Year: 1859

ing compliments. He couldn't do it. 1t
wasn't in him. He would have felt ashamed
of it as q weakness


And so, almost from the beginning he failed
TO give these little outward signs of affection,
those pleasant tokens Of kindness so grateful to
all. When bis wife said, as was often the case,
during the first year that succeeded their mar
riage, Thank you, Peter and smiled crate
fully in return for some little act of kindness
or expressed pleasure when he came home from
hlsWork in the evening, drawing her arm around
his neck and kissing him-or told him how
lonesome she felt all day, and what a light his
coming brought into their home, Peter
Crandall felt glow of pleasure in his heart
But it did not come within the range of his
imagination-dull at best-to conceive that
like words from him would be to the spirit of
his wife like dew to the thirsty ground So
he never expressed pleasure at meeting but ra-
ther affected, from kind Of false pride, GER
tain coldness, as though it were an action Of
manliness to act indifferently. No matter how
many attentions his wife might show him
no matter what she prepared for his return,
nor with what dainty skill she cooked the even
ing or MONDAY meals, he never praised, and
rarely gave even the meagre reward of ex-
pressed qualification. But if things were wrong
if the coffee was bad, or the bread sour, or
the meat burnt cooking, he was sure to speak
out ; and not always in very chioce words


And Mrs. Crandall too began to fail in out
ward signs of affections. Peter perceived their
withdrawal as the gradual feeling of sunshine,
when clouds gather over the fimsy wells that
deeping into obscuring curtains But the
In 10 fol of
old to his wife, and worked as cheerfuly as in
the beginning. The home feeling was as strong
as ever and, after withdrawing from the
outer world, when the night shadows fell, he
had not the beginning of desire to 90 abroad
from his sanctuary, shOrn, as it was, of a chief
charlottesville smiles and loving tones, and
words of his changing wife.


From this inauspicious beginning went on
steadily the unhappy change. The coming of
children, which on their advent, was like the
falling down upon them of Sunbeams, though
suddenly rfted clouds increased, instead of dis
missing the unpleasant aspect of things in the
house of Peter Crandall If the mothers
heart had been cheerful and strong-if her hus
band had not shut out the light it needed to
keep its green things unwithered and its flow
ers in bloom this would not have been So The
cheerful spirit would have given lite to the
body-would have filled every nerve with vi
tai force, and every muscle with strength for
daily toll. But the children proved more of ii
burden than comfort. There was, in their
home, so little sunshine that few green things
flOuriShed in their hearts, and the opening of
u flower was a rare occurrence But thornS
to wound and weeds to offend were there, and
hourly they seemed to gain a ranker growth
How it was in the home of Peter Crandall
will be clear to every one now There are,
around US, thousands and thousands Of such
homes, all the chambers of which are made
dark and cheereSs, for the lack of small
sweet courteses Of life, so cheaply given, and
so magical in their effects


One day Peter Crandall was sent by his
employer, to do some work in the house Of q
customer The work happened to be in the
family sitting room, in which were four chill
dren with their mother. The lady spoke to
him politely when he came in, and the children
treated him respectfully He had been at
work only little while, when his attention
was attracted by a request from the mother to
one of the children to go up stairs and bring
her some articles she named. Wesay request;
for this was the form Of words she uttered
The child went instantly.


Thank you, DEAR" said the mother
Crandal turned and looked at the child.
Her countenance was tranquil and happy.


"Jane | will take those scissors if your
please"


Crandall looked again. 1t was the mother
who had spoken. One of the children was sit
ting on the floor busily engaged in cutting out
pictures But she started up instantly and
brought the shears to her mother.


Tank you, dear" was the mothers ac-
acknowledgement of the services, as in the for
mer case.


"Will you want them long p asked the
child.


No. dear, only few minutes Then you
shall have them again"


The child stood patiently by her mothers
side until the scissors were out of service, and
then received them.


Thank you," she said, as she took them
from her mothers hand and then danced back,
singing to her place on the floor where her pic
lures lay.


All this struck Crandal as beautiful and he
sighed as the harsher image of his own home
intruded itself While at work, the husband
and father came home. His presence was
ndltu viii QGllSHG Every Cullu udu sOuC-
thing to show or tell him, and he entered into
the feelings of each, praised their little achieve
mentS and approving wherever there seemed a
chance of appreciation. 1t was the same to-
wards his wife, She spoke of some directions
she had given to Crandall.


"That was right" he answered, adding
how thoughtful you are"


A pleased smile went over his wife's counte-
nance.


"You forgot your pocket handkerchief this
morning" said the latter handing white lin
en- handkerchief to her husband


$50 | did, Thank you, dear" And he
received the handkerchief with as polite an ac-
Acknowledgement in as in words.
MANY other little instances of home conrte-