The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-01-19
A STORY FOR MARRIED FOLKS


Andrew Lee cane home from bis shop
where he had worked al day, tired and ont OF
spirits came home to his wife, who was also
tired and out OF spirits
"A smiling wife aud a cheerful home
paradise it would be, said Andrew to hiln-
selii rs he turned bis eyes from the clonded
faee~to Mrs. Lee and sat down with knitted
byoYs and moody aspect.
aot 9 word was spoken by either; Mrs
Lee was getting supper and she moved about
with weary step.
Come, she said at last, with q side glance
at her husband.
Andrew arose and went to the table. He
was tempted To- speak on angry word, but
controlled himself and kept silent. lie could
find no fault with the chop, nor the home
made bread, nor the fragrant tea. They
E54id have eheerej his inward llaa If the.e
had been q gieam Of sunshine on the face Of
his wife. He noticed she did not eat.
'sAfe you not well, Mary ~
These words were on his lips but he did
not utter them, for the faca OF bis wife look.
ed so repeliant that he feared an irritating
reply.
And SO IN moody silence, the twain sat
together until Andrew had finished his sup
per
As'e pushed his chair back his wife arosa
and maleneed clearing oil the tatle.
This Migratory Z! said Lee to himself,
as lie commenced walking the floor of their
Il 10 breakfast room, with Ills hsnds thrust
ito his tr9wser's pockets, and bis chin ST.
Iao touching his breast.
After removing and taking things into the
kitchen, Mrs. Lee spread green cover over
the table, ana placing fresh trimmed lamp
thereon. went out aud shut the door afrer her
hsSalso,s.i
ant feelings He took a long, deep breath as
she did SO. paused in his walk, stood still for
some moments, and then drawing paper
from his pocket, sat down by the table,
opened the sheet and commenced reading
singalaely enough, the words upon which
Lis eyes rested we're, 9 Praise your wife,
they rather tended to Increase the disturb
aaee Of mind, from which he was suffering.
g shoali ike to find some occasion for
praisng NINE How quickly his thoughts
expressed that ill>natured sentiment Bat
kis eyes were on the paper before him, and
he read on
give her q little encouragement. 1t won.
hart her. y
Andrew Lee raised his eyes from the paper
and muttered: On, yes, that's nil very
well-prtise is cheap enough. But praise
her for what His eyes fell again to the
paaes.
'sShe has made youre home comfortable,
= yonr hearth bright ard shining, your food
agreeable: for PHYS sake tell her you thank
hsr Il. nothing more. She don't egpeot it,
II will nske her eyes wider than they have
been FIR ten years; bnt il will do her good for
ali that, and you to5
II seemed 10 Andrew as I this sentence was
written expressly for him. and just Tor the
occasion. Il vas complete answer to the
question, ..pfi se her for ghat?' and he felt
il also as a rsbnke He read no further. for
II ughss cane 100 busy, and in new difec
ton. Memory was convincing him of MUS
lice TO his site She had always nGds his
home as comfortable for him as she 9could
make il, and had he offered the light return Of
praise or commentator? Had he ever told
her. Of the Satisfaction he had known CT the
comfort he had experienced He was not
able to recall the time or occasion. As be
ito ght thus Mrs. Ii came in from the hitch
en-. and taking her work basket from the
Ct 5set, placed it on the table, and sitting down
Hillyogt speas,ng. began to sew. Dir. Lee
glanced almost steathtiy al tile work in her
bands and saw that il was the bosom OF
shirt which she. vas stitching neatly. He
knsE hat il aas for him she was at work
Praise your wife. These words were
LOOK away from them. But he was not ready
for this yet. He still felt moody aud unfoI-
giving. The expression Of his wife's face be
iaterpTeted 10 mean ll-nature, for which be
had no patience. His eyes fell upon the
newspaper that was lying spread out before
him, aud he read the sentence, A kind,
cheerful word, spoken IN gloomy hoEse, il
the little rift III The cloud that lets the sun
shiae through.
Lee struggled with himself while longer.
His ownili-natnre had to be conquered first,
hia moody, accusing spitit had to be sqbdued.
lie thought OF many things to say, and yet he
feared TO say them, lesl has wife should meet
hrs address with rebuff At last, leaning
toward her, and taking hold upon the shirt
bosom al which she was carefully al work he
said IN voice that wgs carefully moduiated
with kindness;
"1'ou are doing the work beautifully.
Mary"
Mrs Lee did not reply. But her husband
did not fail 70 notice thai she lest, almost in.
s,auily, the rigid erectness with which she
had been stisiug, nor that the motion of her
needle had ceased.
:. My shirts are better made and whittier
than ttese oil any other man in the shop"
said ee encouraged 10 80 on.
aAre theyg" Mrs Lees voice was low, and
had ia it slight hnskiness. She did no.
turn her face, bat her husband saw that she
leaned little towards him. lie had broken
the ice of reserve, and all was now easy.
His hand was among the clouds, aud a feeble
ray was already struggling through the rift il
had made.
.Yes, Mary" he answered softly, sand
I've heard it more than once what good
vile Andrew Lee mnst have
'iDo your was all she said.
'sIes darling was his warm spoken an
swer; aud he stopped down end kissed her.
'.How strange you should ask me such ques-
toni.
If You would only tell me so, now and
then, Andrew, it would do me good" Mrs.
Lee arose, and leaning her face againstthe
manly breast of her husband, stood and wept
What strong ligh. broke in on the mind
Of Andrew Lee! He had never given bi;
wife even the small reward OF praise for the
loving interest she had manifested daily, IN.
Ill doubt Of bis love had entered her soul and
MADE the light around her thick darkness.
No wonder that her face grew elouded, or
that what he considered moodiness and ill.,
nature took possession OF her spirit
'sYoa are good and true, Mary, my owr
dear wife. ] am proud Of yoa, and my fire.
desire is far your happiness Oh, If i could
always see sour face in sunshine, my homs
wtad be the dearest PLACE on earth
How precious 10 me are your words oil
love and praise, andrew said Mira. Lee.
smiling up through her ,ears into his face.
With them 10 my ears, m, heart ian neyel
lie in shadow
How easy had been the work for Andre I
Ieei He had swept bis hand across the clond,
HORIZON, and uos the bright sunshine wal
cleaning down and flooding that home with