The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-03-02

Maurice read every word much moro
attentively and thoughtfully than Annie
had expected him to do.
II think you like our idea," she said.
Maurice replied that he liked it par
ticularly.
Papa says" Miss Annie once more
continued, "that it will improve all our
minds and make us think; and that we
can never tell who besides ourselves
may read the odd sentence for the day,
nor where its influence may end"
1.-The influence will spread, and SO
will the example, which / shall follow,
for one," said Maurice.
And Annie was delighted.
Much earlier than usual Maurice was
on his way home, still endeavoring, as
he went, to digest the odd sentence,
"Made to tread those steps with sorrow
which he might have trod with delight"
Oh! yes! it would be just so with him
he knew that very well-if he did not
take care; for our lives, as he reminded
himself, are great deal more in our
own hands than we are inclined to be-
lieve.
He had q pleasant, neat little home, q
kind, loving, thrifty, industrious young
wife, and dear little son. He had
youth and health and strength and easy
employment, with good prospect of adj
vancement. And he had actually been
thinking in his heart of giving up at
least half of these blessings and going
to seek wealth and imaginary content
in a foreign land.
Why, how foolish he had been! He
That sgnH1 cnnfannnn had
been the means of pointing it out to
him. Going on simply and patiently in
the safe and right way before him, he
would tread his path with delight. But
if he gave way to the host of foolish, I'M
manly, impatient, murmuring thoughts
that had so beset him of late, those same
steps, fair and untrodden before him
now, would very probably have pres
emily to be taken in bitter repentance
and sorrow.
mo" he said to himself, as he was
nearing his own door, Carrie belongs
to me, and to her; and l will not
leave her even for q time, to struggle on
alone, when there is no real need.
What good would money do me if /
came back by and by to find home and
HCdlbI OCSOldtC. llCOo hOOP-
ing alive-need cherishing as well as
winning. L wonder l never thought of
that before. How can / be sure that my
wife's love would outlast my desertion?
How can tell whether, after carelessly
leaving behind me the best and truest
delights which this world can give, l
might not have to wander over the
world in loneliness and regret for the
remainder of my days?"
Night was drawing on, but Carrie
still sat with her baby in her arms. BY
and by the little clock on the mantle
shelf struck the half-hour after nine.
$50 late!' she murmured, glancing
up. But bending softly over her
sleeping child and kissing its little face,
soft as velvet-'your mother has not
been wasting time, baby!''
No, for Carrie had also had her per-
plexities and vexations to think over
and to unravel, and her decision to ar
rive at. Moreover, she had arrived atit
And now the disturbed frown which
had been there all the evening cleared
away from her brow, and she appeared
quite disposed to be cheerful.
And next she stole up stairs with her
baby boy, and quickly down again, to
put away her work and to stir and mend
the fire and to sweep the hearth, and
make everything look neat and bright
and pleasant again.
''It is of no use to take so much notice
of trifles," said the little woman TO her.
self, "as if this life were all. l must go
on and do the best l can. To find fault
and to fret and to look dull and dOleful
whenever Maurice comes in will GER
tainly not make him care more for me;
but"
She paused-for she had heard her
husbands step. And with glad light
in her eyes she sprung up from her
kneeling position on the hearth, and
met him with bright smile; and he
kissed her fondly and TO her secret sur
prise) appeared as cheerful as herself.
Zone word and one look" Of her hus-
bands, as she had said to herself, had
opened her eyes to the fact that he had
not married her exactly for love. And
she had wished, with strong feelings of
anger and jealousy combined, to inquire
further into particulars. But her decis-
ion had been to say nothing more about
81 am not clever" she had thought
to herself; II do not know how to win
love easily, as some women do; and l
cannot think and think, so hard and so
long-my thoughts only get into con-
fusion. l shall just try to be always
cheerful, and never to descend to re-
proachcs, forif 'reproaches break friend
ships as they are said to do, they must
surely break love Also"
So she had thought few hours be-
fore, as she had sat there all alone with
her baby in her arms, and so she was
thinking still as she stood now by her
husbands side.
Their eyes met; he put his arm around
her, and then, rs though he had seen
her thoughts, he told her all she had
wished to know.
He had, in plain words, married
Carrie in a fit of pique. He had loved,
and for short time had been engaged
to, girl who had unconcernedly given
him up for n richer man.
But Carrie had been ALWAYS true.