Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-12-05
By T. S. ARTHUR.

ing, and half serious.
''Take what home. Caddy ?'' And
Mr.. Lewis turned toward his wife. Gu,
riously.
Now, Mrs. Lewis had spoken from
! the moments impulse, and already
had partly regretted her remark.
''Iake what home % repeated her
husband. CT don't understand Won y
''That smiling face you turned upon
Mr.. Edwards, when you answered his
question just now."
Mr.. Lewis slightly averted his head,
and walked on in silence. They had
called in at the store Of Mr.. Edwards
TO purchase few articles. and were
! now on their way home. There was
no smile on the face of Mr.. Lewis now.
but very grave expression instead
grave almost to sterness. The words
OF his wife had taken him altogether
| by surprise and though spoken light
| ", had Jared upon his ears. ~ -
HE truth was, MIR. Lewis, like q
great many other men who haze their
own cares and troubles, was in the
habit of bringing home sober. and
| too often, a ciouded face. Tt was in
vain that his wife and children looked
F., into that face for sunshine, or list
| ened to his words for tones Of cheer
fulness.
'Take that home with YOU. dear -
Mrs. Lewis was already repenting this
| suggestion, made on the moments inn
| pulse. Her husband was sensitive TO 8
| fault. He could not hear even an i'm
| piled censure from his wife. And so
| she had learned to be very guarded in
| this particular.
Take that home with you dear, All
met ] wish the words had not been
| spoken. There will he darker clouds
/ now, and gracious knows they were
dark enough before. Why can't lIr.
Lewis leave his cares and business be-
hind him, and let us see the old. pleas
| ant, smiling face again. I thought this
| morning that he had forgotten how to
smile !; but ] see that he can smile, if
he tries. All why don't he fry at
home?"
So Mrs. Lewis talked 70 herself, as
! she moved along by tho side of her
husband, who had not spoken Il word
! since her reply 10 his question, "Take
what home - Block after block was
passed, and street after street was
! crossed, and still jhcrs yras silence be-
! tween them.
'0f course" said 1Irs. Lewis,
! speaking in Ter thoughts. "Of course
he IS offended. He won't hear q word
from me. 1 might have known, be-
1orehand, that talking out IN tins way
would only make things worse, Oh I!
dear Tn getting out OF all heart.
What then, Caddy 90
Mrs. Lewis almost started at the
sound Of her husbands s voice, break
F.! ing. unexpectedly upon her ear, IN q
softened tone.
"What then p he repeated, turning
toward her, and looking down into her
shyly upturned face.
1T would send warmth and radi-
ance through the whole house, said
Mrs. Lewis, her tones all a-trcmble
with feeling.
You think so ?
81 know so! Only try il, dear, tor
this one evening""
''It isn't SO easy thing to put on 4
smiling face, Caddy, when thought is
oppressed with care. >" ...... -..,
'It did not seem to require much
effort Just now" said Mrs. Lewis.
glaacing up at her husband With some
thing OF archness in her look.
Again shadow dropped down upon
the face OF Nr Lewis, which wg!l5f 53sga w2s
he walked on in silence.
He is so sensitive - Mrs. Lewis
said to herself, the shadow on her hus-
/ bano's face darkeniIg over her own.
I have to be as careful o. myself as
/ if talking to q spoiled child. -
No, it did not require much effort
on the part OF NJ. Lewis TO smile rs
ne passed a few words, lightly, with
Nj. Edward. The remark OF his wife
lad not really displeased him; i had
only set him to thinking. After re-
naming gravely silent because he was
undergoing q brief sel1-cxamination,
Mr.. Lewis said:
"You thought the srnile given to
Mr.. Edwards came easily enough ?''
''It did not seem to require an ef-
fort. replied Mr. Lewis.
No, not much effort was required" :"
said Air Lewis. His tones were
! slightly depressed. "But this must
be taken into the account; my mind
was il 4 certain state Of excitement, or
activity, that repressed sober feelings,
and made smiling an easy thing. So
we smile and are gay in compenv, ut
| cost oi little effort, because all arc
smiling and we feel the common
| sh2re Of excitement. How different it
| is when we are alone, I need not say
You, Caddy, are guilty of the sober
! face at home as well as your husband .
Mr.. Lewis spoke with a tender reproof
| in his voice.
! But the sober face is caught from
/ yours oftener than you imagine, my
husband, ?" replied Mrs. Lewis
''hre you certain of that Caddy?"
"N cry certain. You make the sun
| light and shadow of your home Smile
| upon us: give rs cheerful words; en-
ter into our feelings and interests, and
there VIII be no brighter home in the
land. = shadow on your countenance
is vail for my heart; aili the same Is
true as respects our children. Our
pulses strike too nearly IN union not
to be DISTRACTED when yours has los,
is even beat ......
Again Mr.. lewis walked OF in sill
ence, his fGee partly overted; and
again his wife began TO fear that she
had spoken 100 freely. But he soon
dispcllll this impression. for he said:
II am glad. Caddy, that. you have
spoken thus pldinly only wish that
you had done so before. I see how il
Is; my smiles have been for the out.
side world. thnt neither loved nor re-
/ gardcd me, and my clouded brow fol
the dear ones at home, for whom
thought and care are cver-livingactivi
tics. 81. ....
3Ir. and 3Iys. Lewis, we're now a
their ow:. door, where they paused I
moment, and then went IN. Instantly
on passing his threshold, Mr. Levi,
felt the pressure upon Lim OF his 1lst1a
state, The hue Of Lis feelings begal
! to change. The cheerful, interested
! exterior put on for those he met il
business Intercourse, began rapidly Il
change, and sober hue to succeed
Like most business men, his desire
for profitable results was even far il
advance of the slow evoiutions O.
trade; and his daily history WAS q his
tory OF disappointments, in some meas
ure dependent upon his restless antici
patioDs He was not as willing tc
work and wnit as he should be and
like many of his class, neglected th'
pearls that lay here and there alons
! his ijfa-nsths hprouS8 they UeTO III