
ri should like to find some occasion for
praising mine" How quickly his tho'ts
expressed that il.-natured sentiment. But
his eyes we're on the page before him, and
he read on.
"Praise your wife, man for PHYS sake
give her little encouragement. 1t won't
hurt her"
Andrew Lee raised his eyes from the
paper, and muttered, "Oh, yes; that's all
very well. Praise is cheap enough. But
praise her for what? For being sullen,
and making your home the most disa-
greeable place in the world z" His eyes
fell again to the paper.
''She has made your home comfortable,
your hearth bright and shining, your food
agreeable; for PHYS sake tell her you
thank her, if nothing more. She don't
expect it /; it will make her eyes open
wider than they have for ten years but
1t will do her good for all that, and you,
too"
1t seemed to Andrew as if this sentence
were written just for him, and just for.
the occasion. 1t was the complete answer
to his question, "Praise her for what z"
and ne felt it also as rebuke. He read
no further, for thought came too busy,
and IN new direction. Memory was
convicting him of injustice towards his
wife. She had alwavs made his home as