The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-03-16

one so dear to you. This know, bu,
your husband does not, for your conduct
to him is the reverse of what you expect
from him."
No, Mrs. Brown, you do me wrong y
"Do you ever praise your husband =
Praise him : No; he does not want
my praise" .. ..u -...al..r
DO you never censure him " ~
81 do find fault, sometimes, but how
can help it, when he is so unreasonable
as he often is Z" --- -------.--------.---
"You, then, withhold praise, and be-
stow censure upon your husband; these
things of which you complain in him
make, you say. your home skies gray
have you never thought that the effect
might be the same on him ?" ''.' ..
Receiving no reply, Mrs. Brown con-
tinued: During the month have now
been under your roof, 1 have seldom
seen you hasten to meet your husband
on his return, as if his coming brought a
pleasure with it; have noticed that
sometimes the first words ne has heard
from the lips of his wife, after a whole
day of absence, have been fretful COM
plaipings. The children have been un-
ruly, or the servants have been impu-
dent-your spirit has been chafed by
these irritations, and he has been greeted
by a recital of your perplexities, on
reaching the home to which he had
turned for respite from anxiety"
"You are severe, Mrs. Brownp
"You may deem me so, but 1 have
not yet done. sometimes. when Selwyn
has entered the house with a smile on
his face, and evident cheerfulness in his
heart, have seen his manner, in few
minutes, undergo a complete transform
alton; from the sunlight he has passed
into the gray shadow. 1 can only sur
mise the reason, yet think my suppo-
sition is correct" ..
"Will you favor me with it {" was the
somewhat cold reply of Mrs. Selwyn, as
her friend hesitatingly paused.
II will-but, Lucy, I do it only in the
hope of removing It's cause, and of re-
storing to you the light which you say
has fled from your home; do not think
me unkind, for only my love for you
could induce me to assume so unwel-
come task. Now hear me. When Mr..
Selwyn enters his home, only to find
upon your face the expression of sober
seriousness, amounting almost to sad
ness; when his cheerful words are an
swered in tone that speaks dissatis-
fed heart, his own feelings, however
buoyant and hopeful, sink under the in
huence of that mental gloom. AS sensi-
tive as yourself, he feels the absence of
sympathy, and your manner, more than
your words, leads to the fear that you
are too much engrossed by considerations
OF selfish nature, to be able to sympa-
thize with him."
"Mrs. Brown" said her hearer, rising
from her seat, Il could have borne such
language from few others. If you are
correct, l am childish to expect my hus-
bands praise !" Here, overcome by the
feelings which had been 80 unsparingly
probed, Mrs. Selwyn burst into tears,
and in the passionate gush of emotion,
was about to leave the room, when Mrs.
Brown gently, but firmly restrained her.
"Sit down, my dear Lucy, sit down,
or all have said will harm, rather than
benefit you. You do indeed deserve
praise, but not for the things l have
named; your domestic duties are nobly
performed; your house is pattern of
neatness; your diligence, your regard
for your husbands interests, your care
fulness of his comfort, so far as the ma
terial appointments of his house are
concerned, are worthy Of all commenda-
ton"
"But, if so, why do l never hear it
from islipsw
because you discourage its express
ion; if the words were springing to his
lips, one glance at the martyr-like ex-
preston your features sometimes wear
would chill them there. The truth is,
Lucy, if your husband had no heart, he
would praise you; he has heart, and
therefore does not" ....
"You speak in enigmas, Mrs Gray !"
"You treat him as if you thought
that his well-kept home ought to satisfy
all his wishes he feels that he should
receive more than this !"
"What morei"
"LovE-the love of his own wife !"
"Why, Mrs Brown, do you suppose
he doubts that I"
"What reason has he to believe that
he retains it? Once he could read your
affections in every act; it spoke from
your eyes, and was manifested in
thousand little nameless attentions,
which, though Insignificant IN them
selves, win their way to the heart he
knew that you loved him them"
He has no right to doubt it now !"
al ask, again, what ground has he for
believing it except that you are his wife
What you do for him may be the mere
performance of duty; the peculiar Of
tices of love you have long since ceased
to tender, and he has ceased to expect
them it would be surprise to him to
be met by you as you used to meet him
ere he became your husband"
This was new phase OF the subject to
Mrs. Selwyn; faint light began to
dawn upon her, dim suspicion that her
friend might, at least in part, be right;
but how could she help itI how could
she express what she did not feel
This thought, flashing across her mind,
startled her. Had she, indeed, ceased
to love her husband? No! Why, then,
did she not feel the same warm impulse
as of old2 She began to be perplexed
and alarmed Then her thoughts re-
verted to the change in Mr.. Selwyn; he
was no longer what he had been-so
solicitous for her comfort, so tender OF
her feelings, 80 deferential to her wishes
and there was flush upon her cheek
as she replied" The change, Mrs
Brown, has not been all upon one side"
"No," replied her friend, "and were
I speaking to your husband, l should re-
mind him of that and yet, to you l
must say, that had you, previous to the
time you won his heart, worn the'aspeot