The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-02-11

Jne lOreHeau vi JIG iuolhihB was "ii0ech,
SO that all eyes might read-"All his works
do praise him"
But Mrs. Melissa Parson heard and saw
none of these things. Down among the
fogs and darkness of her own narrow, fret
full cares and anxieties, she walked with
warded vision and angry thoughts, which
seethed and flashed into rebellion and ha-
tired. For her there was no beauty in that
autumn day, no token of Gods love and
care for man in its sweet face-no voice
calling her to prayer and to praise, in the
whisper of the winds or the songs of the
birds
Mrs. Melissa Parson had been remark
ably pretty girl in her youth-and thirty
seven years had made her a fair and comely
woman.
Her husband was tphlegmatic
man, stubborn and opinionated, and as his
early life and social atmosphere had not
enlarged nor softened his character; the
hardest and most disagreeable part of it
expanded with his years. He loved money,
and as the aesthetic part Of his nature had
never been cultivated, he regarded it as
wastefllness and extravaganza to indulge
in much grace or beauty of surroundings.
Still, there was another side to the man
his affections were deep and tender, and
judicious and loving woman could have
reached and influenced him to almost any
degree through these. But Mrs. Melissa
Parsons never understood her husband.
She was an impulsive, high-spirited and
really warm hearted woman, with q great
deal of petty, social ambition, and she and
her husband were constantly jarring each
other.
His obstinacy always infiamed her anger,
while her imperious temper only hardened
him into fresh stubbornness, and so the
current of their lives ran most inharmoni-
ously, and was constantly interrupted by
jars and chickering's, and alterations. That
one fair lily of tenderness, whose grace and
beauty filed her youth with fragrance, cast
its leaves, and at last only the root was left
and what dews or sunshine could nourish
it in souls that were overgrown with this
ties, and rank and noisome weeds?
Yet all these years the barns and store
houses the land and gold of Isaac Parsons
increased, and God sent children-two boys
and girl-to soften the hearts of the faith
er and mother, and to be to them angels of
new covenant of household peace and
tenderness But, alas alas ! the sweet
faces, and all the beautiful ministrations of
childhood never accomplished their mission;
and with hearts and tempers fietted and
soured, and worn, Mr.. and Mrs. Parsons
counted the years going over them, and
both felt that their marriage had been a
mistake and a misery, and with blind eyes
that would not see, and hard hearts that
: would not understand. Each blamed the
other, and mutual recrimination only pro.
duced fresh bitterness.
At last a crisis came. Mrs. Parsons had
set her heart that autumn upon new par.
lor carpet, which was in no wise unreason.
able, and In which her husband ought to
have indulged her, but the manner of hei
request, which was in reality command
at once aroused the inherent stubbornness
of the man, and he fatty refused her. Then
followed passionate words and angry re-
torts, till the husband and wife separated
, with mutual bitterness and rage.
But as Mrs Parsons took up her denu
ded chicken and plunged it in pan of ho
water, her eyes glanced on the weekly pa
per, which lay on the table, and they sct
; tied upon this passage, which completed a
) short sketch" Who when he was reviled
reviled not again, but committed his cause
to Him that jndgeth righteously."
, Again these words stole, in still serene
, rebuking voice, through the soul Of Mrs
e Parsons. She had read them inumerabl'
Q times before, and they had for her nj
: special message nor meaning, but now Coz
Q had sent his angel to drop them in he
r heart and in a moment something Of th
real sin and the &rong of her life rose VI
- and confronted her.
J, She sat down in a low chair by he
i kitchen table, and rcsted her forehead oi
: her hand. The harsh, fretful angry lool
y went out from her face, and was succeeded
= by soft thoughtful expression, and tht
IL sunshine hovered in yearning, golden
shifting beauty about her.
n And the years Of Mrs. Parsons rose VI
h like pale, sorrowfui faces from the dead
/ and looked reproachfuily upon her, AM
N suddenly in sharp, clear strong features
ID stood revealed to her reused conscience tn
70 heavy part she had borne in all the sin an
Of misery that had blasted her married life.