Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-04-20
RIFr IN rHE cLOUD.

its. \
"A smiling wife and a cheerful
Paradise il would /
be 20 said Andrew TO himself, as he
turned his ewes from the clouded |
face of Mrs. Lee, and sat down with |
knitted brows and moody aspect.
Not a word was spoken by either;
Mrs. Lee was getting, supper, ana
she moved about with q weary
STEP 81.
"Come," she said at last, with a
side glance at her husband
There was an inyatatlon IN the
word only, none in the voice OF Mrs.
: Andrew arose aud went 10 the ta-
BILE. He was tempted 70 speak an
angry word, but controlled himself |
and kept silence. He could ma no
fault with the chop, nor the sweet
home made bread, nor the fragrant
tea. They would have cheered his
inward man, If there had only been
a CLEAN of sunshine on the face Of
his wife. He noticed that she did
q Are you not well, Marry?" 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 had finished
his supper. AS he pushed his chair
back, his wife arose, and commenc-
ed clearing up the table,
s'This is purgatory !" said Lee to
h;r,soif as he Commenced walking
the floor of their little breakfast
room. with his hands thrust des-
perately away down into his trous-
ers pockets, and his chin almost
touching his breast.
A After removing all the dishes, and
taking them into the kitchen, Mrs.
lee spread a green cover on the ta-
bile. and placing n fresh trimmed
| Iamp thereon, went out and shut
the door after her, leaving her hus-
hand alone with his unpleasant feel
in0s. He took long deep breath
as ne aid so. paused in his walk;
stood still for some moments ana
then drawing a paper from his
pOcket. sat down BY the table, open
ed the sheet and commenced read
ing. Singularly enough, the WORDS
upon which his eyes rested were
'EPraise your WIFE," Ihey rather
tended to increase the disturbance
of mind from which he was surer'
ing.
sion for praising mine" HOW
quickly his thoughts expressed tina
ill-natuIed sentiment. But his eye
were on the page before him, ana h'
read on.
GPraise your wife, man forpity'i
sake give her little encouragement
it wont hurt her"
Andrew Lee raised his eyes iron
the paper, and muttered, "Oh, yes
, That's all very we'll Praise
CHEAP enough. But, praise her 10
what For being sullen, and ma
king YOUR home the most disagree
able place in the worldl His ey
fell again TO the paper.
"She has made your home comfoT
table, your hearth bright and shin
ing. YOUR food agreeable for pity
, | sako tell her YOU thank her, II moth
! inc more. She don't expect II; vii
! ! make her eyes open wider than the
l have for ten years, but IL will d
! her good for all that, and you too;
4 1t seemed to Andrew as If thi
= sentence was written just for hin
= and lust for the occasion. 1t wa
; the complete answer to This quei
. ton, 'sPraise her for what z, and b
y felt it was also a rebuke. He rea
no farther, for thought came TO
: busy. and in a new direction. Men
!, orv was convieting him of injustiS
= = toward his wife. She had alway
u made his home as comfortable Il
him as hands could make IL, an
u u had he offered the light return
u praise of commendatiOn And !
. ever told her of the satisfaction
, had known. or the comfort exp
~ ~ rieuced? T? lie was not able to recs
y the time or the occasion. As
&c thought thus, Mrs. Lee came
from the kitchen and taking h
~ work basket from the closet, place
= IL on the table, and sitting dow
J. without speaking, began to SCI
Mr.I.ee glanced almost stealthi
at the work in her hands, and 50
that II was a bosom of a shiI
:. which she was stitching neatly. I
knew that it was for him that g
was at work.
Z ssPraise your wife" The wor
" were before the eyes of his min
and he could not look away fro
them. But he was not ready
this vet. He still felt moody a
unforgiving. The expression
- his Tife's face he interrupted
~ mean ill-nature, and with ill-natu
IL he had no patience. His eyes I
a upon the newspaper that lay spre
he out before him, and read the 81
no tence-
S5 "a kind, cheerful word spok
,If in a gloomy home, is like the rift
We cloud that let's the sunshi
If through"
10 sw hile longer. His own ill-natI
ve had to be conquered first-his m'
20 DIV, accusing spirit had to be 81
e. dued. But he was coming rig
- and at last got right, as to will
~ Next came the question as to h'
IN he should begin. He thought
II many things to say, yet feared
~ say them, lest his wife should m
ac- his advances with a cold rebuff.
- last. leaning toward her and Z
II inc holk of the linen bosom NJ
~ which she was at work, he said,
'bs A voice carefully mOdulated W
ar kindness.
IN lyon are doing that work V,
nd beautifully, Mary"
on Mrs. Lee made no reply. But
,bt husband did not fail TO observe I
u she lost. almost instantly that ri
In erectness with which she had b.
: y sitting, nor that the motion of
ybt needle-hand ceased.
| - 1anNNnrs ungnn
ant whittier than those Of any OF
ON man in the shop" said Lee, enco
Aid | aged TO go on.
- was low, and had in il a slight
en- kiness. Sc did not turn her Il
err but her husband saw that she le
nv ed a little towards him. be
get broken through the ice of resel
Sto and all was easy now. His b
All was among the clouds, and
tell feeble rays were already struggl
To- through the riff it had made.
Sec eyes, Mary" he answered, sol
eFof "and I've heard it said more I
.s6- once, wisat a good wife And
nm Lee must have"
,en Mrs. Lee turned her face tow
NJ her husband. There was n light
,oIy ii, and a light in her eye. But Il
lies was something in the expression
of the countenahce thaU d niue
| be zled him.
ssDo you think so?" she as
quite soberly.
tied .sWhat a question: ~ ejaculi
cas- Andrew Lee, starting up and
are ing round TO the slue OF the =
n where his wife was slttlng-
.dge question, Nary! ne repeated
at he stood before her.
, the do you 1t was All sne sald:
ust, eyes, darllng, was MS Wal
rbe ! snOEen answer, ana ne slOC