Connecticut western news., 1883-07-11

| NC1y
 He might be in body, but not in mind;
 that was plain, for his voice was far from
 being cheerful.
 She played and sang his favorite pieces,
 hoping to restore, by the charm of music,
 brightness to his spirit. But she was
 conscious of only partial success. There
 was still a gravity in his manner never
 perceived before. At tea-time she
 smiled upon him so sweetly across the
 table, and talked to him on such attract
 i've themes, that the right expression re- turned to his coulltenance, and he looked
 as happy as she could desire.
 From the tea-table they returned to
 their pleasant parlor. And now the time
 had come for offering her gift and re-
 ceiving the coveted reward of glad sur
 prise, followed by sweet kisses and loving
 words. Was she selfish Did she think
 more of her reward than of the pleasure she would bestow? But that is ques- tioning too closely.
 | "1 will be back, in a moment" she said, and, passing from the room, she went lightly up the stairs. Both tone and manner betrayed her secret, or rather the possession of 8 secret, with which her husband was to be surprised. Scarcely had her loving face faded from before his eyes when thought returned, with 8 the day, and the waters of his spirit were again troubled He had actually arisen and crossed the floor once or twice, moved by @ restless concern, when his wife came back with the dressing-gown and slippers. She was trying to force her countenance into grave expression, to hold back the smiles that were con- tinually striving to break in truant cir cles around her lips, when single glance at her husbands face told her that the spirit, driven away by the exor- cism of her love, had returned again to his bosom. He looked at her soberly as she came forward.
 "What are these?" he asked, almost coldly, repressing surprise and affecting an ignorance in regard to the beautiful present she held in her hands that he did not feel.
 "They are for you, dear. I made them"
 "For me! Nonsensel What do I want with such jimcrackery? This is woman's wear. Do you think I would disfgure my feet with embroidered slip pers, or dress up in calico gown? Put them away, dear. Your husband is too much of man to robe himself in gay colors like clown or an actor.'' And he waved his hand with an air of con- tempt. There was cold, sneering man. her about him, partly affected and partly l real-the real born of his uncomfortable | state of mind. Yet he loved his sweetk wife, and would not; of set purpose, have wounded her for the world. {, This unexpected repulse-this cruel reception of her present, over which she had wrought patiently, in golden hope, for many days this flashing to the earth | of her brimtul cup of joy, just as it touched her lips, was more than the fond | young wife could bear. To hide the tears that came rushing to her eyes she i turned away from her husband, and to conceal the sobs she had no power to | repress, she went almost hurriedly from the room; and, going back to the cham Der from whence she had brought the present, she laid it away out of sight in closet. Then, covering her face with her hands, she sat down and strove with herself to be calm. But the shadow was too deep-the heartache too heavy.
 In little while her husband followed | her, and discovering, something to his surprise, that she was weeping, said, in a slightly reproving voice:
 "Why bless me not in tears! What 8 silly little puss you are Why didn't you tell me you thought of making dressing gown and pair of slippers, and I would have vetoed the matter at once You couldn't hire me to wear such Haunting things. Come back to the parlor"-he took hold of her arm and lifted her from the chair ''and sing and play for me. The Dream Waltz or The Tremolo, Dearest May or The Silly Night are worth more to me than forty dressing gowns or cargo of en- broidered slippers
 Almost by force, he led her back to the parlor and placed her on the music stool. He selected favorite piece and laid it before her. But tears were ill her eyes, and she could not see note Over the keys her fingers passed in skillful touches, but when she tried to take up the song utterance failed, and sobs broke forth instead of words.
 "How foolish p said the husband, in 8 vexed tone. "Fm surprised at you!' And he turned from the piano and walked across the room.
 A little while the sad young wife re- mained where she was left thus alone, and in partial anger. Then, rising, she went slowly from the room-her hus- band not seeking to restrain her-and going back to her chamber, sat down in darkness.
 The shadows which had been cast upon her spirit was very deep, and, though the hidden sun came out again right early, it was long time before his beams had power to scatter the clouds that f1oated in loves horizon.
 The shadows we cast Father, hus- band, wife, sister, brother, son, neighbor are we not all casting shadows daily on some hearts that are pining for the sunlight of our faces? We have given you two pictures of life, true pictures,