The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-08
An Eventful TwelvcniOnth. l..

HE never spoke an angry word t'
me-"
1t was Just one year ago, Decembe
81, that the fearful wife of my nelghbo
made to me the above remark. POO
Charley! He ran Il locomotive between
Boston and. He was killed OF
the last day but one of the year.
Now this simple verdict from tht
lips of his wife set me to thinking,
remember that L took the resolve tina
very hight, as, in company win
brother of our lodge, l turued away
from Charley's door, $50 help me
God, my wife shall be able to say Il:
much of me this coming year Aho
now | may, l trust, record it. L have
lived one kind year. To many Othel
people, | presume, | have been about
the same sort of fellow us for many
wears. But to my faithful wife have
not spoken one frettul Or cross or com
planning word, to the best of my know
ledge and belief for twelve months
last past. have not made much mon
ey this year, but [ have made one
heart glad. :.
Now let ME tell you. how difficult
this was. Did you ever stand by a
running stream and think how smooth
as oil its swift flow was? Then you
thrust your nand in the water, and 10!
it was a mill race. The waters boiled
and spattered about your hand till you
could hardly hold it there.
Well now, never realized the 1orce
of my snappy, scolding habit 10 that
woman till my new VOW began 10
check it. 1 found that had been IN
the constant habit of playing the cow
ard-that is, scolding q good woman.
"A dozen times each week the fretful
words sprang to my lips. l shut my
mouth tightly, and my! how the bitter
stuff bubbled and boiled against my
teeth on the inside! You may laugh,
but actually, 1 had to chew the words.
My wife quite lady for prOprleties,
used to eXclaim: "Harkley, L do wish
you would not chew that spruce gum
as you leave the door. How it looks on
the streeln which generally made me
laugh as I kissed her good morning.
Dear heart, it was far better that l
chew my spleen than her gentle spirit
with biting words this one kind
year.
have noticed an increased fond
ness in my wife this one kind year.
She draws nearer to me Ottener, she
contides in me more, she has lost that
"I'm-afraid. .of-you" look that half the
time she used to wear. we consult
now about family matters; before we
used to telephone to each other, as II
We're. Her spirit has improved. The
irritation that l had inflicted, it seems
she caught, and now that / am bet
ter man she is sWeeter woman. 1t
makes my heart ache 10 recall how Of
ten she used at first in this kind year
to glance up at me with surprise and a
questioning look, when spoke gently.
caught her studying me curiously,
us if she were wondering if l had Sc
cretly made fortune recently, or had
met with what the minister calls 4
change of heart, or was growing to be
IL boy again. think she decided on
the latter; for her eyes grew soft and
young like the girldish eyes | first
loved years ago. And she began to act
young herself. She resumed the use
of the pet name she gave me long,
long ago. never let on; just silent
ly Kept to my resolve: "Not one cross
word in one kind year."
The best of all is the decided i'm
provement in the dear woman's
health. Now some Of you doctors en-
plain that if you can. My wife eats
bstter, has more nerve, more vitality
every way. The children do not
worry her half So much as they used
to. She gets along with less fretting
al the servants. Can it be because l
worry and fret her less? Is there any
thing to that old sore about man
being "the head of the iamily'? II
so, why, when the head goes rong, the
whole body is sick; ell? Exactly. Fd
rather have any kind of an ache than
all ache in my headpiece. Now if II
is true that by cheerful Kindness |
have saved my wife's nerves and turn
ed the doctor out of doors, ought l not
give her present Of the amount OF
her usual DOCTORS bills? That's an
idea; and will! 1t is good way 10
round up this one kind year.
1t is curious how smiles furnish
house. I presume you know what it
is to have your wife beg you to buy u
new chair, or picture, or some other
thing. Our things get worn out. Well,
my wife hasn't asked me such a thing
all this one kind year. Yet somehow
1 say the old home looks better furn-
ished than it did a year ago. May be
it's the sunshine on the old things.
Sunshine can do almost anything.
have been surprised by my own
increased appetite for breakfast and
dinner. A fellow can't eat and scold
too. Now breakfast was my favorite
time for scolding-eXcept dinner al
night-for I take my lunch down
town. Let ME see; that makes every
meal at home a growler's feast. Well,
that was about so. My lunch was my
best meal, for 1 ate alone, and there
was nobody to fret Ut. Now all Is
changed. Meals at home, like them.
There are no salt teais on the bread.
God forgive me! How often I used
to make somebody cry, wife or one Of
the two children, ut table. All is now
changed in this one kind year
In fact, the thing has goue with me
to the store. l have gradually got in
the habit of being first civil then kind
to the boys. 1t is like oil down there
the last few months. 1t is queer, but
every body hates TO be scolGed even l
do. A kind word is better than Il
whip with a Yankee clerk. Now
am going on one kind year more. l
don't make any very loud pretensions,
but l think there's a deal of gratitude
to the Almighty in being kind to his
creatures. Perphaps it will go further
than longer creeds. For if man l.
L. 70 h fa1tH