The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-07-18

Iu MS sODcT mOmeute, hc was "Oh a""'c
that he was to blame for much OF the do
mestic i'll, yet he could not bring to him
self to feel that there could be any use IN
trying to get sunshine in where his vile
was.
And so they lived on, both with good
enough in them to have made happy
peaceful home if they could only have
found that good and plucked out the foul
weeds OF bad education aud habit that
checked down the better fruit.
And so we came to the time Of which
VIC write, when the clouds were darkest,
aud when all that was left as home to
tho misguided pair was about fallen to
ruin, and destruction. We have heard
the conversation that took place on that
June morning after the children had gone
to school. John Nudgkins went ont into
the garden as he had been hidden, aud
Polly was left alone in the kitchen.
Goodness gracious!'
The towering Alps, with their frown-
ing battlement Of eternal snow, arose not
more sternly in the path of Hannibal
than arose the task which she had taken
upon herself before John Nudgkins.
Goodness graccsi How in the world
shall | set about it 2"
And she sat down and thought the
matter over.
81 amt to look cross, nor speak cross.
It'll come hard But I'll try it. Il be-
leve can stand it. | can stand it as
long as he can. lie promised not to touch
a drop NOT A DRoP I'm blessed if |
believe he can DO it. | should be asham-
ed to be the first to back down, and |
won't. Well see how hong John can
stick and hang"
Polly washed her dishes s. they were
poor, cracked, mismatched things
she washed them as she would have wash
ed better ones, and set them away; and
when this was done, she peeped through
the window into the garden, and there she
saw John busily at work pulling up weeds
and hoeing around the tender plants At
eleven o'clock he came in after drink Of
water.
BY gracious he muttered, as he
wiped the sweat from his brow. i" 1t kind
o'takes hold of me-"
Had Polly followed the old bent Of her
inclinations she would have taunted him
with being lazy and good for nothing
but she dared not to do that now yet she
felt obliged to say something, because she
knew that the spirit of her promise re.
quired that she should be pleasant.
"Come into rest, didn't you, John 7"
"No, just come in to get drink Of
water, that's all.
Wouldn't glass of spirits taste bet
ter ?'
"No, Polly-not now. You know I've
made the promise and / mean to keep ii
if God gives me strength"
The wife's next words were spoken
from the impulse Of her heart:
"Hold on, John, let me get pail Of
fresh water that's been standing"
Il can get it, Polly"
"No," still from the heart-"you arc
too tired. I'll get it for you"
And away she went and very shortly
John had drink of pure water, fresl
from the well and when he had drank il
be felt no thirst for anything stronger.
Was it the cold water which John had
drank that lightened his hoe when he re
sumed his labor? No, it was something
that had reached down into his soul fur
ther than that, KIND word. Aud for the
remaining hour of the forenoon he work
ed away, feeling that kindly spoken WORD
lightened his spirits as a glass of run
would never have done.
Aud how was it in the house
In half an hour Polly Nudgkins wa,
humming to herself tune-an old tun,
and it was something that she had no
done before for long time. Surely some
thing must have occurred to send a ray
of sunshine across her path, because sucf
| people do not sing in tho lowering o
gloom. Could it have been the effect o
her own kindly word to her husband
Noon came and dinner was ready =
John came in quite weary, and under til,
influence of the new spirit which Poll,
had called up she really sympathized will
him. The provisions for the meal wa
very meager, and if she had followed tn,
habit of years, she would have peinte,
out the fact, and taken occasion thereup
on to shower abuse upon his head bu
she could not do that now The hum
ming of the old tune had so softened he
voice that without much effort she kind
ly said.
"It's poor dinner John, but it's The
best we have"
And John, with all his good nature a
reused by the magic tone of kind works
replied
Never mind, Polly, well cat what W
have to day, and perhaps to morrow wei
have something better. liz don't drinl
any more rum | shall save in two ways
shall earn more, and shan't spend s.
much foolishly."
As Polly Nud.kins heard these work
she asked herself, if Sic had her hus
bands welfare in her own hands Aye
had not only that, but with his welfare
tho ,yalf,., .,f barasalf and his CHI, Iran