The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-06-13
S U N D AY r E Al DING,
A Lesson on the Value of Kindness.

ting easily, so Wedge, the village carpen-
ter, was sent for to ease it. At six
o'clock, whilst he was still at work, car
riage wheels were distinctly heard, and
the squire's lady with her children, came
down into the hall, ready to welcome
home Mr. Cary, who had been that day
to town Wedge, who was working in
side the dining-room, listened with aston
ishment as he heard the shout the chill
dren gave when their father stepped out
of the carriage. He saw, also, through
the door crack, that the two eldest had
caught hold of his hands, whilst the
younger ones were clinging like little
barnacles to his coat-tails all dragging
him along, as if, once having got him into
their net, they meant spider-like, to bind
him hand and foot, and devour him, as
that interesting insect would great blue
bottle-hy, at their leisure.
That the squire's return should cause
such delight was puzzler for our worthy
friend for had he not, with his own eyes
seen this man 60 off at halfpast nine in
the morning, no one could have persuaded
him other wise than that he must have
been away month, to put it at the low
est figure. He saw, moreover that the
squire was holding tightly in his hand a
little parcel, which shaking off the chill
dren, by number of little lodges of
which loving father only know the se-
cret, he quickly united, for all the world
as if he were boy of five years old (and
not great man of fourteen stone weight
who could not wait moment for any
thing. In shorter time than we take to
write, he pulled out the contents and gave
them to his wife, with three distinct
kisses Wedge could swear there were
three, for he counted them, and wonder
ed how many more there were to come
Soon the merry party went up stairs
the echo Of their voices died away, and
Wedge was left to finish his job on the
door, whilst his heart and conscience
began their work on him. lie, too, had
a home and wife and children !; he, too,
had been away; but the thought struck
him uncomfortably that his welcome home
that is if he got one at ALL would seem
poor and cold after that which he had
just witnessed. This reflection was not
so sweet as to make his work go smooth
ly; his saw seemed as blunt as double
bladed sixpenny penknife, and the wood
Of the the chair, whose legs he was cut
ting down, as hard as bog oak. In fact
he was feeling jealous Of the squire and
discontented with his own wife and chill
dren. Why were not they eager to rush
out and welcome him, after the fashion
of the squires family? He frowned as he
thought how badly he was used, and his
saw grated away as though very dull.
But conscience had a word to say to
him, and said it loud enough too for him
to hear, although he was making noise
enough to prevent any one from trying
to gain his attention. 1t told him the
fault was chiefly in himself, for if his
wife and children were not like the
squires, neither was his likeness to that
worthy gentleman particularly striking.
He couldn't blame his wife for not max
ing enough Of his present, for he we'll
knew he never gave her any nor did he
greet her with those kind words which
would not have failed to draw the same
from her
Wedge was good husband without
being kind one, spending his money for
the most part on his family in hard bu-
siness- like kind of way, butts howing no
affection towards his children, who conse-
quently did not love him.
AS Wedge walked home, his tools on
his back, he came across an old friend,
carrying carefully dainty bunch Of
snow-drops in his big, round hand.
Here, WILL" he said walking along
by the carpenters side. "Pve just given
a trife for these fowers-pretty bits of
things, amt they FOR my wife makes
so much of any little present take her
home ; she never minds what bring her,
so long as l bring it to her myself, for to
be sure | always tack on little some
thing in the shape of few kind words,
which makes the thing seem valuable in
her eyes. don't know how | should
get on sometimes, if it weren't for having
flowers pretty handy; you can get them
for little or nothing at any time, and
yet they are more beautiful than any
thing we could make"
Wedges road now lay in different di-
rectiOn from his friends, SO they parted
company, Joe Sparks, putting couple of
snowdrops into Wills hand, supposing
he would know we'll enough what to do
with them.
Wedge turned the snowdrops over in
his hand, and looked after Joe, who had
nearly turned the corner what could the