The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-22
THE GENIUS OF DlscoRD.
BY sYLYANts COBB.

Not long since clerical friend related
to me the. circumstances of parochial
visit he was once called upon TO make.
1t was where there mad heen great dis
cord between husband and wife, said
discord having broken the air outside
their home and seriously scandaiized
their neighbors. There were Two parties
outside, as there had come 10 be Two |,
parties within. One party laid all the
blame upon the husband and denounced
him as brute; while the other declared
that the wife was spittire and ter
magant. The minister was, at length,
called upon to visit the unhappy pair,
they beng members of his socfety, and |
discover where the fault really lay. He
went, and on his return he vas eagerly
| questioned as to which OF the two was
| w blame. l. .i4s ,.a. $50 a.. .4s.r ,nJI
"Neither,v answered the minister. 81
| have blame for neither-only pity. They |
have both been unfortunate. When l |
have tod you their story, he among you |
who is sure he would have maintained |
Mis- goodness of ASTON under the circum- |
staReas-he or she-may cast the hrst
stone."
| But 1 do not propose to repeat the
clergyman's story. 1t was only another
proof of how little we are quallled to
judge OF the merits OF domestic troubles
where we only see the discord and the
turmoil; and it brought to my mind an
experience of like nature which came
within my own observation and under
| standing. ......--.
Once upon time business called me
into distant State, and on the evening
of day that had been quite stormy,
found myself in the compact, thriving
village of Cnarwick, with quarters at
well-kept inn. AS l came out from the
supper-room met, in the hall, man
whose face seemed familiar. lie olu hot
observe me, however, and as he was on
his way out from the house did not ac-
cost him. Shortly after having taken
nv scat in the bar-room my attention
was attracted to the conversation OF
three roughly clad, haTd-tisted men, who
were smoking most villanous tobacco III
black clay pipes. , ,-....
Nobody wouldn't suspect it to see
} 'em out to meetin', or to a sho," said
, a puffy faced man OF the trio, "but
it's fact, know. Pve worked there,
and I've seed 1T; and next door neigh
Dor told me he'd seed Jack chuck his
3 vile out OF doors within week. guess
r they live drefful Unhappy"
l. ..Iu course they QO," said second OF
. the party. "They tight like cats and
n dogs. One day when was there they
O had row Fat was enough to make yer
l. hair stand right up"
"Wno wonuers" demanded the third
|, speaker. Mrs. Boole is a regular tiger
:. "a wild cat in petticoats. Poor Jack
q l'has to put on heavy hand once i'll q
:, while to keep her down soft he can live.'
And they went on talking, two OF the
5, party blaming the wife, while one was
= willing to think the husband somewhat
- at fault; and one OF the former only
g wished that he could have the handling
of Mrs. Jack Boole-he'd "trlm he
ldown."
Of listened long enough to know tha
" they were talking of John Boole and his
wife, and then l knew it was Johr
y Bouie whom had seen in the hail.
ol Iwalked out Of doors to reflect upol
I'd this strange occurrence. John Boolt
4 and l mad been schoolmates and play
:, mates in boyhood, and Clara Acton hat
III been ct our youthful set. Both Jonn anl
lie Clara had been my bosom friends as WI
T: grew up together, and l had believed
ID them formed only for comfort and hap
- piness. Twelve years before had see
y Them married, aud had wished them joy
u believing In my heart they would find il
ta And afterwards they had moved away
Could these Two of whom had hear,
such painful reports be the Jack ant
Clara Of my old acquaintance? 1t woul,
le seem so; and yet, whence had come LII
n spirit oil discord? had known Jack TO
~ a high-spirited and resolute youth
. and had Known Clara lor a sensitive
j. lree-spoken maiden, with independence
at and decision Of character enough to de
il, lend her rights. Surely their love ha
~ been strong and true, and they ha
IN started In life under smiling skies
e. What was the meaning of this unpleai
m ant revelation?
or On the following day / ascertaine
where John Boole lived, and called upo
y him. found him in his stable. He wa
vi indeed my old Jack, and glad to see mt
and as we talked OF the old times hi
lace grew brigh like the face had know
off in oLner years.
or BY and by / asked after Clara. I'll
countenance fell, and could see That Il
gu was trying to hide a sorrow. ...,. d..
i'd s'She's Well" he replied, "and will
ch glad to see you." ..
After while we went to the hous
,e where we found Clara. She greeted n
Ia kindly = even joyously. But she hs
ps changed more Than had John. She hi
a q grown older than he, and there we
deeper lines OF care upon the face whe
10 once dwelt only beauty and sunshin
There was surely trouble somewher
ALlength, however, as we talked of Il
re old happy days, her face Look back mu,
ut of its brightness, and the moments spe
PLEASANTLY.
10 1t was now toward the middle of Il
he forenoon, and Clara urged that shou
,at spend the day and tile night benea
40 their roof. They could not afford TO pa
90 with an old friend too soon. AS my bu
ay ness was not pressing, and as h
nd treason to believe that / might spend
o pleasant evening with them, agreed
49, stop.
" The afternoon Jack and / spent up
lst the shore of a neighboring lake .hshi
for piekerel, and the evening we .spe
in most pleasant conversation at home
m After L had retired for the night Il Il
ice and thought upon what had seen al
heard. II was very evident that t
me genius of discord was in the heus
we though it had been kept out OF sig
lit since nay arrival. And why should tn
lie be? Surely these two loved one anothe
80 and were capable of making each 9th
IL. blessed and happy. had read in JACK
all face that evening deep wish Of b
in heart-I had seen it when he lookt
= upon his Wife--and the wish had been
20, that Clara would always be Lii
a., thlsp' And SO had read in Clara's la
" t,a ,anaa aornaaf hoo ri. .fnl nru