The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-03-16
"The fault" said Mrs. Brown, :"

too common conviction that, after mar
riage, those attentions which are the most
expressive tokens of love are unheeded ;
and by fatal mistake, the qualities that
have awakened and fostered affection
cease to be exhibited and the love which
was born of them begins to languish ;
the heart feels want that is not met ;
pride restrains the tongue from speaking
of such feelings, but they are exhibited
in the manner; it is not long ere the
GOODNESS or petulance of one is reflected
in the carriage of the other and thus
step by step, a change proceeds, the re-
suits of which are fatal to all happiness.
With you, Lucy, the change has not ad-
vanced so far, but it has progressed till
the sunlight of your skies has faded
into gray-let it proceed, and l can pre-
dict for you gloom that will shadow
your whole life Stop" said she, as
Mrs. Selwyn was about to interrupt her,
shear me through, and then act as you
please. If you really wish for the SUD-
light which frightened your early we'd
ded life, you may have it again Meet
your husband, as of old, with smile !;
let him see that his presence is a pleasure
to you; make his home the brightest place
he finds; let those attentions, which once
were so freely rendered, take the place
of querulous complainings - in short,
let the effluence of loving heart fill
your home with its brightness and its
beauty, and you will not wait long ere
the gray will brighten into golden light ~
"It would be in vain, Mrs Brown"
said Lucy, sadly II believe that with
the inconsistency natural to man, Mr..
Selwyn has ceased to value that which
he possesses - the very attentions that
were once a pleasure, would now be
wearisome to him"
"Lucy," replied her friend in an earn
est tone, "I speak confidently, for my
words are the result of experience. 1
had not been many years wife before
passed into the shadow that is now
enveloping your home; I have felt all
that you describe, and reasoned just as
you now do, and only for what appear
ed chance event, but in which l now
see the hand of merciful God, should
have wrecked my earthly happiness.
With me, the change had proceeded so
far, that had ceased to hope for any
alteration, when one evening, in COM
pany with my husband, I attended
wedding-party of two dear young
friends. They had just returned from
their bridal tour, aud never was hap
piness written in brighter characters
than upon those young faces l stood
there, sad in heart, for I remembered
when 1 was gay as that fair young bride
as full of hcpe and Joy; and as stood
little apart from the company, 1 found
myself wondering whether she would
ever feel as then felt The white-hair-
ed clergyman who month before had
married them, was present. At a latter
period of the evening he stood near me,
in conversation with the bride; a single
sentence that he addressed to her fell
upon my ears-it was this: Be care
ful-very careful-never allow the mere
duties of the wife to chill, or to conceal
of it at the moment, but the words came
to me again, as I was busy in my own
home; l found myself wondering aohy
he should have spoken these words and
what it was he meant by them and as
pondered on them, there came to my
heart such a revelation of my own de-
tciencies as startled me! All that I
have said to you, and far more, l thought
of myself. l saw that had been self
ish and exacting, and that, while rend-
ering the mere duties of wife, I was
expecting, in return, the expression of
feelings which my own demeanor had
chilled. then resolved that 1t should
be different; that I would again be to
my husband all that l once had been.
Pride said No, rather suffer on, than
court the affections OF your own hus-
band but reason, duty, and more
than all, my own yearning heart, soft
ened by the new light which had dawn
ed upon it, said, Yes l resolved, and
in the resolve of that hour the gray
skies already began to brighten, and
felt sure that the sunlight would come!
You, who have been within my home,
know how completely l have succeeded"
"Can this, indeed, be sol" exclaimed
Lucy, in astonishment; al had supposed
that yours was home upon which no
shadow had ever fallen o, how 1 have
wished that mine resembled it,"
"You can make it so; only be what
you once was-the same to your hus-
band as before you called him yours
and you will find in his heart depth of
love and tenderness that will astonish
you."
Here the conversation was interrupt
ed, nor was it resumed until the follow
ing day, when Mrs. Brown, having COM
pleted her visit to her friend, left for her
own happy home. Then single al
lusion to the conversation of the previ-
Gus day was all she ventured, but as she
pressed parting kiss upon the brow of
her friend, she whispered" Try it,
Lucy, you will, know, but do not
stop halfway
A year had elapsed ere the next visit
of Mrs. Brown to the Selwyns was made.
1t was evening when the carriage that
conveyed her drove up to the door.
Glad hearts and cheerful voices well
coined her. A merry group of child
rem was gathered around the centre
table, which was strewn with games and
paintings. Mr.. Selwyn held in his hand
volume which he had just been read
ing aloud to the little party. The work
basket of Mrs. Selwyn, at the side of
her cushioned chair, showed how her
fingers had been engaged; and over all,
especially upon the faces of the parents,
there was an expression of such cheer
fulness, that Mrs. Brown felt assured
her prescription of the year before had
been tried, and not without success.
As Mrs Selwyn was assisting to dis
robe her friend of her outer garments,
Mrs. Brown ventured single question:
"Lucy, dearest, are the skies still gray ?"