Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-08-09
A Rift in the Cloud.

also tired and out of spirits.
"a smiling wife and cheerful
home-what paradise it would be y
said Andrew to himself, as he turned
his ewes from the clouded face of Mrs.
Lee. and sat down with knitted brows
and moody aspect. Ear
Not word was spoken by either.
Mrs. Lee was getting supper, and she
moved about with weary step.
Come" 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.
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 fragrant
tea. They would have cheered his
inward man, if there had only been a
CLEAN of sunshine on the face of his
wife. He noticed that she did not
eat.
care you not we'll, Mary ?"
The words were on his lips, but he
did not utter them, for the face of his
wife looked so repellant that he fear
ed an irritating reply And So 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 purgatoryw said Lee to
himself, as he commenced walking the
floor of their little breakfast room,
with his hands thrust desperately
away down in his trowsers pockets,
and his chin almost touching his
breast.
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 unpleasant feelings. He took
long, deep breath, as he did so
paused in his walk, stood still for
some moments, and then drawing a
paper from his pocket, sat down by
the table, opened his sheet and com
menced reading. Singularly enough
the words upon which his eyes rested
we're:
Praise your wife.
This rather tended to increase the
disturbance of mind from which he
was suffering.
| should like to find one occasion
for praising mine"
How quickly his thought express
ed ill-natured sentiment. But hi'
eyes were on the page before him
and he read on.
Praise your wife, man; for pity
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 WE'LL
Praise is cheap enough. But prais
her for what? For being sullen, ant
making your home the most disagree
able place in the world ?"
His eyes fell again on the paper.
"She has made your home comfOr
table, your hearth bright and shining
your food agreeable, for PHYS SAX
tell her you thank her, if nothing
more. She don't expect it; it vii
make her eyes open wider than the
have for ten years; but it will do he
good for all that, and you too"
1t seemed to Andrew as if this ser
tence was written just tor him, an
just for the occasion. 1t was the con
plete answer to his questions. "Prais
her for what p and he felt it also a
arebuke. He read no further, fo
though; came too busy and in me-
direction. Memory was convictin
him of injustice toward his wife. Sh
had always made his home as con
Portable for him as hands could max
il, and had he offered the slight r
turn ofpraise or commendation ? Ha
he ever told her Of the satisfaction b
had known, or the comfort experien
cd? He was not able to recall tt
time or occasion. As he thought thu
Mrs. Lee came in from the kitche
and taking her work basket from
closet, placed it on the table, and 81
ting down without speaking, began
sew. Mr.. Lee glanced almost stead
ly at the work in her hands, and sa
that it was for him that she was
work.
praise your wife, " the words we
before the eyes of his mind, and
could not look away from them. B
he was not ready for this yet. T
still felt moody and unforgiving. t
expression of his wife's face he int
preted to mean Immature, and with
nature he bad no patience. His ey
fell upon the newspaper that l.
spread out before him, and he re-
the sentence:
"a kind cheerful word, spoken in
gloomy home, is the little rift in
cloud that lets the sunshine through
Lee struggled with himself VIII
longer His own Immature had to
conquered first, his moody ACCUSE
spirit had to be subdued. But he W
coming right, and at last got right
to will. Next came the question as
how he should begin. He thought
many things to say, yet feared to S
them, lest his wife should meet his
vances with a cold rebuff. At la
leaning toward her and taking he
Of the linen bosom upon which S