The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1872-06-08
A RIFT In THE CLOUD.

A0ufeW Lee CdiIle NOME Ut even
ing from the shop where he had
worked all day, tired and out Of
spirits--came home to his wife, who
was also tired and out of spirits.
"a smiling wife and a cheerful
homc--what paradise it would be,
said Andrew to himself, as he turned
his eyes from the clouded face Of
Mrs. Lee, and sat down with knitted
brow and a moody aspect.
Not a word was spoken by either.
Mrs. Lee was getting supper, and
she moved about with a weary ster.
"Come," she said at last, with
side glance at her husband.
There was an invitation in the
word only, none in the voice of Mrs.
Lee.
Andrew arose and went to the
table. He was tempted to speak an
angry word, but controlled himself
and kept silence. lie could find no
fault with the chop, nor the sweet
homemade bread, nor the fragrant
tea. They would have cheered his
inward man, if there had only becn
CLEAN OF sunshine on the face OF
his wife. He noticed that she did
not eat.
"Are you not well, Mary 7" The
words were on his lips, but he did
not utter them, for the face of his
wife looked so repellant that he
feared an irritating reply. And 50,
IN moody silence, the twain sat to-
gether, until Andrew bad finished
his supper. AS he pushed his chair
back, his wife arose, and commenced
clearing up the table.
"This is purgatoryp" said Lee to
himself, as he commenced walking
the floor Of their. little breakfast
room, with his hands thrust desper>
atcly down into his trowsers pockets
and lis chin almost touching his
breast.
After removing all the dishes, and
taking them into the kitchen, Mrs.
Lee spread green cover on the Ia
BE, and placing a fresh trimmed
lamp thereon, went out and shut the
door after her, leaving her husband
alone with his unpleasant feelings.
He took long, deep breath, as she
did so, paused in his walk, stood still
for some moments, and then drawing
paper from his pocket, sat down by
the table, opened the sheet, and
commenced reading. Singularly
enough, the words upon which bis
eyes rested were, Praise your WIFE"
They rather tended to increase the
disturbance Of mind from which he
was suffering.
81 should like to find some occa-
sion for praising mine" How
quickly his thoughts expressed that
ill-natured sentiment. But his eyes
were on the page before him, and he
read on.
"Praise your wife, man; for PHYS
sake give her little encouragement !;
it won't hurt her"
Andrew raised his eyes from the
paper and muttercd, "Oh, yes; that's
all very well. Praise is cheap
enough. But praise her for what?
For being sullen, and making your
home the most disagreeable place in
the worldT' His eye fell again to
the paper. ih
"she has made your home COM
Portable, Your hearth bright and
shining, your food agreeable; for
lpity's sake you tell her you thank
her, if nothing more. She don't ex>
pcct it; will make her eyes open
wider than they have for ten years,
but it will do her good for all that,
and you too az
1t seemed to Andrew as II this
sentence was written just for him,
and just for tile occasion. 1t was
a complete answer to his question,
|"Praise her for whatw AMI he fell
it was also a rebuke. lie read nc
farther, for thought came too busy
and III a new direction. Memory
was eonyicting him Of injustice to.
ward bis wife. She had always
made home as comfortable Tor him
rs hands could make il, and hal he
offered the light return Of praise d
commendationi Had he ever told
iher Of the satisfaction BIO had known
Or Of the comfort experiencedY Hs
was not able to recall the. time oi
the occasion. AS be thought thus
Mrs. Lee came IN from the kitchen
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