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

Lee came in from the kitchen, and taking her
work basket from the closet, placed it on the
table, and, sitting down without speaking, he
gan to sew Mr.. Ice glanced almost stcalthily
at 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. lie still felt moody and unfor-
giving. The expression of his wife's face he
had no patience. His eyes fell upon the
newspaper that lay spread out before him, and
he read the sentence:
IA kind. gentle word, spoken in a gloomy
house, is the little rift in the cloud that lets
the sunshine through"
Lee struggled with himself q while longer.
His own ill-naturc had to be conquered first !;
his moody, accusing spirit had to be subducd
lie thought of many things to say, yet he
feared to say them lest his wife should meet
his address with a cold rebuff At last, lean
Ing toward her, and taking hold Of the shirt
bosom upon which she was at work, he said in
a voice carefully n,odulatcd with kindness
'You arc doing The work beautifully, Mary"
Mrs. Lee made no reply. But her husband
did not fail to notice that she lost almost in
stan;ly that rigid crcc!ncSs With which she
had been sitting, nor that the motion Of her
ncc,lic ceased
"NIy shirts are better made, and whitcr than
those of amy man in the shop" said Lee, en-
courascd 10 20 on,
Are thcy?' Mrs. Lees voice was low and
had i'll it 4 slight huskincss. She did turn
her face brt her husband saw that she leaned
Il little towards him, He had broken the ice
OF reserve, and all WAS easy now Ills hand
WAS among the clouds and feeble ray was al
ready struggling through the rift it had made.
YES Mary he answered softly and I've
heard IT more than once what u good vile An
drew Ice must have" Mrs. lee turned her
FACE towards her husband. There was light in
it, and lightin her eye But .horo- -,yne soma
thing in the expression of the countcnancc
that little puzzled him.
"Don't you think SOP she asked. quite So
bery.
What a question" calculated Andrew
Lee, starting up, and going round to the side
Of the table where his wife was sitting.
"Wha' question, Mary he repeated as he
stood before her.
ado YOU It was all She s,
Yes, darling was his warmly spoken an
swor and he stopped down and kissed her.
GLOW strange that you Should ask Inc such a
question:
"lf You would only tell me 50 nov and then.
Andrew, it would do ne good" Mrs Lee
arose. and leaning her face against the manly
breast Of her husband, stood and wcpt
What strong light broke in upon the mind
Of Andrew Lee, lie 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 hcr thick darkness. 10 wonder
thas &c: face grew ciov,lrd, nor villa; he con.
si'crod n,podinoSs and il!-n.ime took posses
sion oi her spirit.
"louare good and true, Mary, '"y own dear
wife; am proud Of you--I love yo;,, ;n.: my
first desire is for your happiness. O, ifI coun
always see yonr face i'll sunshine my home
would be the dearest place on earth"
Glow precious to nc arc your words of bvc
ana n...sc .....c, Andrew said Mrs. Lee, s:.,ine,
up through her tears into his face "NVith
them in my ears, my heart can never 10 in
shadow"
How easy had been Che work for Anlrw
lee. lie had swept his hand across ll,c clouly
horizon. and now the bright sunshine wls
streaming down and ioolng tha! home with
j?y and beauty.