Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-06-10
A RIFT IN THE CLOUDS.


was also tired and out OF spirits
"a smiling wife and cheerful home
what paradise it would be-, said Andrew TO
himself as he turned his eyes from the cloud
ell face Of Mrs. Lee, and sat down with knit
ting brows and moody aspect.
Not a word was spoken by either. Mrs.
Lee was getting supper, and She moved about
with a weary step.
Come" She said at last, with a side glance
at her husband.
Andrew rose and went to the table. lie
was tempted to speak an angry word, but
controlled himself, aud kept silent. He could
find no fault with the chop nor the homemade
bread. nor the fragrant tea They would
have chcered his inward man. if there had
been CLEAN Of sunshine on the face OF his
wife. He noticed she did not eat.
Are YOU not well, MoryP The words
were on his lips, but he did not utter them.
for the face Of his wife looked so repcllant
that he feared an irritating reply
And So in moody silence, the twain sat
together until Andrew had finished his sup
per.
As he pushed back his chair, his wife arose
and commenced clearing of the table,
This is purgatory7 said Lee to himself
as he commenced walking the floor Of bis lit
tie breakfast room, with his hands thrust
down into his trowsers pockets and ns chm
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 fresh trimmed
lamp thereon, went out and shut the door az
ter her, leaving her husband alone in his UNI
q. l.. L l.. L.,. .
as she did so, pausing in his walk, stood still
for some moments, and then drawing paper
form his pocket, sat down by the table, open
ed the sheet aud commenced reading Sing
ularly enough, the words upon which his eyes
rested were A" Praise your wife" They rath-
err tended to increase the disturbance Of mind
from which he was suffering.
should like to find some occasion for
praising mine" How quickly his thoughts
expressed that ill-natured sentiment But
his eyes were on the page before him, and he
read on.
Praise your wife, man; for PHYS sake
give her little encouragement. 1t won't
hurt her.
Andrew Lee raised his eyes from the pa
per and muttered, Oh, yes that's all very
we'll, praise is cheap enough. But praise her
for what? For being sullen and making her
home the most disagreoable place in the
word2" His eyes fell again to the paper.
She has made your home comfortable,
your hearth bright and shining, your food
agreeable; for PHYS sake tell her 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 Just as if this sentence
was written just for him and just for the oc-
casion. 1t was a complete answer TO his ques-
ton Praise her for what? ~ And he felt il
also as retuke He read no farther, for
thought came too busy and in new Direction.
Memory was convincing him Of injustice to his
wife. She had already made his house as COM
Portable for him as her hands could make it,
and had he offered the light return of praise
or commentator Had he told Of the salts
faction 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 and, taking her
wovk-haslet from the closet, placed it on the
table, and sitting down without speaking, be-
gan 10 sew. Mr.. Lee glanced almost stealth
lily at the work in her hands, and saw the
bosom of shirt which she was stitching neat
". lie knew that 1t was Tor MN 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 vet. He still felt moody and unior-
giving. The expression of his wife's face he
interpreted TO mean Immature lor wnich ne
had no patience Ills eyes ieil upon tne news,
paper when lay spread out before hiIn' anu
ne read .le sentence
a Hnd' cheerful WORD spoken IN u glopny
mousse Is the NIUE riit IN 'ne oiouu 'n"' 'o''
the sunshine through; go,
Lee struggled WIN himseli a"n'le longer
ms own Immature hhu 10 DC cong uereu nrs'
hIs moody accusing spirit mao 10 DC supuueu
ne 'housh' oil many Vnihss 20 say Wv
feared 70 say mem lest ms WIG snouiu ,l'ee
nus auuress WIN eoiu repuh; ~ ias' iean
ing toward her and taking hold oil the shir
BOSOM upon welrh sue was AZ MoLN, ne SAY
IN voice carefully mouula,e1 WIN Ninune =,
lou are uohs 'no "orN pe"u'''u'y' VA
ry.,,
Mrs. Lee made no reply put her nusoa u
oiu no' iail 10 no,'ce 'ha' she ios' a,lnos' II
stantly unat fislu erectness WIN wn'ci 81
had peen stling' ana 'ha' 'he motion OF ne
needle hau ceased ~.
NY snli.s are better hlnue anu wnll'
tnen those OIL any o,ner uian III tne SHOP
said lee, encouraged 10 60 on
Are they
mrs. Lees voice was low, ana n@u IN II
shgg' husAiness' ono u'u no' 'urh ner iac
Du' ner husp1nu saw sue icaneu il'''e
"afu Nun he hau broken tn I lce oi reser'
ana all was easy now his hahus WEI
among the clouds ana feeble ray was sireac
struggling through the nit II had made
res mary ne answered soityi al
lVe heaId II more 'hah once what goe
Wne ANDREW Lee must nave
'rs' re nee 'urneu neI lace 'ows'o her h I
pahu' mere was ngn' IN ~ anu ilgu' IN n
eye pu' 'nere was sonie ., i 81 ,ne eApr'
SION oil tnt cOuntendnte in1t "A ltilt lQkHl