, 1875-06-05
srRUectISa TnROUGH THE RIFT.

Andrew Lee came home from his
shop, where he had worked all day,
tired and out of spirits, came home
to his wife, who was also tired and
out of spirits. ro
A smiling wife and a cheerful
home-paradise it would be, said
Andrew to himself, as he turned
his eyes from the clouded face of
Mrs. Lee and sat down with knit
ted brows and moody aspects. Not
word was spoken by either. Mrs.
Lee was getting supper, and she
moved about with a weary step.
Come, said she at last, with a
side glance at her husband.
Andrew arose and went to the
table. he was tempted to speak
an angry word, but controlled
himself and kept silent. He could
find no fault with the chop and
homemade bread, nor the fra
grant tea. They would have cheer
ed his inward man, if there had
been a CLEAN OF sunshine on the
face Of bis wife. he noticed she
did not eat.
Are you not well, Maryf ~
These words were on his lips,
but he did not utter them, for the
face Of his wifs lookedisorepsl-
LIANT, that he feared an irritating
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And 50, in moody silence, the
twain sat together, until Andrew
had finished his supper. bsqar
As he pushed bis chair back, his
wife arose and commenced clear
ing of the table. t...s
This is purgatory, said Leeuto
himself, as be commenced walking
the floor Of their little breakfast
room. With his handsthtust into
bis trovser-pockets, and his chin
almost touching his breaste ls :
After removing and taking the
things into the kitchen, Mrs. Lee
spread green cover on the table
and, placing a freshly trimmed
lamp thereon, went sout and shut
the door after her, leaving her
husband alone with his UNPLEASANT
feelings. he took :, long, deep
breath, and as be did 90, paused
in his walk, stood still uf0r some
moments, and then, drawing . pa
per from his pocket, sat down BY
the table, opened the sheet and
commenced reading5a Singularly
enough, the words upon which his
eyes rested were aPfaise your
wife, They rather tended to in.
crease the disturbance Of mind
from which he was suffering, nig i
/ Ishould like to have some oc-
caxion for praising mine. How
quickly his thoughts expressed
that ill-natured sentimen entl But
his eyes-were on the papeF-before
him and he read on: q tsed
Praise your wife, man; for
PHYS sake give her a little On :
couragement, It won't burt her. Z"
Andrew Lee raised his eyes and
muttered; Oh yes that's all very
welIs praise is cheap enough, But
praise her for what? His eyes fell
again on the paper. l7lg 1if'd =
She has made your home com
Portable, your hearth bright and
shining, your food agreeable; for
PHYS sake tell her you thank her,
il nothing more. She don't ex-
pect it. 1t will make her eyes
wider than they have been for ten
years, butit will do her good for
all that, and you too. ~ g
It seemed to Andrew as if this
sentence was written expressly for
lhim, and just for the occasion. 1t
was . complete answer to the
question, sPfaiss ber for what, I"
and he felt it, also, as . rebuke.
Hesread no further, for thoughts
came too busy and in a new direc-
ton. Memory was convincing him
of injustice to his wife. She had
always made bis home as comfort
able as she could make it, and had
he offered the slightest return of
praise or commendation2 Had he
ever told her of the satisfaction he
had known, or the comfort he had
experienced? He was not able to
recall the time or occasion. As
he thought thus, Mrs. Lee came in