Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-11-03

I
bad no thought o. reconstructiug his hab-
| its 70 suit a house with three young chill
dren N L. Susan had no intention of
keeping her children from noisy play, or
of sending them to bed early TO suit Lis
whims. 1. he had always spoken, and it
was done. then o little change would be
veil with him. he thought little disci-
pline in the way of suppression would be
good for theyoung oncs.
In half year there was open warefare
Mr.. Powers bad learned to dislike, almost
to hate, his step-children; they too dread
and dislike him; the mother. to oompare
her life with what il might have been had
she struggled on alone, or more dangerous
still, with what it would have been had
Henry lived. And one day, in the course
of some dispute. she said the bitter things
that she had thought From that day
they lived over smouldering yoicanc
Jealous sense of wrong on one side, self
assertion, in spite Of shame and humilia-
ton. on the other. Susan affected to be
fighting her cbildren's battles, when she
opposed what she considered tyranny
Her husband felt that all which he had
tried to do went for nothing, and
the children whose bread he earred
were taught TO despise him. Tais
1
though she was unjust. never said word
against her husband, save to him. or be-
fore his face; there was left this little
snark of truth and honor yet. There were
OF easional traces aud attempts at peace
until the little girl was born, then the
worst of this divided house appeared. The
father was constantly on the watch, aud
the thousand little naneless ways in which
own parentege shows itself awakened
Susan's iealousv for her fatherless little
ones. And once. when Mr.. Powers struck
Harry because the baby was hurt IN his
play, the mothers anger famed out
"What is she better than my boy? wish
that she had never been born" Aud new
er in her fathers sight would she bestow
caress upon the child. When he was
out of the way. she made rp for all
At fifteen months old the child fell :.
It vas bad summer for babies. aud
was teethinr: ii was only weeks sic
ness. and she died As they were putting
her into the little casket. her father tErned
to his wife, end said: This is as good -
what Won wished" Susan dared not ask il
the grave were to be made in her lot, but
she hoped. till the very moment when tho
carriage tnrned to the opposite path. and
the whole breadth of the cemetery lay be-
tween.
"I will never 90 there when he can
know" said Susan to herself. Aud IN this
frame Of mind, filed with anguish for her
loss, with remorse for what she hai allow
e1 herself to say ard feel while the child
,ivel. and with anger toward hey husband,
she went TO church on the Sunday ifter the
funeral. more fa-=the sake Of getting away
alone thap-for the hope that any word could
help her there She had never beer IN the
same place before.
IT was Friday morning, snd the Rev. Mr..
Sianfield sat in his study, attempting 10
write sermon If consolation. Two Of his
parishoners had died that week. one old.
he other in the prime OF lite. He must
sav something Of Heaven TO the monrSers-
He he'd the text wri ten ont: "Ye be-
Iirve IN God, believe slso IN me. In my
safher's honse are many mansions Bnt
tlat WAS as far "a he could ro: The words
Il at he wanted would not couFH. he walk
ed out to try and work himself into the
mood. when instead of it there fell upon
him s-ch p sense of the worth Of man as
man. such vision of his capacities such
wonders at his possibilities; there came
upon him such realization OF the soul.
apart from conditions. that he sels thai II
must be written. What waste OF time
with the work which must be done yet on
his hands, But he put at the top o. bis
paper, s'Ye are of more value than rnany
srerrovs" and s.For We are also his of
spring." Writing was Do labor then, and
before he thought of 1t. there was SER
mon Il must uick out an old one for
Sunday" he thought: but on Saturday
night he determined TO preach that. 'Ips
the word Of the Lord to me from this
house, and viii say Il.
Susan Powers heard that sermon; and il
vas the word of deliverance and peace to
her soul. She sat like one in dream till
the service ended; then rose and went ont
of the horse. iust FASTING one backward
glance at the mar who bad spoken to see
IL he we're not indeed an angel, taen, with
q Axed purpose in her heart, turned toward
her home. s.I will .ry and keep my sight"
she said: 81 viii not be blind again" For
she ,ras like ore who had just received his
sight. How eli her life 10 this. hour, she
herself had been the center around which
the universe revolved, Her rights, her
comforts, hal been the important matters
and people were good or bad, according TO
their treatment of herl And yet life. her
life, had seemed only poor and mean
No word of upbraiding, or of warning, or
of threatening could have touched her as
this thought of the value of man had done.
"But how can / let him know OF this new
light that has come to me? she asked her
SELF 'sIf were 20 begin talking kindly, be
Eon,d .hiuk there was some purpose in 1t,
and despise ne. II tell him that I have
been wrong. be viii not listen, or viii saw
some cutting thing. What shall I do ?"
She thought of the children. but since
the baby's death he had never spoken.
not even to scold them. lie went
in and out as if they were not in
the world. At the table their mother
gave them food which his money had
purchased, knowing that he hated them,
and feeling as il each morsel they ate was
choking her. Then the thought came of
the little grave, and how he would go
there alone at sunset; would she dare Of
fer to go with him? No. her coursge was
not equal to that. But there was some
thing she could do. She found that her
husband was busy writing in his own
roo1I, nd quickly Gathering her best
loyelies- autumn flowers, she went to the
cemetery; tenderly. with tears that fell not
merely for her loss, she laid her Offering
on the new grave. That little mound was
an altar, and this was An Offering of love
and peace, and of hope, too.
That night, when Mr.. Powers came
home, his wife scarcely dare raise her eyes
to his face; though she lopged to know if
her repentance was accepted He said
nothing, but she fancied that his move-
ments were gentler than usual. and he ac
tually picked mp one of the children's toys
and put it away; he was not used to touch
any thing of theirs. All through the week
Susan watched - ID kind things without
being obtrusive: anl when Sunday night
came, as he Sas iraying the house, her
bonnet and si,avl rers all ready: she said,
trembling. Il shegid like TO 90 with you,
Philip" and, as h did not forbid, she
walked on by bis side. Neither spoke,
but after little Susan timidIy put her
hand on her husbands arm; this he per-
mitted also, and she felt that her offers OF
peace were not despised.
Day by day she sought aud made little
opportunities TO shcw good will: not re-
ceiving direct encouragement, but not re-
PEELED, she per.evereS. feeling constantly |