National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-05-12

taciturn-very unlike the Andrew Thurs
ton whose custom II WAS 10 come in with
smiles and cheerful sal,naton.
a little thing IL was, 10 be sure, but il
gave him great pain A mote is n tiny
particle, but 1t becomes n thing of painful
moment when il is lodged in the eye and
the heart that Is made tender with u
devoted, living love, is as sensitive to notes
ms is the eye. Hitherto the current OF
Andrews love had flowed on unbrokcn and
untroublOd. but this incoming Of obstruc-
tion had produced II turbulence, as dcstruc-
tive of peace and happiness, for the time,
as though the very fountain of love itself
had oecn broken up. In short, he was
brought to the self-confesson that there
could be no more joy Tor him until this
be done How should the sunlight be let
in again upon his hearthstonc lie was
proud, and he did not like to make confess
sion of his fault Would his wife make
the first acknowledgement 7 He hoped so
for thus the evil might be put away.
As he sat alone in his office, he took up
a paper, and sought to overcome his un-
happy thoughts by reading. He could not
fix his mind upon the thread of long
article, so he read the short paragraphs
and at length his eye caught the following
"Where there has been misunderstanding
between near and dear friends, resulting in
mutual unhappiness and regret, the one
who loves most, ana whose sense Of right
and duty is the strongest, will make the
first advance toward reconciliation"
Andrew Thurston dropped the paper,
and rose to his feet. 1t was as though a
voice from Heaven had spoken to him.
/" do not love the most he soliloquized;
'but ain the strongest, and should show
my love by my works"
He looked at his watch-it was almost
noon. 1t was not his custom to return
home till evening, but he could not remain
and bear the burden through the other
hours of the day. And be marvccd, as he
put on his hat and drew on his gloves, how
even the resolve to do this simple thing
had let the sunlight into bis soul
Ellie Thurston. when she knew that her
husband had gone-had gone without aWord
or a kiss-had gone without giving her
time to recover her stricken senses--sank
down and wept; and it was long time
before she could clearly think or reflect.
She had been left alone-alone with pain
and sorrow, and she was utterly miserable /
She blamed herself for not having called |
her husband to her and she blamed hlm |
for not having come of his own accord. To .
her it seemed as though the death of joy /
had come. She had never known such .
misery before. BY and by, when she could .
think, she wondered il her husband would .
smile upon her, if she should offer him the
first kiss, and speak the first word of love.
She would try it. 1t would be terrible if
he should repulse her; but she could not
live so.
The hours passed, and the young wife
sat like one disconsoate. She thought not
OF dinner she had no appetite. She only
thought could the warm sunshine ever
come over again Did her husband love
her less than she had thought ?
Thus she sat with pale cheeks and swol-
len eyes, when she heard the outer door
opened. and step in the hail. She started
up to listen, thinking that her senses might
have deceived her, when the door of the
sitting groom was opened and her husband
entered. His eyes filled with tears when
he saw how pale and griet-stri.ken his wife
looked, and with open arms he went to-
ward her. ellie, my darling, don't let
us be unhappy any more"
He had been thinking, on hi, way home,
what he should say when he met her and
he had framed in his mind a speech of con-
fession which he would make but he
orgot it all when he saw her, and his
heart spoke as it would. The words burst
rom his lips, lovingly prayertully beseech-
ngly, ellie, my darling, don't let us be
unhappy any more !"
She came to his bosom. and twined her
llms about his neck; and for the kiss that ,
vas missed in the morning they took many !,
Kisses now and they wept no more apart, t
,ut they wept together.
That was all. The cloud had passed ,
md they experienced the exquisite thrill ! !
which all true hearts feel when wrong !
las been made right, and when the warm :
oy-beams drive away the dark shadows OF ;
orrow and regret. 1t was a life-les>on to ,
hem both; and they promised themselves .
hat they would never forget its teachings :
-dHhur's Magd-iae. :