Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-06-14

speak hastily and unkindly. When he en-
tered the car he took his seat alone in far
corner, and pulled his hat down over his eyes.
He did not wish to converse. When he
reached his store he was moody and taciturn
very unlike the Andrew Thurston whose
wont it was to come in with smiles and cheer
full salutation.
A little thing it was, to be sure, but it gave
him great pain. A mote is tiny particle,
but it becomes thing of painful moment
when it is lodged in the eye; and the heart
that is made tender with devoted, living
love, is as sensitive to notes as is the eye
Hitherto the current of Andrews love had
flowed on unbroken aud untroubled, and this
incomeing of obstruction had produced tur-
bulence as destructive of peace aud happiness,
for the time, as though the very fountain of
love itself had been broken up. In short, he
was brought to the self-confeSsion that there
could be no more joy for him until this cloud
had passed away. And how sh0ald that be
done2 How should sunlight be let in again
upon his heart-stoue? He was proud, and he
did not like to make confession of fault
Would his wife make the first acknowledge
ment? He hoped SO; for thus the evil
might be put away.
As he sat alone in his counting,room, he
picked up paper, aod sought to overcome
his unhappy thoughts by reading. He could
not fix his mind upon the thread of long
article, so he read the short paragraphs; and
at length his eye caught the following:
"Where there has been a misunderstanding
between near and dear friends, resulting in
mutual unbappiness and regret, the one who
loves mos, and whose sense of right and duty
is strongest, will make the first advance toward
reconciliation"
Andrew Thurston dropped the paper, and
arose to his feet. 1t was as though voice
from heaven had spoken to him.
81 do love the most" he soliloquized.-
"But am the strongest, and should show my
love by my works."
He looked at his watch 1t was almost
noon. 1t was not the custom to return home
till evening, but he could not remain and
bear the burden through the other hour of the
day. And he marvelled, as he put on his hat,
aud drew on his gloves, now even the resolve
to do this simple thing had let the sunlight
into his soul.
X
Dolly Thurston, when she knew that her
husband had gone-had gone without a word
or kiss-had gone without giving her time
to recover her stricken senses-sank down
aud wept; and it was long time before she
could clearly think or reflect. She had been
left alone-aloDe with pain and sorrow-and
she was utterly miserable. She blamed her
self for not having called her husband to her
and she blamed him for not coming of his
own accord. To her it seemed as though the
death ofjoy had come. She had never known
such misery before. By and by, when she
could think, she wondered if her husband
would smile upon her if she should offer him
the first kiss, and speak the first word of love.
She would try it. II would be terrible if he
should repulse her; but she could not live 50.
The hours passed, and the young wife sat
like one disconsolate. She thought not of
dinner-she had no appetite. She only
thought, could the warm sunshine ever return
againI Did her husband love her less than
she had thought?
Thus she sat, with pale cheeks and swollen
eyes, when she heard the outer door open, and
a step in the hall. She started up to listen,
thinking that her senses might have deceived
her, when the door of the sitting room was
opened, and her husband entered. His eyes
filled with tears when he saw how pale and
grief-stricken his wife looked, and with open
arms he moved toward her
"Dollie My Darling! Don't let us be un-
happy any moreP'
He had been thinking, on his way home,
what he should say when he met her aud he
had framed in his mind speech of confession
which he should make but he forgot all
when he saw her; and his heart spoke as it
would. Thewords burst from his lips, loving
ly, prayerfully, beseechingly,-
"Dolly!-My Darling! DON'T let US be uu-
happy any more!"
She came to him aud twined her arms about
his neck; and for the kiss that was missed in
the morning they took many now; and they
wept not apart, but wept together.
That was all. The cloud has passed and
they experienced the exquisite thrill which
all true hearts eau feel when a wrong has been
made right, and when joy beams drive away
the dark shadows of sorrow aud regret. 1t
was Hfe-lessen to them both ; and they
promised themselves they would pay heed to
its teachings.-M 2. Ledger.
Naa,;-r, A. n4Ia, 0L..o