Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-05-22

there would be no occasion for trial
and discipline. But one thing is cer-
tain, we might all come little nearer
to perfection than We are in the habit
Of doing. Isn't that so7'
Yes The admission came half
reluctantly.
1T is so in my case, said Mr.. Law.
renee. Not q day closes, in which /
do not look back and sigh over short
comings. The great source of all our
troubles in life, Ruth, lies within our
selves. l see this more clearly every
day. II ] could be always right with
myself-if l could always possess my
soul In calmness-I could deal with
events as they touch me, and rarely
experience jar. 1t is from an undue
reaction against the circumstances OF
life that l experience so many disturb
ances. And as it is with me, so it is
with yoa and others. This get
ting right with ourselves is the great
achievement
Mrs. Lawrence dropped her eyes
away from her husbands face, and sat
for some time.
Without self-government,' said Mr..
Lawrence, seeing that his wife did not
reply, and wishing to turn her thoughts
exactly into the new channel, it is
impossible rightly to govern others.
We must be calm ourselves, If we
wish to produce calmness in other
minds; patient, If we would produce
patience; just and discriminating, if
we would produce like conditions. 1t
is the disturbance we ourselves feel
that so often creates disturbance in
those we seek to influence. Now, let
your thoughts 90 down into your own
consciousness, Ruth, and see how it
has been with you in this and other
days of more than ordinary trial with
our restless, impulsive, hard to govern
children. From some cause your
nerves were unstrung, and you were
not able to possess your soul in pa
tience. In almost your FIRST contact
with the children, there came jar,
and after that everything went
wrong -
Mr.. Lawrence ceased speaking, and
an expression of pain went over his
countenance, for suddenly his wife
dropped her face in her hands and
commenced sobbing. The truth he
wished her to see had gone home
From any other lips she could have
taken the admonition calmly, but moth
ing gave her such deep grief as the
knowledge that her husband saw in
her any fault. She was not angry,
but hurt and ,humiliated. 1t was plain,
from the language, that he thought
her government in the household ex-
ceedingly defective-.so at least it
seemed to hel-and the impression
that this judgement was correct went
profoundly into her own convictions.
And, in truth, her little family were
not in all things wisely ordered. Just
the thing most needed her hus-
band had ggested-self-government.
But she could not receive the sug-
gestion witout pain, at least not from
him.
Only "a few moments did Mrs. Law
renee SIT sobbing then shearose, ,andpas
sed from the room, went to the cham
ber where her children were asleep,
and throwing herself, in half abando-
ment of feeling, across bed, let the
tears flow at will All, that was indeed
an hour of bitternessl But the lesson
had gone home.
Mr.. Lawrence sighed as his wife left
the room, and then turned to his book,
but he knew as little of its contents an
hour afterwards as then.
On the next morning, with prayer
on her lips for strength and patience,
Mrs. Lawrence left the pillow where
sleep had been sweet for at least
portion of the night. Already the
voices Of her waking children admon.
ished that her duty must begin.
Through many waking hours had she
reviewed the past, admitting its errors,
and resolving to do differently in the
time to come, and now the time was
at hand. An angry cry from one Of
the children sent q shiver along her
nerves, and gavs her heart a quick
throb. She understood its meaning.
Johnny, her oldest boy. had wilfully
annoyed his sister. Usually, on such
occasions, which were Of daily, and
sometimes of almost hourly occurance,
the mother would come down like a
storm on the offender, and she felt i'm
pelled to do SO now. But, conscious
of her own disturbed state, and aware
that, If she gave way to- her feelings,
all self-control was gone, she stood
still for little while to collect her
thoughts, and then went, with slow
steps and repressed manner, into the
room occupied by the children.
What is the trouble he-e? she
asked, but in a voice so strange to
them under the circumstances that they
all grew silent, and looked at her in
mute inquiry.
What is it Johnny There was
no threat of punishment, no anger, no
excitement in the mothers tones, but