The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-08-17
SATURDAY. MORNING, UGUsT II, 1857.

PA \ ~ 4 ~ ,AISGAA a M'0'lClN i
Lee came in from the kitchen, and taking her
work basket from tic closet, placed it on the
toblc, and Sitting down without speaking, be-
gan to sew. Hp Mr.. Ice glanccdnlmost stcaltbiiy
ut the work in her hands, and saw that it was
the bosom of n shirt, which she was stitching
neatly. He knew that it was for him that she
was at work.
praise your WIFE" The words were be-
fore the eyes of his mind and he could not
look away from them. But he was not ready
for this yet He still felt moody and unfor-
giving, The expression Of his wife's face he
interpreted to mean ill-nature, for which he
had no patience His eyes fell upon tie
newspaper that lay spread out before him, and
he read the sentence: iHi5pi~g gAi
IA kind, gentle word, spoken in a gloomy
house, is the little rift i'll the cloud that lets
tho sunshine through
Lee struggled with himself while longer
His own illnature had to be conquered first :;
his moody, accusing spirit had to be subducd
lie thought of ilany things to say, yet he
feared to say them lest his wife should meet
his address with n cold rebuff. at last, lean
ing toward her, and taking hold of the shirt
bosom upon which she was at work, he said in
voice carefully moduatcd with kindness;
''You are doing Che work beautifully, Mary
Mrs. Lee made no reply. But her husband
did not fail to notice that she lost almost i'll
stanty that rigid crcclncss with which she
had been sitting, nor that the motion Of her
needle ceased.
"Nly shirts are better made, and whitcr than
those of any man in'thc shop" said lee en-
couragcd to 20 on. .
Are tlcy?' Mrs Lees voice was low, and
had in it slight huskincss. She did turn
her face, but her husband saw that She leaned
a little towards him, lie had broken the ice
Of reserve, and all was easy now His hand
was among the clouds and feeble ray was al
ready struggling through the rift it had made.
"Ycs, Mary he answered softly "and I've
heard it more than once what u good wife An
drew Leo must have" Mrs. Lee turned her
face towards her husband. There was light in
it. and light in her eye Blu. thoro ,vas sn,.,s
thing in the expression of tho countcnance
that a little puzzled him.
"Dont you think SOP she asked. quite So
berly.
What question :" calculated Andrew
Ice, starting up, and going round to the side
Of the table where his wife was sitting.
"What question, Mary :" he repeated as he
stood before her.
ADO you Z" 1t was al She said
Yes, darling" was his w.,rlnly spoken an
swcr, and he stopped down and kissed her.
GLOW strange that you should ask me such a
Question: -
eff you would only tell me so now and then,
Andrew, it would do me good" Mrs. Lee
arose, and leaning her face against the manly
breast Of her husband, stood and wcpt
What a strong light broke in upon the mind
Of Andrew Lee, He had never given his wife
even the small reward Of praise for the loving
interest She had manifested daily, until doubt
of his love had entered her soul, and made the
light around her thick darkness No wonder
that tcr face grew cioudcd, nor what lie con
silcrod nipodiness and ill-natnro took posses
sion Of her spirit
You are good and true, Mary, my own dear
wife; am proud Of you--T love you, ANA my
first desire is for your happiness. O, if coun
always see your face in sunshine, my home
would be the dearest place on earth"
"1low precious to me are your words of bvc
and ~. r.c, sc Andrew" said Mrs Lee, s.:;,i,ine
up through her tears into his face. 'With
them in my cars, my heart can never 10 in
shadow
How easy had been the work for Anlrw
Ice lie had swept his hand across the clouly
horizon, and now the bright sunshine was
streaming down. and flooding that home with
j?y and beauty.
OFFICIAL.