The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-06-30
A SMILE FOR HOME.

A SMILE FOR HOME.
"Take that home with you. my
DEAR" said Mrs. Lewis, her manner
half smiling, half serious.
Take what home, Caddy?" said
Mr.. Lewis, turning towards his wife
curiously.
Now, Mrs. Lewis had spoken from
the moments impulse, and already
partly regretted her remark.
Take what homew repeated her
husband; 81 don't understand you"
''That smiling face you turned upon
Mr.. Edwards when you answered his
question just now."
Mr.. Lewis slightly averted his head
and walked on in silence. They had
called in at the store of Mr.. Edw ards to
purchase few articles and were now
on their way home. There was no smile
on the face of Mr.. Lewis now, but q
very grave expression instead-grave
almost to sternness. The words of his
wife had taken him altogether by sur
prise; and though, spoken lightly, had
Jared upon his ears.
Mr.. Lewis, like many other men. was
in the habit of bringing home, and toe
often, a clouded face.
Mrs. Lewis was already repenting.
Her husband was sensitive TO a fault.
He could not bear even an implied cen.
sure from his wife; and so she had
learned to be very guarded in this par.
ticular.
Block after block was passed and
street after street crossed, and still there
was silence between them.
"What then, Caddyp'
Mrs. Lewis almost started at the
sound of her husbands voice, break
ing unexpectedly upon her ear in a soft
ened tone.
What thenP" he repeated, turning
toward her, and looking down into heI
shyly upturned face.
''1t would send happiness through the
whole house." said Mrs. Lewis, her
tones all trembling with feeling.
"You think so?'
90 know so! Only try it, dear, fol-
this one evening""
q. 1t isn't so easy thing to put on a
smiling face, Caddy, when thought is
oppressed with care"
- 1t didn't seem to require much eff.
fort Just now," said Mrs. Lewis, glanc-
ing up at her husband with something
of archness in her look
Again the shadow dropped down
again partly turned away; and again
they walked ON in silence.
After remaining gravely silent, be-
cause he was undergoing a brief self.
examination, Mr.. Lewis said:
"Tou thought the smile given to Mr..
Edwards came easily enoughp"
"a 1t didn't seem to require an effort, +"
replied Mrs. Lewis.
"No, not much effort was required -
said Mr.. Lewis His tones were slight
ly depressed. "But this must be taken
into the account: my mind was in a
certain state of excitement or activity
that repressed sober feelings and made
smiling an easy thing. So we smile and
are gay in company at the cost of lit
tie effort, because all are smiling and
gay, and we feel the common sphere OF
excitement. How different it is when
we are alone 1 need not say. You.
Caddy, are guilty of a sober face at
home as well as l." Mr.. Lewis spoke
with a tender reproof in his voice.
' But it is caught from yours oftener
than you imagine" replied Mrs. Lewis.
"Are you certain of that, Caddya"
every certain. You make the sun
shine and shadow of your home. Smile
upon us; give us cheerful words; enter
into our feelings and interests and there
will be no brighter home. A shadow
on your countenance is a veil for nv
heart, and the same is true of our chill
dren."
Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis were now at
their own door, where they paused a
moment and went in. Instantly on
passing his threshold Mr.. Lewis felt the
pressure upon him of his usual state.
The hue of his feelings began to
change. The cheerful, interested ex-
terror put on for those he met in busi-
ness intercourse began rapidly to
change and a sober hue to succeed.
Like most business men, his desire for
profitable results was even far in ad-
vance of the slow evolutions of trade,
and his daily history was history OF
disappointments, in some measure
dependent upon his restless anticipa-
tions. He was not willing to work and
to wait, as he should be; and, like
many of his class, neglected the pearls
that lay here and there along his life
paths, because the best were inferior
in value to those he hoped to find just
a little way in advance. The con.
sequence was that. when the days bust.
ness was over, his mind fell into q
brooding state and fingered over its
disappo!ntments, or looked forward
with falling hope in the future for
hope in many things had long been de-
fered. And so he rarely had smiles for
his home.
"Thank you for the words" said he,
81 will not forget them"
And he did not; but at once rallied
himself, and to the glad surprise OF
Jennie, VIII and Mary, met them with
a new face, covered with fatherly
smiles, and with pleasant questions in
pleasant tones of their days employ
ments. The feelings of children move
in quick transitions. They had not ex'
pected a greeting like this. but the re-
sponse was immediate. Little Jennie
climbed into her fathers arms. Will
came and stood by his chair. answering
in lively tones his questions, while