The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-06-15
A Story for Married Folks.

| VI SplIltS CulIC W hllCJ VI AO WAC
also tired and out spirits.
GA smiling wife and a cheerful home
paradise it would be-" said Andrew to HIM
self, as he turned his eyes from the clouded
face of Mrs Lee and and sat down with
knitted brow. and moody aspect. Not a
word was spoken by either. Mrs. Lee was
getting supper, and she moved about with a
weary step.
"Come," said she at last, with a sideglance
at her husband
Andrew arose and went to the table.
He-mu, tempted speak an angry word,
but controlled himself and kept silent. He
could find no fault with the chop and home
made bread, nor the fragrant tea. They
would have cheered his inward man, if
there had been CLEAN of sunshine on the
face of the wife. He noticed she did not
eat. !
care you not well, Mary?" -. -...-.
These words were on his lips, but he did
not utter them, for the face of his wife
looked so repcllant, that he feared an irrita-
ting reply.
And 50, in moody silence, the twain sat
together, until Andrew 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 he commenced walking the floor of their
little breakfast-room, with his hands thrust
into his trowser pockets, and his chin al
most touching his breast
After removing and taking the things in
to the kitchen, Mrs. Lee spread green
cover over the table, and placing a freshly
trimmed lamp thereon, went out and shut
the door after her, leaving her husband
alone with his unpleasant feelings. lie
took a long deep breath and as he did SO
paused.in his walk stood still for some mo-
ments, and then drawing paper from his
pocket, sat down by tho table, opened the
sheet and commenced reading. Singularly
enough the words upon which his eyes rest
cd were, "Praise your wife," They rather
tended to increase the disturbance of mind
| from which he was suffering. ...a
ri Ishould like to have some occasion; for
praising mine." How quickly his thoughts
expressed that ill-naturcd sentiment! But
his eyes were on the paper before him, and
he read on "Praise your wife, man: for
PHYS sake give her little encouragement,
it won't hurt her." ~
Andrew Lee raised his eyes and mutter-
ed: "Oh, yes, that is all very well-praise
is cheap enough But praise her for what ?
His eyes fell agian on the paper: s.-.
"She has made your home comfortable,
your hearths bright shining, your food
agreeable; for PHYS sake tell her you thank
her, if nothing more. She don't expect it.
1t will make her eyes wider than they have
been for ten years, but it will do her good
for all that and you too"
Itscemed to Andrew as if this sentence
was written expressly for him and just for
the occasion. 1t was complete answer to
the question, "Praise her for what2" and he
felt it also rebuke. He read no further,
for thoughts came too busy, and :. in "a new
direction. Memory was convincing him of
injustice to his wife She had always made
his home as comfortable as she could make
it, and had he offered the slightest return OF
praise or commendation Had he 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
thought. thus, Mrs Lee came in from the
kitchen, and, taking her ork-basket from
the closet, placed it on the table, and sitting
down without speaking began to sew. Mr..
Lee glanced almost steathily at the work in
her hands, and saw it was bosom of shirt,
which she was stitching neatly. lie knew
that it was for him that she was at work.
"Prase your WIFE" These words were
before the eyes of his mind, and he could not
look away from them. But he was not ready
for this yet. lie still felt moody and unfor-
giving. The expression of his wife's face
he interpreted to mean ill-nature for which
had no patience. ....s'
His eyes fell upon the newspaper that was
spread out before him, and he read the SEN
tence "a kind, cheerful word spoken in a
gloomy house is the little rift in the cloud
that lets the sunshine through"
Lee struggled with himself little while
longer. ....
His own ill-nature was to be conquered
first, his moody accusing spirit had to besub
dued.
lie thought many things to say, and
feared to say them, lest his wife should meet
his address with rebuff At last, leaning
toward her and taking hold of the shirt bo'
som at which she was at work, he said in a
voice that was carefully modulatad with
kindness: .Er.t, t''...-'
"You are doing the work beautifully, Ma,
ry" -..- .. ...,-,
Mrs. Lee made no reyly. But her hus.
band did not fail to notice that she lost al,
most instantly, the rigid crectncss with
which she had been sitting, nor that the
motion of the needle had ceased
"My shirts arc better made and whittier
than those ofany other man in the shop, u
encouraged to 60 on.
care they?"', Mrs, Lees voice was low.
and had in it n slight huskincss' fShe;did
! not turn her face, but her husband saw that
she leaned towardshim. He had broken the
ice Of reserve, and all was easy now. His
hands dswere among the clouds, and a, feeble
ray was already struggling through the rift
4 it had made p-''''' ',.'''s -, ~, =
pYes Mary" he answered softly, "and !
III 4