The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-02-10
Mr.. and Mrs. Smithers.

We were talking about Mr.. and Mrs.
John Smithers--papa and the girls and /
and ! said theirs was not one of the
matches made in heaven. by any means.
why, womanl what do you mean =?
papa said, while both girls raised their
hands and oh'd and ah' d and said some
very pointed things about some peoples
dullness
What makes you think they are not
happy married pair2' asked papa, with
an incredulous smile
81 would know by one thing il never
knew aught of them save that" said
and it is the tone OF her voice. Did you
never shrink from it as you would from
the grating sound Of a dull saw, or from
the angry reach of green-eyed cats
claws2 / always do"
II never detected anything in her
voice, I'm sure" said papa 81 remem-
Der that she speaks distinctly and in a
clear tone, easily understood by dull old
old ears like mine"
The subject was dropped. None OF
US thought any more about it. But the
Smithers were at our house at tea last
Thursday evening, by special invitation.
Now watch EN-. and see for your
selves" said as heard her quick step
on the porch, away ahead Of his careful,
measured, manly tread.
1t was not ten minutes until Bunny
Smithers had strolled off into the bed
room and was trying to lift the pitcher
preparatory to performing ablutions after
his own manner of thinking. Mrs.
Smithers was busy doing something, and
she merely flung a careless glance at her
husband and said in a quick, cold impa-
tient, snap of a way: John, look after
Bum Why, the very way she said il
was like sudden gust from the north !
She might have said it in q dozen differ
ent ways that would have mellowed the
request, and toned il down from a posi-
tive command into a positive pleasure
Now ..neighbor, Mrs. Lene Mathews,
a poor woman who cannot read or write,
and who never had a tenth Of the advan-
tages that Mrs. Smithers has had, would
have said in voice soft and kind and
musical: Would you please see that
baby is in no mischief. husband 2 or.
John, be so kind as to look after Bunny,
will you ?" or, II hate to trouble you but.
I'm afraid that child will meddle with
something or, Il wish you'd look after
the little man, please"
Now, some people are so constituted
that they really hate anything like n
command; it kind of maddens and
annoys them, but if the request be kind
ly spoken, and in a bland, polite tone,
they are proud and glad to comply.
don't know how it is with Mr.. Smithers,
but | observed that when he moved of
to get the dear busy little olive plant, he
moved slowly, and as though he felt
more like bound boy, or a man-ofall-
work, a sort of an old hack-about, than
the dignified head Of a family, "Mr. ohm
Smithers, dealer in groceries, hardware,
notions, DC.
After while his wife was out on the
porch fixing up some grapes and pears to
carry home, and she needed some
thing to set her basket on, when,
without any attempt to help herself, she
cried out in her hard, unsympathizing.
icy voice, Bring me a chair Smithers
In about six seconds the call was repeat
ed with increased noise and vehemence,
and more dictatorial, Bring me a chair,
/ say, John Father rose and carried
his chair out to her, and l thought the
surprised, questioning look he gave her
was quite as good as a reprimand.
Now / want women who read this to
take IL right home to themselves. and if
fits any of you, why, plead guilty and
turn over a new leaf, / am amazed when
/ listen to the different voices and j hear
so many of them hard, and cold, and cut
ting as lashes. Don't say How silly
that would be to smooth over everything
| say = 1t is not silly-iI is humane,
loving, tender, appreciative, and your
duty. IL your growing children are
always accustomed to hear you speak
harshly, to command, to dictate, to neg
lect the cultivation Of your voice, they
will know no other way than yours, and
in the future homes over which they will
preside, the same spirit, and the same
voice, coarse, domineering, loud, repul-
sive, and almost brutal, will be theirs and
their childrens' after them. These are
little things, and yet when We contem-
plate the results, and the present and
the future, we are lost in painful aston
ishment And now turn over the leaf
and begin cultivating the voice; if there
was a tinge of harshness or combativeness
in it, let It be purged as by fire, and may
the spirit of peace enter in and abide in
your hearts. RosELLA.