The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-11-03
For You.

"Times are getting worse and worse every
day."
What then, my dear sir? Will it do any
good to draw your face up into ten thousand
wrinkles, and vent the bitterness of your spirit
upon all with whom you come in contact on the
strength of the aforementioned fact?
Suppose you had 10 walk barefoot over road
thickly strewn with thorns and sharp, finty
stones? What would you do? Go aside out
of your way to tread on every stray thorn and
pebble instead of carefully avoiding every
needless hurt by picking your way wearily
through them? Which course will you choose
now?
Will you snap your wife up at the breakfast
table when she asks you for a little change :"
would you suggest to her the probability of you
all geing to ruin in q short time through the
prodigal outlays made for household needs and
then throw the money across the table at her
as you would throw bone to dog? You
know very we'll that her demand is perfectly
reasonable; and you know, too, that you would
be just as much offended, as you are now, if
she did not ask you for money for household
expenses, when it is needed; but you are not
willing to miss the opportunity of selhshly
venting your unpleasant feelings on this con-
venient domestic scape-goat.
And if she should wonderful to think off,
pluck up courage enough to ask you for money
to buy new dress-though it may be only gix
months since she last committed this mortal
sin-don't ask her ironically if she thinks a
thousand dollars will do her this time; or make
some cutting remark about her ruinous extrav-
agance and the slave-life that you lead; but if
you can afford it, give her the money cheerfully
and kiss into the bargain. But if you really
feel too poor to indulge yourself in the pleasure
s. 70 in mr. va
time in six months, give her the kiss anyhow
and explain the matter kindly to her, and the
kiss and the kind explanation will go nearly all
the way towards making her forget the disap-
pointment.
And, above all, don't bring your business
home at night with you. Don't sit in solitary
misanthropy, or snarl and poke the fire. Your
wife hasn't had chance to talk to you all day.
She has thousand little items to communicate (;
but while you sit there so cold and repellant,
she has no courage to begin.
Your children are eager for game of romp,
but they are "afraid of papa" when he looks as
he looks tonight; so they congregate in half
awed manner in the corner, until it is time to
90 to bed. No pleasant chat, no merry laugh
ter, no game at romps, no music-nothing but
gloom and constraint because "father has come
home in bad humor."
You ungrateful man You inhuman iceberg
to behave so in the bosom of your family To
turn away from the pleasures and privileges
still left you, because you can't have everything
Just as you want it! Think of the loving,
clinging hearts that your coldness shadows-of
the bright faces over which your frown has cast
reflected gloom. Arn't you ashamed OF your
self?
Again; your burdens may be so heavy that
you cannot smile. But, oh be kind Because
your own soul is dark, don't pierce another
heart with needless wound by your coldness
and sullenness. Because there are some thorns
in your way, don't plant other thorns in the
paths of another with your own hand. If you
cannot be cheerful, be kind.