The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-03-27
UNDER A CLOUD.

Tt was the remark of lady to he
friend, as Mra. Loring passed her win
dow. Mrs. Loring had ridden out fol-
the fi~et tiuno for months not now O
her own choice, but in obedience to thu
solicitation of friend, and the positiv,
command of her physician. She was il
deep sorrow, refusing all comfort
Heavy clouds were in her sky-blacl
clouds, through which not ray of sun
shine penetrated.
"Fever, answered the friend, while
a shade caught from Mrs. Loring't
countenance fitted across her own face
"Who can she be?"
Didn't you recognize her?"
"No. The countenance was, to me-
that of stranger"
81 can hardly wonder that it should
be So" said the friend, "for she is sadly
changed. That was poor Mrs. Loring,
who lost her two children last winter
from scarlet fever"
"Mrs. Lorirg!" !" The lady might
well look surprised. "Sorrow has in
deed done fearful work there. But is
it right thus to sit under cloud right
thus to oppose no strong barrier to the
waters OF sffliction that 60 sweeping
over the soul, marring all its beauty +"
"It is not right" was the answer.
"The heart that sits in darkness, brood.
ing over its loss, SORROWS with selfish
sorrow. The clouds that shut out the
sun are exhalations from its own stag
nant surface. It makes the all-pervad.
ing gloom by which it is surrounded.
pity Mrs. Loring, unhappy sufferer
that she is; but my pity for her is al
ways mingled with a desire to speak
sharp rebuking words, in the hope to
agitate the slumberous atmosphere in
which she is enveloped like a shroud."
81 WONDER" remarked the other,
that her husband permits her to
brood so long in idle grief over the in.
evitable."
Husbands" was replied, shave
often the least salutary influence over
their wives when bowed with afflictiop.
Some men have no patience with dis
plays of excessive grief in women, and
are, therefore, more ignorant than chill
dren in regard tosits treatment. Such q
man is MIR. Loring. All that he does
or says, therefore, only deepens the
encompassing shadow. A wise, un-
selfish man, with mind to realize some
thing of his wiie's true state, and a
heart to sympathize her, will always
lead her from beneath the clouds OF
sorrow upward to the cheerful heights
upon which the sunshine rests. If she
shows unwillingness to be led; il she
courts the shadows and hide in the gloom
of her own dark repinings, he does not
become impatient. He loves her with
too unselfish love for this. And so he
brings light to her on his own counte-
nance, the sunshine OF even affected
cheerfulness that penetrates the murky
atmosphere in which she sits, and warns
her heart with its genial radiance.
Thus he wooes her with sunny CLEANS
from the clear sky that yet bends over
her, and that will make all again bright
and beautiful on the earth of her spirit,
she will hnt lift herself above the
clouds. 1t is the misfortune of Mrs.
Loring that she is not blessed with such
a husband" .... ..
The subject of this conversation had
on that morning yielded to the solicta-
tions of one of her nearest friends, and
with great reluctance consented to 90
out with her in her carriage. 49,. :
81 shall be much better at home. I"
She objected tosthe urgent appeal of her
friend. ,"This quiet suits me. The
stiffness of my own chamber accords
best with my feelings. The glare and
bustle of the busy streets will only dis.
turb me deeper. l know il is kindness
in you; but it is mistaken kindness .
To reason with her would have been
useless, and 80 reason was not attempted.