The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-04-13

Remember, by boy, I have been there,
and know all about it. have been
very foolish in my lifetime, and l
have suffered. I suffered until dis
covered my folly, and then resolved
I would suffer no more. Upon look
ing the matter squarely in the face, I
found that the burdens which had so
CALLED me, had been self-inposed. Of
course such burdens can be thrown off.
'Now you have resolved that you
will go home to dinner with heavy
heart and dark face. You have no
hope that your wife will meet you
with smile. And why: Because
you know that she has no particular
cause for smiling. You know that
her heart is burdened with the affiic-
ton which gives you so much unrest.
And you are fully assured that you
are to find your home shrouded in
gloom. And furthermore, you don't
know when that gloom will depart,
and when the blessed sunshine of love
will burst in again. And why don't
you know? Because it is not in your
heart to sweep the cloud away. You
say to yourself, I can bear it as long
as she can 7 Am 1 not right -
Clarence did not answer in words.
81 know I am right" pursued the
merchant. "And very likely your
wife is saying to herself the same
thing. So your hope of sunshine
does not rest upon your willingness
to forgive, but upon the inability to
bear the burden. By-and-by it will
happen, as it has happened before,
that one of the twain will surrender
from exhaustion and it will be like
| ly to be the weaker party. Then
there will be collapse, and recon
ciliation. Generally the wife falls
first beneath the galloping burden,
because her love is keenest and most
sensitive. The husband in such a
case, acts the part of a coward"
When he might, with breath
blow the cloud away, he cringes and
covers until his wife is forced to let
the beautiful sunshine in through her
breaking heart"
Clarence listened, and was trou-
bled. He saw the truth and felt its
weight. He was not fool nor was
he a liar. During the. silence that
followed he reflected upon the past,
and he called to his mind scenes just
as Mr.. Wardle had depicted. And
this brought him to the remembrance
of how he had seen his wife weep
when she had failed and sank beneath
| the heavy burden, how often she had
sobbed upon his bosom in grief for
the error.
The merchant read the young mans
thoughts, and after time he rose
and touched him on the arm.
Clarence, suppose you were to
put on your hat and go home now.
Suppose you should think on your
way, only of the love and blessings
that might be; with this thought,
| you should enter your abode with
smile on your face; and you should
put your arms around your wife's
neck, and kiss her, and softly say to
her, my darling I have come home
| to throw down the burden / took
away with me this morning. 1t is
greater than 1 could bear. Suppose
you were to do this would your wife
repulse you 2"
''Repulse me?"
"Ah, my boy, you echo my words
with an amazement which shows you
understand me. Now, sir, have you
the courage to try the experiment
Dare you be such man! Ordo You
fear to let your dear wife know how
much you love her? Do you fear
she would respect and esteem you
less for the deed? Tell me-do you
think the cloud of happiness might
thus be banished? Oh, Clarence, If
you would but try !"
Sarah Spencer had finished her
work in the kitchen and in the bed
chamber, and sat down with her
work in her lap. But she could not
ply her needle. Her heart was heavy
and sad tears were in her eyes.
Presently she heard the front door
open, and step in the passage. Ger
tainly she knew that step! Yes-her
husband entered with smile on his
face. She saw it through her gath
ering tears, and her heavy heart leap
ed up. He came and put his arms
around her neck and kissed her, and
said to her in broken accents, Oar
ling, have come home to throw
down the burden I took away with
me this morning. 1t is greater than
I can bear"
And she, trying to speak, pillowed
her head on his bosom, aud sobbed
and wept like child. Oh, could he
forgive her?
His coming with the blessed offer
ing had thrown the burden of reproach
back upon herself. She saw him.
noble and generous, and she worship
ped him.
But Clarence would not allow hel
to take all the blame. He mus
share that. :.
1--WE will share it so evenly" saio
he, "that the weight shall be felt nc
more. .,,,
"And now, my darling, we will be
happy"
Railways"
Mr.. Wardle had no need, wher
Clarence returned to ask the result
He could read it in the young man:
brimming eyes, and in the joy-inspir-
ed face. :,
"Ah," said Clarence, with swell
ing bosom, "that was the most bless
ed lesson 1 ever received. My wife
! knows who gave it to me-"
"And it will serve US while we live
We have none of those old burdens
of anger. They cannot find lodgmen