The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-12
a RIFT xN THE OxoUHs.
4 story for Married Folks.

Andrew Lee came home from hs shoI
where he had worked all day, tired and GU
of spirits.
"a smiling wife, and cheerful ONE
what . paradise it would be, said Andrew
to himself as he turned has eyes from the
clouded face of Mrs. Lee, and sat down with
knitting brovs and moody aspect,
Not a word was spoken by either. Mrs
Lee was getting supper, and she moved
about with u weary step.
'Come," she said at last, with a side
glance at her husband.
Andrew rose and went to the table. H.
was tempted to speak an angry word Blu
controlled himself, and kept silent. Fl,
could find no fault with the shop, nor tn,
home made bread, nor the fragrant tea
They would have cheered his inward man
if there had been a CLEAN of sunshine on
the face of his wife. He noticed she did moi
eat.
care you not we'll, Mary ?" The words
were on his lips, but he did not utter them,
for the face of his wife looked SO re-
pellant that ne feared an irritating reply.
And so in moody silence, the twain sat
together until Andrew had finished his
supper.
As he pushed his chair back, his wife
arose and commenced clearing off the
table.
This is purgatory," said Lee to himself,
as be commenced walking the floor of his
little breakfast room, with hands thrust
down into his trowsers pockets aud his chin
almost touching his breast.
After removing all the dishes and taking
them into the kitchen, Mrs. Lee spread q
green cover on the table, and q fresh trim
med lamp thereon, went out and shut the
door after her, leaving her husband alone In
his unpleasant feeling. He took a long
deep breath as she did so, psusipg in his
walk, stood still for some moments, and
then drew q paper from his pocket, ss,
down by the table, opened the sheet
and commenced reading. Singularly
enough, the words upon which his eyes
rested, were "Praise your wife" They
rather tended to in crease the disturbance oil
mird from which he was suffering.
81 should like to find some occasion for
prsisipg mine" How quickly his thoughts
expressed that i'll natured sentiment. But
his eyes were on the page before him, and
he read on.
Praise your wife, man; for pitv's sake
give her q little encouragement. 1t wont
hurt her"
Andrew Lee raised his eyes from the pa
per and muttered, "Oh yes; that's all very
well, praise is cheap enough. But praise her
for what? For being sullen, and making
her home the most disagreesble place in
the world?" His eyes fell again to the pa.
per.
"She has made your home comfortable,
your heart 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 as if this sentence
was written Just for the occasion. 1t was q
com plete answer to bis question Praise her
tor what?" And he felt 1t also as "a rebuke.
He read no farther. for thought came too
busy, and in a new direction. Memory was
convicting him of Injustice to his wife. She
had always made his house as comfortable
for him as her hands could make it. and had
he offered her the light return of praise and
commentator? Had be ever told her of the
satisfaction he had known, or the comfort he
had experienced? He was not able to recall
the time or occasion. AS he though of this
Mrs. Lee came in from the kitchen and TAX
ing her work basket from the closet, placed
it on the table, aud sitting down without
speaking began to sew. Mr.. Lee glanced
almost stealthily at the WORK in her hands,
and saw the bosom of q shirt. which she was
stitching neatly. He knew that it was for
him that 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 va. not ready
for this yet. He still felt moody and unfor
giving. The expression of his wife's face,
he interpreted to mean ill-nature for which
ne had no patience. His eyes fell upon the
newspaper which lay spread out before him,
and read the sentence
"a kind cheerful word, spoken 10 a gloomy
house, is the little rift in the cloud that lets
the sunshine through"
Lee struggled with himselfawhile longer
His own Miniature had to be conquered first:
his moody, accusing spirit had to be , ,b
dned. He thought of many things - say
yet he feared to say them lesI his VIC
should meet his address with s oold -.h,r
at last leaning toward her snd tak;,, hold
of her shirt bosom upo', which she was a,
kindness
e
lee made no reply; but her husband
~ : .ot fan to notice that she lest almo-t
" .stantIy. that rigid erectness with which
she had been sitting. and that the motion
of her needle had ceased.
my shirts are better made and whittier
than those of any other man in the shop
and Lees voice was low. and had in it q
Sigh, huskiness. She did not turn her face.
but her husband saw she leaned a little
toward him. he had broken toward the ice
of reserve and all was easy now His hands
were among the clouds and q feeble ray was
already struggling through the rift it had
made
Eyes, Mary he answered softly 'and
I've heard it said more than once, what q
good wife Andrew Lee must have"
Mrs. Lee turned her face toward her hus-
band. There was light in it, and light in
her eye. But there vas something in the
expression of the countensnce that puzzled
him.
"Do you think so 2" she asked, quite
soberly
what a question ~ calculated Andrew
Lee, starting up and going round to the side
of the table where his wife was sitting.
"What 3 question, Mary y he repeated as
he stood before her.
"Do you 2" 1t was all she said.
"Yes darling" was his warmly spoken
answer, and he stopped down and kissed
her. .How strange that you ask ne such a
q question"
IF you would only tell me so now end
then, Andrew, it would do me good"
Mrs. Lee arose, and leaning her face
against the manly breast of her husband
stood and we pit.
What q strong light broke in upon the
mind of Andrew Lee. He had never given
his wife even the small reward of prsise for
the loving interests she had manifested
daily, until doubt of his love had entered
her soul and made the light all around her
thick darkness. No wonder tina. her face
grew clouded, nor what he considered mood
mess and ili-temper took possession of her
spirit.
You are good and true, Mary. my own
dear wife; ! am proud of you'll love you.
and my first desire is for your happiness.