Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-07-25
SELECT STORY.
DON'T.

Mrs. Landell to her husband. 81
hope nothing has gone wrong during
the day ?"
Mr.. Landell, who had been sitting
with his eyes upon the floor, silent
and abstracted, reused himself at
these words, and, looking at his wife,
smiled as he answered:
"Oh, no. Nothing has gone
wrong.
"Don't you feel well ?" The voice
Of Mrs. Lande!l was just shaded with
concern.
"Wcll enough in body, but not so
good in mind as desire"
"lhen something has gone wrong"
said the wife.
Her manner was slightly troubled.
"Nothing more than usual" Mr..
Landcll replied.
The forced smile had faded from
his c0untenance.
Mrs. Landell sighed.
Than usual" she repeated his
words, looking with earnest inquiry
into her husbands face. Then she
added tenderly: Bring home your
trouble, dear. Don't hide anything.
Let me share with you all the good
and i'll of life Hearts draw nearer
in sorrow than they do in JOY"
"Bless your kind heart, ALICE"
said Mr.. Landell, d broad smile
sweeping over his face, as he caught
her round cheeks in his hands and
kissed her. "There isn't anything
| in the case so serious us that comes
to. Iam not going to fail IN business
have not lost anything worth
speaking about; have not cheated
anybody, and DO not intend doing so.
1t is only this hasty, impulsive tenn
per of mine that is all the while lead
ing lie to do or say something
that leaves a sting"
The cloud passed from the face Of
his wife.
"You will overcome that in time,
Edward" sad she, encouragingly.
81 cannot see that [ make any pro-
gress. Yesterday | spoke sharply to
one of my young men, when Il mild
reproof would have been juster and
| of more salutary effect. He is SEN
sitive, and my words hurt HIM Sc
verelv. The shadow that remained
on his face all day was my perpetual
rebuke. and | felt it long after the
sun went down. My punishment was
greater than his. But the lesson of
yesterday did not suffice. This morn
ming | was again betrayed into cap
tious language that wounded the
same young man and threw him so
much off his guard that he answered
me back with some feeling. This |
regarded at impertinence, and threat
ened to dismiss hlm from my service
If he dared venture repetition OF
the Language. When feeling subsidized
and thought became clear again, |
saw that I had been wrong and done
wrong. And | have felt unhappy
about it ever since. | wish | had
more selfcontrol; that | could bride
my tongue when feeling is suddenly
spurred. But temperament and
long-indulged habits are both against
me-"
Mrs. Landell encouraged and
soothed her husband, and so won his
mind away from its brooding and
self-reproaches.
On the next morning as Mr.. Lam
dell was about leaving for his ware
house, his wife looked up with a
meaning smile, said:
"Don't."
There was just the slightest per-
ceptlble warning in her tone.
"Don't what ?"
Mr.. Landell seemed a little puz-
zled.
"Don't forget yourself"
"Oh" Light broke in upon his
mind. "Thank you; | will not
And he went forth to meet the
trials Of the day.
Almost the first thing that fell un
der the notice Of Mr.. Landell was al
| important letter, which, after writing
, he had given to the clerk to copy an(
! post. Instead of being where i
: should have been, it lay upon hi
! desk. Neglect like that he felt to b'
objectionable.
uJohn ~