Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-06-25

nothing about their going to school, and
they went or stayed at home, just az tney
pleased. They missed the nice dinners
that their mother prepared for them, Tor
Mrs Blond did not get time TO attend 70
all their wants. Arthur stood with DIS
hands in his pockets, leaning against the
building. Lewis sat looking thoughtful.
ly down upon the ground; presently ne
looked up into his brothers. face and
said. in hushed and wistful voice:
| Arthur, did you hear what mother
said?"
| "Yes," he replied, and turned about
and leaned his side against the wall, as
though the subject We're an unwelcome
one.
"She thinks we don't care anything
for her." persisted Lewis.
"I know one thing" said Arthur,
speaking with an effort, " If mother ever
does get well / shall use her better,
whether father does or not" and ne
walked away, ashamed of the tears that
would come.
The other children soon followed, but
Mr.. Thompson remained inside the old
building, where he stood by his pen OF
fine Suffolks, not to estimate the number
of pounds of pork he could sell in the
1 Uub UCCduSC lC WIN NV 80
himself to work, and he wandered
about aimlessly when not attending to his
chores or waiting upon his sick wife.
"If mother ever does get we'll l shall
use her better, whether father does cor
not"
Mr.. Thompson started like guilty one
as he heard these words, for they were the
confirmation of something that had been
slowly forcing itself upon his mind since
he had listened to his wife's rawlings. he
had treated her in such manner that
even his children saw that he did moi
treat her well. He thought that he had
never intended to be unkind Yet
he could not deny, even to himself
that he had been thoughtless and
unfeeling. He had always treated
her as though she were dependent
upon him; but had she not done as much
for him as he had done for her? year
after year she had toiled and helped him
paw for his broad and fertile farm, and in
} return for it all he had grudgingly dealt
out to her the clothing that she positively
needed. She could claim nothing as the
representation of her labor, except the
love of those for whom she had toiled
Mr.. Thompson felt that there had been
nothing in his conduct to assure her thai
she had even this repayment. He could
now see how such nature as hers would
, suffer from lack of kind and affections
ate treatment. He remembered her as
she was in the days of their courtship. II
seemed almost impossible that his pale
careworn wife could once have been the
; blithesome Bertha Wescott, who had at
tracted him with her beauty and sweet
} childlike ways. With what perfect trust
she had given her happiness into his
keeping! Could he wonder that she now
! looked upon her life as useless, when all
her labor of love had been met with re-
proaches because she did not labor hard
err? "Why, haven't used her as well
as / have my horses" he exclaimed, for
I've had some consideration for them
when they were tired"
Mr.. Thompson's determinations were
usually hasty and inflexible. As he stood
there determination was born in his
heart one that would not die out when
all danger was over, that, If kind treat
ment in the future would atone for the
unkindness of the past, he would make q
complete atonement. But he was har
assed by the terrible fear that he would
never have the opportunity Of canceling
the past in this way. She might never
get well He could not stand there and
endure this thought for a moment, but
rushed away to her bedside as though his
presence there would prevent such a
catastrophe Detailing him. He felt as
though there was a crisis in his own
life when the fever left his wife so white
and still And when she awoke from the
death-lke sleep, and the doctor, who was
standing by, said she would live, the great
burden that was lifted from off his soul
left him faint and weak, and he went out
in the clear night air, where the very stars
seemed twinkling down with Joy and
sympathy for him, and there, in his great
thankfulness, he knelt down and, for the
first time in his life, tried to pray. He
tried to thank God for his awakening.
Mrs. Thompson's first thought after
comprehending that she had been ill
was that after all no change had come.
She would soon be able to go about the
house and then everything would go On
in the old way. Often afterward she won.
dered how she could have been SO
wicked, as she lay there scarcely nearer
life than death, as to desire to leave her
children without mothers care and ten
derness. She never took up the old bur.
den the burden of thankless toil-with
the feeling that no one cared for her.
Long before she got well she
felt that she had made great mistake in
thinking that her husband and children
did not love her. 1t was happy time
for her when she was able to resume her
labors, or that portion of them that her
husband would allow her to resume. OF
course she was often tired after her days
work was done, but there is such differ.
ence when the WEAKNESS of the Dody is
not also accompanied by the WEAKNESS
born of Encouragement.
As Mr.. Thompson saw his wife again
about the house, making their home so
pleasant and cheerful, he learned what
Joy there is in thankfulness. He was
thankful, not only because she had not
left their home forever, but also because
she had returned to him the Bertha of
long ago.
Mrs. Thompson's prayer was answered.
Her life was made different Yet she felt
that the change was in great measure
wrought in herself. When everything
goes smoothly we forget that those we
love have ever been unkind to US. And
so Mrs. Thompson remembered naught OF
the bitterness of the past excepting her
| r,aat rpiotoka IN oiuspp IN thnca