Middletown transcript., 1868-11-14

that you thank her. if nothing more.
She don't expect it; it will make her eyes
open wider than they have for twenty
years; but it will do her good for all that,
and you too"
1t seemed to Andrew as If this sentence
was written just for him and just for the
occasion. 1t was complete answer to his
question, g Praise her for what ?" And
he felt it alo as rebuke. He read no
further, for thought came too busy and in
a new direction. Memory was convincing
him of injustice to his wife. She had al
ways made his house as comfortable for
him as her hands could make it, and had
he ever offered the light return of praise or
comendation Had he eyer told her of the
satisfaction he had known, or the comfort
he had experienced He was not able to
recall the time or occasion, AS he thought
thus Mrs, Lee came in from the kitchen,
taking her work-basket from the closet,
placed it on the table, and sitting down
without speaking, began to sew Mr.. Lee
glanced almost stealthily at the work in
her hands and saw the bosom of a shirt,
which she was stitching neatly He knew
that it was for him that she was at work.
Praise your wife," The wnrds were
before the eye of his mind, and he could
not look away from them. But he was
not ready for this yet, He still felt moody
and unforgiving. The expression Of his
wife's face he interpreted to mean lima
ture, for which he had no patience. His
eye fell upon the newspaper which lay
spread out before him, and he read the
sentence:
GA kind, cheerful word, spoken in o
gloomy hause, is the light rift in the cloud
that lets the sunshine through"
Lee struggled with himself awhile lon.
ger. His own ill-nature had to be con.
quered first; his moody, accusing spirit
had to be sabdned. He thought Of many
things to say, yet he feared to say then
lest his wife should meet his address witt
a cold rebuff At last, leaning toward
her and taking hold of the shirt-bosom
upon which she was at work, he said in {
voice carefully modnlated with kindness
You are doing the work beautifully
Mary"
/ Mrs. Lee made no reply but her hus
band did not fail to notice that she lost al
most instantly that rigid erectness will
which she had been sitting, and that the
motion of her needle had ceased. ft
i "My shirts are better made and whitel
than those of any other man in the shop,
said Lee, encouraged TO 60 on.
"Are theyw Ri1. i
Mrs. Lees voice was slow, and had II
it slight huskiness. She did not turn
her face, but her husband saw she leane,
a little toward him. He had broken tn,
ice Of reserve and all was easy now. Hi
hands were among the clouds and feebl
, ray was already struggling through th,
i rift It had made. Il .G -a'e
" Yes, Mary" he answered softly
land I've heard it more than once, wha
good wife Andrew Lee must have."
Mrs. Lee turned her face toward he
S husband. There was light in 1t and ligh
| in her eye. But there was something i
' the expression of the countenance that
I little puzzled him. ia aa
- Do you think so 2" she asked, quit
soberly. a H
(" What a guestion?" calculated An
e drew Lee, starting up and going round t
the side of the table where his wife wa
. sitting. "What question, Mary p
4 repeated, as he stood before her. F.i
II 81 Do you y It was all she said.
r Eyes darling" was the warmly spoke
4 answer, and he stopped down and kisse
r her. "sHow strange that you ask m
: such question:" m sss
= If you would only tell me so no
and then. Andrew, it would do me good.
IS Mrs. Lee arose. and leaning her, fac
n against the manly breast of her husband
j. stood and wept. i e9a aa
What strong light broke in upon tl
It mind of Andrew Lee. He had nevs
Is given his wife even the small reward
praise for the loving interest she ha
e manifested daily, until doubt of his 10,
! had entered her soul and made the ligl
all around her thick darkness. No woi
i. der that her f.ce grew cloudy, and VIII,
Of he considered ;nuudIness aud iil-tcmpe
Is took possession of her spirit.
ID y" You are good and true, Mary, N
4 own dear wife am prond of yonE1 10,
10 you, and my first desire is for your ,hal
q piness d, if l could always see 70,
A face ~ sunshine, my home would be Il
II dearest place on earth"
er ~ How precious to me are your wor
!. Of love and praise, Andrew, |" said Mr.
3, Lee, smiling up through her tears in
" his face. e With them in my ears u
m heart can never lie in shadoP" 2
al How easy had been the work for A
4 drew Lee. He had swept his hand acrc
Is the cloudy horizon, and noy the brig
y sunshine was streaming down and foo
y ing that home with joy and beauty;
IT.
2 The Lava thrown out BY Mount v,
on uvius during the present eruption has be