Smyrna times., 1883-07-04
Casting Shadows.

hey are found, clouds are round about
,hem and their habitation is blackness.
They may be kind well meaning peo-
pie, and we pity them from the bottom
of our souls, for of all men and women
they are among the most miserable.
We would gladly do them good, we
would gladly bring joy and sunshine
into their shadowy homes and desolate
hearts if they would only let us, but
they will not heed our CHEEKY words of
greeting, as we try to draw back the
curtains of darkness that surrounds
them so that ray of sunlight and
freshess may enter their souls. But |
no, they only grasp the veil between
them and the sunlight with firmer |
hand and say nay, nay; that we mean
we'll but that we don't understand their
peculiar case; that the circumstances
by which they are surrounded are so
different from ours; that their diseases
are SO complicated that we cannot un-
derstand; that their trials are so many
and so much harder to be borne than
ours that it is utterly impossible for us
or anybody else to fully realize their
state of mind or body. They tell us
that they are only the wreck or mere
shadow of former strength and beauty,
but oh! so worn and faded now.
We urge change; tell them the day
is fine, that short walk or drive
would do them good. But no; they
cannot endure either. To them the
atmosphere is damp or chilly; they
have rheumatism, neuralgia, lung or
heart disease, and it always makes
them worse whenever they are expos
ed to the open air; or perhaps it may
be work that must be done. Very
likely, for there is plenty of that COM
modify on hand in almost every house
hold.
think there are but few of us who
do not at times overwork, and then we
are apt to become tired, cross and out
of sorts i'll every way. We are sick
and discouraged, and we may as well
own it at once. But is that any reason
why we should make every one who is
obliged to be around us as uncomforta-
BILE as we are ourselves? But, really
can we not accomplish more work in
the twelve months by leaving "Dul
care behind" and spending an hour ol
two occasionally in being happy our
selves and making others so?
Try it once; yes, twice, my despond
ing sister. There is healing in it. l
3 your husband comes in unexpectly an(
says: "I've got to go to town. Dom
you want to put on your hat and 6,
with me? I shall not be gone NOR
! than an hour or two; or if you don
: want to ride as far as town go as far a
Mrs. So-and-So's? ?"-don't let a shadoN
come over you face. Don't say: 81 al
; not ready. 1 have so much to do.
: have to bake pies or puddings for dir
ner, and then you should have told m
= this morning if you had wanted me
! go with you when most likely h
!, himself didn't think of it ten minute
. before.
- Your husband doesn't urge the poir
v He only dons his coat, jumps into h
wagon, and is off to town. But thel
is a shadow somewhere; if it is not O
the brow it may be in the heart, whiC
n, is worse.
r o woman! did you act wisely? Pc
'e haps you could not have left home fi
I'd an hour even on that particular NOR
y, ing; perhaps you had no help, or bal
ne was not well, or there was no bakir
ne done; certainly there were no pies N,
Is pudding; but cookies, doughnuts,
Us even boiled or steamed custard, tn
ne could have been gotten up in a fe
ne minutes on your return, would ha'
n answered once for dessert. / do II
on claim that a woman can leave her wo
IL at any hour in the day or any day
N, the week to even make a call, but if
zee were not convenient for you to lea
We home could you not have declined t
N well-meant invitation more GRACEFUL
ic. Men do not always realize how mu
Id their wives find to keep them at hon
Mt or to worry and fret them, but froW
ing and constant complaining do L
mend matters.
he Ten chances to one, the next til
me your husband has occasion to go
we town he will start across lots, a
to when your nice pie or pudding is tax
on from the table at II o'clock he will l
ter be there. You wait ten, fifteen, p
e haps twenty minutes, and he does !
ses come. The shadows begin to gath
its One o'clock, and the husband put in
be appearance, but the pudding
ace steamed itself away until all its
un- deeming qualities have vanished i
is thin air. The vegetables are there,
lett the relish for them has departed,
has they no longer possess the saw
'wn qualities which they did an hour beft
t is The shadow deepens into frown,
in the late dinner is partaken of in silel
t. which is better than with complai
or sharp and cutting remarks.
Let us try and chase the shad
nds from our brow, Smiles and kind VIC
ers, will do more toward driving them Fl
hli- our own hearts and homes than a
it to thing else we can do. Let us rem
ling Der what the Scripture saith: "Be
ter. is dinner of herbs where love is t
of a stalled OK and contention therewi
ling But wives are not the only ones
ms cast shadows. have known the Of
pers site at the table cast shadows over
tied little household by an uRkind word
look that did not entirely vanish ,
the noon-day meal.
600 MRS. o. ID. SCoFIFL
hels -
crop Mr.sBlaine must be a very rich n
,wn. He says "he has enough" He