The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-09

By THE REV. LAWSON RICH

never venturing to do it. but preferlng to
 bear her burden alone, in the hope of thus being able to tighten her husbands
 load. Tonight is to be hor opportunity.
 And after the evening meal is over. ani
 the children have turned to their lessons
 or been sent off to bed her heart Is
 full of the anticipated joy of having at
 last real heart-to-heart talk with the
 one she loves better than life itself. But this is not what the husband had been looking for
 The discovery that he has only entered
 rpcn a new sea of difficulties is most distasteful to him. and the tender ad- vanoes of his hungry helpmeet are rudely repulsed Then she, in turn. Is dsap- pointed, and doubtless ready to cry. But shs puts on a bold front by assuming a chilly indifference to the matters her
 husband has at heart and he feels that his cup Is quite full Nobody understands
 him. The home is the last place where
 he meets sympathy; his wife is the most selfish being he ever met and he soon makes it evident that he considers him self much-abused and injured indi- vidual The disappointment IS felt fn- fifitely more keenly by his sensitive bet
 ter half, aud she begins to speak in an excited and nervous manner, that soon
 results in an angry conversation, when
 many bitter things are said. The denoue-
 ment takes different form in different cases. Sometimes the evening is brought
 tp close by a laundering blow on the
 table from that lord of creation who won't be argued with his own house.
 Sometimes the delicate lady develops a
 power of argument that puts her spouse in anything but an enviable light, or com fertable condition of mind. and with her
 Hast word ringing in his ears, the gen
 tlen'an takes refuge with what grace. he
 may in the retirement of his comfortable club or a corner saloon. It breaks ones heart to think of the children. But which , Wa will you turn, my friend, and not be stirred to pity? Father, mother, sons and daughters, all with a great capacity
 for happiness and really bound together by strong bonds of mutual love, and all of them really starving for something
 that seemed just within their grasp It is usual to think of family rows as preceding from serious sins on the one
 flnd or the other, but I think we all oo we'll to realize that it is selfishness taat really contains within itself the e,- senee Of all sins, and we cannot go on iVlng wholly to ourselves for days and weeks and months. and then think we can suocenly blossom out into sweet personi- | llcations of unselfishness and expect ,o be comprehended by even our dearest friends. It is selfish for a man to drin,x to excess and come home to rage like n iuilous beast It is selfish for a man to lhdulge himself in any unlawful pas slon that may bring grief and distress to his home - But 1t IS also selfish and sinful to live without trying to be interested in what interests those We love, without making the enort to learn by-earnest effort tn the mind to look at things from the others po'nt of view. To strive with some of that strong, masterful determination. in Nnich We pride ourselfs so much, as with others In business, to win victory over ourselves, and learn that the precise spot from which we have grown accustomed to look at life is not necessarily the best nor the only point of view
 am quite well aware that some of my readers, if they have had the patience to follow me thus far may be tempted to say that all this business-like regulation or ones attitude toward the member of ms own famiiy Is wholly unnecessary f the heart is really filled with love. An. that is true The duty to love God is assuredy the first and great com
 mandments and the second is like unto It. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"
 But many people, I fear, who think themselves quite above breaking any of
 thesecommandments. don't take the pains
 to give their love that practical express
 sio;.. either at home or in the world
 Wnich would prove It to be the really and
 only thing.
 Let me close by saying that, should YOU
 ever have quarrel with your wife, |
 would humbly suggest that after telling
 her in most unequivocal terms that YOU
 are sincerely sorry for whatsoever share
 you may have had in causing her tears
 to How, you will afterward, alone by your