Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-08-17
TEMPER AT HOME.

ing but that you may be thrown up, or thrown
down, some early morning, is not pleasant to
think of, though some do it, as the ramblers
by Vesuvius and Etna will tell you.
A few years ago ship Of war found the sea
heaying in m ost indecorous manner around
her anchorage, and the towE close by swinging
about in surprising way, till at length the
throes of the scene ended in the upheaval OF q
few black patches of rock in the bay; and the
sailors began TO fear that their ship might be
left high and dry on the bare back of one OF
these baby islands.
Like unto these experiences, but 10 another
way, is the life of many persons who might
have very happy homes. There are shoulder
ing volcanoes 10 the temper Of father or moth
er. or other important members of the family
and the most triaiog circumstances bring them
into startling activity. As when the carving
knife at dinner is little blunt aud the gentle
man snaps off into magnificent generalization
to the timid occupant of the opposite chair:
"Well. Jane, never get sharp knife ID this
house' as if all other houses were furnished
with the most perfect cutlery that never
needed an edge, and as if she, the gept-
lest of wives, had purposely buDted that
yery knife Just before diuner. Storms pu.
rify the outer air, but they desolate and de-
stroy within the dwelling, and there are
many storms short of tumbling the tea
things in broken heap off the table, or leav-
ing the family meal in torrent OF tears.
Storms of sh ort, 6tful blasts, sharp, bitter
words, iIl-natured and resentfu IT fectlons, tor
meeting and vexations, tauit-hnding. that pro-
yokes children and servants to wrath; all OF
which, wise, not to say pious, Christian people,
ought to watch, strive, and pray against, tor
their own, their children's, their nelghbor
sakes. =.
A hard tall of snow is a beautiful thing soft
or sparkling, as the case may be, outside; out
very damp aud disagreeable by the hreslde.
Aud there are domestic snow-talls-soft as
wool, or sparkling as gems outside-'pleasant
SPOKEN, nice men," who leave all that aside as
they wipe their feet (if they do that, at their
own door; and who become cbeerless, cold, and
decreasing the moment their shadow falls on
their own hearth. The poor mother Instantly
''on her good behavior" the children cease to
be uatural and put on their humble looks, the
dog and cat retire to the corner farthest from
him With an expression which, rightly inter
prered says plainly, Its all up now.' Surely
this is the way to unmake happy bones Come,
now, my dear friend, and let us talk to you. Ii
there is pleasant word 10 your mouth 10 the
twenty-four hours, do say it to that hard work
ing woman whom you vowed to cherish TO
cherish, mind, not only to provide for aud all
that-but to cherish. And those little boys
and girls that are hungry for "petting" and af-
fection from you, cannot you make out
any little manly pleasantly for them? They
are not culprits, of whom you are the jail
or. Why, they are your own children, with
Young hearts iu their bosoms, to whom
home ought to be the dearest place, and father
the best man in the word-"father," the name
and tLs object by which their child's heart
ought to climb up to the notion OF our Father
in heaven! If you had trouble and toll out
side-as who has pot which gathered your
brows and set your lips during the day, lay of
the load when you lay off your coat, and let
your presence make little holiday in the
dwelling. YOU ale the strongest, most COM
manding person there, the husband or house
band. kuotting all together. Well, bind them
together, not with the cold hard grip OF iron,
but with the silken cords Of human love.
Brighten up, and speak cheery; very lean Wit
will be applauded 10 good humored circle, and
your kindly speech will awaken kindly echoes
all through the dwelling. Then the house will
miss you when you are out, and every living
thing in it will welcome your return. You vii!
give happy, healthy. lively tone to the whole
circle, and save tears, time, aud medical atten-
dance. 1t has been said that great men speak
of things, little men of persons. Certainly gos-
siping, slander, and scandal, are more likely to
occur where persons are under discussion than
on the other plan.
WEDDING EVE IN GERMANY. There is,