Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-02-24
4 Eelfrt Sturg.
A Heavy Burden.

"Rather heavy burden, isn't 1t my
boy
Clarence Spencer. to whom the
words had been addressed. turned from
the ledger. looked toward the speaker
Clarence was young man-not more
than 25-and he was hookkeeper tc
Solomon Wardlr, pleasant-faced
keen-eycd man of %. who had spoken
"A heavy burden. isn. t :" the mer.
chant repeated.
And still the young man was silent.
His looks indicated that he did not
comprehend. IL had been for some
time bending over the ledger, with
his thoughts far away; aud tuat hi:
thoughts were not pleasant ones, was
evident enough from the gloom on hi:
handsome face.
"My boy. the burden is not only
heavy now. but it will grow heavieI
and heavier the longer YOU carry 1t. ;
MIR Wardle, | do not comprehend
YOU
"Ah, Clarence"
a. certainly do not"
"Diln'tl call at your house for you
this morning."
Clarence nodded assent.
And didn't see and hear enough
to reveal 10 me the burden you TOOK
with YOU when YOU TerryYrr f'7'7ssI
remember. my boy, that am Older
than YOU are. and that have been
through the mill. Iou find your
burden heavy, and I've no doubt that
Sarah's heart is rs heavily laden i:
your own.
Aud then Clarence Spencer under.
stood; and the mornings scene was
present with him, Is il had been pre-
sent with hlm since leaving home. Ga
that morning he had u dispute with
! his wife |; had been OF reproducing
| the scene. Suffice II 10 say Il had
come Of mere nothing. aud had
grown cause Of anger The first had
been Il look and tone; then flash oi
limpatieuce; then rising Of the voice;
then another look; the voice grew high.
er, then reason was unhinged: passion
gained way and the twain lost sight
of the warm, enduring love that las
smitten and aching down deep in their
hearts, and felt for the time only the
passing tornado. And Clarence re-
membered that Mr.. Wardle had en-.
tered the house aud caught sight OF
| the storm.
And Clarence Spencer thought OF
one thing more; he thought how mis-
cradle he had been all the morning
and he knew not how long hi. burden
of unhappiness was to be borne.
"Honestly, Clarence. isn't it "A heavy
and thankless burden:'
| The bookkeeper knew that his EN-.
ployer was his friend that he was
true-hearted Christian man; and,
after pause, he answered. "Ies Mr..
Wardle, 1t is heavy burden
"My boy, am going to venture up
on bit of fatherly counsel. | hope !
shall not offend"
Not at ALL" said Clarence. He
WINGED little, as though the probing
gave him new pain.
"ln the first place" pursued the old
man, with Il quiver of emotion in hi,
voice, ''you love your wife,
Love her? Yes, passionately"
"And do you think she loves you il
return ~
Il don't think anything about it
know"
"You know she loves YOU ?"
eyes"
"Then YOU must admit that tht
trouble of this morning came from NJ
ill-feeling at heart::"
"Of course not"
at was but surface squall, fo
which you, at least, are very sorry"
A moments hesitation, and then
"Ies, yes; am heartily sorry"
"Now mark me, Clarence and an
swer honestly; Don't YOU think you
wife is as sorry as your are"
81 cannot doubt it "
"And don't you think she is suffer
ing all this time:"
"Yes."
"Nery we'll Let that pass. Yor
know she is bearing part of the bur
den:"
eyes, | know that"
"And now, my boy, do yon compre
hend where the heaviest part of tn
burden is lodged?"
Clarence looked upon his interlocu
tor wonderingly.
'1f the storm had blown over, an
you knew that the sun would shin