Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-02

e6.
Every we'll. Let that pass. You
know she is bearing part OF the bur
DEM"
Yes, l know that"
"And now, my boy. 10 you compre-
hend where the heaviest part of this
burden is lodged?'
Clarence looked upon his interlocutor
wonderingly.
eff the storm had all blown over,
and you knew that the sun would shine
when you next entered your home, you
would not feel so unhappy !"
Clarence assented.
But" continued Mr.. Wardle, you
fear that there will be gloom in your
home when you return ?"
The young man bowed his head as he
replied in the affirmative.
Because" the merchant added, with
a touch of parental sternness in his
tone, you are resolved to carry it
there !"
Clarence looked up in surprise.
III carry it?"
AYE you have the burden in your
heart, and you mean to carry it home.
Remember, my boy, I have been there,
and know all about it. l have been
very foolish in my lifetime, and have
suffered, until l discovered my folly,
and then resolved that would suffer
no more. Upon looking the matter
squarely and honestly in the face, |
found that the burdens which had so
CALLED me had been self-imposed. Of
course such burdens can be thrown off.
Now you have resolved you will go to
dinner with heavy heart and dark
face. You have no hope that your wife
will meet you with smile. And why ?
Because you know that she has no par
ticular cause for smiling. You know
that her heart is burdened with the at.
Fiction which gives you so much I'M
rest, and you are fully assured that you
are to find your home shrouded in
gloom. And, furthermore, you don't
know when that gloom will depart and
when the blessed sunshine of love will
burst in again. And why don't you
know? Because it is not now in your
heart to sweep the cold away. You say
to yourself, l can bear it as long as
she can ! Am l not right?"
Clarence did not answer in words.
81 know l am right pursued the
merchant "and very likely your wife
is saying to herself the same thing.
So Clarence, you see it does not rest
upon the willingness to forgive, but
upon the inability to bear the burden.
BY and by it will happen, as it has hap
pened before, that one of the twain
will surrender from exhaustion and it
will be likely to be the weaker party.
Then there will be a collapse, and a
reconciliation. Generally the wife
falls first beneath the CALLING burden,
because her love is keenest and most
sensitive. The husband in such case
acts the part of coward. When he
might, with a breath, blow the cloud
away, he cringes and covers until his
wife is forced to let the sunlight in
through her breaking heart.
Clarence listened, and was troubled.
He saw the truth, felt its weight. He
was not fool, nor was he liar. Dur
ing the silence that followed he reflect
ed upon the past, and he called to his
mind scenes just as Mr.. Wardle had de.
picted. And this brought him to the
remembrance of how he had seen his
wife weep when she had failed and sank
beneath the heavy burden, how often
she had sobbed upon his bosom in grief
for her error.
The merchant read the young mans
thoughts, and after time he rose and
touched him upon the arm.
Clarence, suppose you we're to put
on your hat and 60 home now. Sup.
pose you should think, on your way,
only Of the love and blessing that might
be with this thought, you should enter
Your abode with smile upon your
face; and You should put your arms
around your wife's neck, and kiss her,
and softly say to her: My darling,
have come home to throw down the
burden I took away with me this morn
ing. 1t is greater then 1 can bear.
Suppose you were to do this. would
your wife repulse you?"
Repulse me "
"Ah. my boy, you echo my words
with an amazement that shows that you
understand me. Now. sir, have you
the courage to try the experiment
Dare you to be so much of man? Or
do you fear to let your dear wife know
how much you love her? Do you fea,
she would respect and esteem you less
for the deed? Tell me-do you think
the cloud of unhappiness might thus
be banished? Oh, Clarence, if you
would out try it "
Sarah Spencer had finished her worl
in the kitchen, and in the bed cham be,
and sat down with her work in her lap
But she could not ply her needle. Hel
heart was heavy and sad, and tears were
in her eyes.
Presently she heard the front door
open, and a step in the passage. Ger
tainly she knew that step Yes, her
husband entered, and smile upon his
face. She saw it through her gather
ing tears, and her heavy heart leaped
up. He came and put his arms around
her neck, and kissed her aud he said
to her in broken accents, Darling,
have come home to throw down the
burden l took away with me this morn.
ing. 1t is greater than can bear"
And she, trying to speak, pillowed
her head upon his bosom and sobbed
and wept like child. Oh! could he