Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-03-15
A Rift in the Cloud.


Andrew Lee came home in the
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 spir-
its. - o.' oA -
"a smiling wife and a cheerful
hon,e-what paradise it would
be!p said Andrew to himself, as
he turned his eyes from the cloud
ed face of Mrs. Lee, and sat down
with knitted brows and moody
aspect. ''..
Not q word was spoken by Ell
ther. Mrs. Lee was getting sup
per, and she moved about with a
weary step. "a - '1'
'sCome,o she said at last with a
side glance at her husband.
There was invitation in the word
only; none in the voice of Mrs.
Lee. is % +'l
Andrew arose and went to the
table. He was tempted to speak
an angry word, but controlled him
self. and kept silent. He could
find no fault with the chop, nor
the sweet, homemade bread, nor
the fragrant tea. They would
have cheered his inner man, if
there had only been gleam Of
sunshine on the face of his wife.
He noticed that she did not eat.
care you not we'll, Mary Z"
The words were on his lips, but
he did not utter them, for the face
of his wife looked so repellant,
that he feared an irritating reply.
And so in moody silence, the twain
sat together until Andrew had fin
ished his supper. AS he pushed
his chair back, his wife arose and
commenced clearing off the table.
'.Thisis purgatory!" said Lee to
himself, as he commenced walking
the floor of their little breakfast
room with his hand thrust despe-
rately down into his trowsers pock-
ct. and his chin almost touching
his breast. @ trge9 ss 3
After removing all the dishes,
and taking them into the kitchen,
Mrs. Lee spread a green cover on
the table, and placing a 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 pa
per from his pocket, sat down by
the table, opened the sheet, and
commenced reading. Singular
enough the words upon which his
eyes rested were, Praise your
wife" They rather tended to in
crease the disturbance of mind
from which he was suffering.
81 should like to find some oc-
casion for praising mine" How
quickly his thoughts expressed
that ill-natured sentiment. But
hisey were on the page before
him, and he read on: ,
"Praise your wife, man; for
PHYS sake give her a little en-
co6ragement; it won't hurt her."
Andrew Lee raised his eyes
from the paper, and muttered,y'sO,
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-
greeabIe place in the world?" His
eyes tell again 10 the paper. e
"She has made your home com.
Portable, your heart bright and
shining, your food agreeable: for
PHYS sake tell her you thank her,
if nothing more. She don't ex-
pect it; it will make hereyes open
wider than they have for ten years; ;
but it will do her good for all that,
and you too" - ..,,..
1t seemed to Andrew as if this
sentence were written just for the
occasion. 1t was the complete an
swer to his question, .Praise her
for what" and he felt it also re-
buke. He read on further, for
thoughts came too busy, and in a
new direction. Memory was con-
victing him Of injustice towards
his wife. She had always made
his home comfortable for him as
hands could make it, and had ne
offered the right return Of praise
and commendation? Had he ever
told her Of the satisfaction he had