The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-02-01
"Silence is Golden"


Silence Is Golden.
By MRS. HENRY WARD EEECHEK
We remember when quite young hear
ing 4 schoolboy tell another to "hold his
tongue We exclaimed at the rudeness,
but We're silenced by the grave assurance
that the boy was quoting the eleventh
commandment - Ii a commandment" :"
then we supposed. of course, it must be in
the Bible, and if there it could not be
other than perfectly proper. Aided by
the concordance" we searched the Script
ures for the eleventh commandment" but
failed to find it
But though this specific Injunction cou Id
not be found in the Bible. in ripper years
we have often thought that parents would
show the greatest kindness to young chill
dren il they would teach them from their
earliest years how wise Il thing it is to
bride the tongue, and, what is after all
the most affective teaching, make them
see. by their parents examples that they
believed in and acted upon the lessons
they tried to inculcate.
Words spoken in season are OF the
greatest value; but now and then, even
with our best and dearest. there come
seasons when the gilt of silence is far
more to be desired than the most royal
gifts of eloquence
With almost every one there will arise
something that tempts to dispute; when
to rerain from Il reply would be the bet
ter aswell as the harder way. when even
Il "sott answer has not halt the power of
perfect silence.
With the ignorant and passionate it is
not onl, useless, but the widest folly to
dispute. We doubt if Solomon. with all
his wisOm, was in the most trustworthy
state Of mind when he advised to "answer
a fool according to his folly" He certainly
could not have been influenced by that
wisdom hat comes through inspiration.
With great selt-control sensible people
may dispute OF disagree over points of in
terest ant yet not forget the law Of kind
ness and common sense. But to attempt
to ''answ.r a fool according to his folly"
is to descend to his level.
In the household there are many things
which demand torbearance and good
stock Of mtience In a large family hard
ly an hour goes by, even when all are dis
posed to be ruled by the laws of love and
kindness. when little shadows cannot
pass owe, the horizon which by triiling
irritation or mistake could be nursed into
dark clouds, threatening 4 storm; but by
silence. ly "setting watch over the door
of the multh,' they pass by without rip
pie.
The VIE more than any one, should
have full possession Of the crowning house
hold grace of silence. and know how to
hold her peace even from words OF greet
ing or endearment. Men are so entirely
unlike women in this respect that while
they do love strongly and faithfully they
do not depend on the daily outward ex-
preston of it, as women do. A word Of
endearment. smile, or caress. are all
pleasant enough now and then; but these
little weaknesses are not necessary for
their comfort and happiness; on the con-
trary, a loving wife can dispense with
food now and then and think it no hard
ship if by thus forgetting her own bodily
needs she secures the time to cater for the
taste or minister to the comfort of those
she loves. But these tritling expressions
of affection and tenderness she cannot
dispense with without suffering and loss.
They are her lite. With them her nature
expands, broadens. becomes richer and
nober; without them she withers and is
greatly Impoverished. Some husbands
little know how quick " their wives may
deterlUrate and become mere cold ma
chimes if they pass heedlessly on their way,
the heart-tamine they leave at
But no matler now murna WIIe GRAVES
gentle attentions and loving notice, it il
better that she should teach herself to
know the great strength she may com
mand by 5Nencf not grum. unamiable
silence. but that which gently tends
toward peace and its patient continuance
will sometimes open q husbands eyes to
his unintentioLal neglect, and make him
love and honor his wife all the more Tor
the quiet lesson she has taught him. There
are times in mans life, far more than
III Il woman'5 when any reply to careless
remarks, or complaints Of inattenlion or
seeming neglect. would be unWlSe and
threaten trouble.
A woman in comfortable health natural
], wakes in the morning in 4 pleasant,
happy frame of .nind, inclined to cheerful,
snightly conversation, and. ii her husband
was of the same mind, could in these few
moments Of morning converse and greet
ing drink in enough nectar to make her
eyes bright and her face cheerful all day
long But unfortunately it often happens
that the short time devoted to waking and
dressing are the very moments when a
wise woman will hold her peace and be
coatent to know that loving attentions and
pleasant words have more power and are
better appreciated after hot steak or chop
and good cup Of coffee than before
We agree with the Enquirer" at whose
request we wrote on the subject that such
State of things, with which we judge
she has had a large experience, does not
appear to be Just. But here are the facts.
which in many families are OF too com
mon occurrence. Can you atfecta change
by constant repinins-a long, sad face to
meet the delinquent when he returns? Does
not that mood, which we Judge has been
too common, enhance the evil and risk,
changing carelessness now and then into
a settled Indifference And by expostula-
tions, complaints, and perhaps reproaches.
does not a wife endanger her own love !?
While that shines undiminished there is
always hope that the "dove of peace and
promise" will yet fold its wings and take
up its abode there, and the last days Of
that household be brighter and more love-
ly than the first.
Have we helped Inquirer" toward the
solution of her doubts and fears? +? Will she
try the virtue of silence, Il cheerful silence,
when tempted to "last speeches" and see
if it will not do more to ''litt the cloud''
she thinks she feels settling over her house
than the "bitter invectives she is tempted
by wounded pride and irritated love" to
utter The first, faithfully acted upon.
brings hope OF better times; the latter, if
not at once and forever dismissed. is sure
destruction OF all true love and domestic
peace [Christian Union.
Fore and Aft.
NM. lNh.;rt,,,a, To r,aarra1u y Sail ltan