Year: 1874

Clarence looked up in surprise.


"I-I carry it ?"


"Aye-you have the burden in your
heart, and you mean to carry it home.
Remember, my boy, have been there,
and know all about it. have been
very foolish in my lifetime, and I have
suffered. / suffered until 1 discovered
my folly, and then l resolved that 1
would suffer no more. Upon looking
the matter squarely and honestly in the
face, I found that the burdens which
had so CALLED me had been self inn
posed. OF course such burdens can be
thrown of. Now you have resolved
that you will go home to your dinner
with a heavy heart and dark face.
You have no hope that your wife will
meet you with q smile. And why ?
Because you know that she has no par
ticular cause for smiling. You know
that her heart is burdened with the af-
Fiction which gives you so much un-
rest. And SO you are fully assured
that you are to find your home shroud-
ed in gloom. And, furthermore, you
don't know when that gloom will de-
part, and when the blessed sunshine of
love will burst in again. And why
don't you know? Because it is not
now in your heart to sweep the cloud
away. You say to yourself, 6 I can bear
it as long as she CAM Am not right 2"


Clarence did not answer in words.


"I know L 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 the willingness to forgive, but
upon the inability to bear the burden.
By-and-by it will happen, as it has hap
pened before, that one of the twain will
surrender from exhaustion; and it will
be likely to be the weaker party. Then
there will be collapse, and reconcile
alton. Generally the wife fails first
beneath the CALLING burden, because
her love is keenest and most sensitive.
The husband, in such case, acts the
part of coward. When he might,
with breath, blow the cloud away, he
cringes and covers, until his wife is
forced to let the sunlight in through
her breaking heart"


Clarence listened, and was troubled.
He saw the truth, and he felt its
| WClEhOs lIO was uOU IL lOOl, uOI WIS uG
a liar. During the silence that fol-
lowed he reflected upon the past, and
he called to his mind scenes Just such
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, and how often she had
sobbed upon his bosom in grief for the
error.


The merchant read the young mans
thoughts and after time he arose
and touched him upon the arm.


Clarence, suppose you were to put
on your hat and go home now. Sup
pose you should think, on your way,
only of the love and blessing that might
be; and, with this thought, you should
enter your abode with smile upon
your face and you should put your
arms round your wife's neck, and kiss
her, and softly say to her, Ny darling,
[ have come home to throw down the
burden took away with me this morn
ing. 1t is greater than L can bear.
Suppose you were to do this, would
your wife repulse you ?"


"Repulse mo p


"Ah, my boy, you echo my words
with an amazement which shows that
you understand me. Now, sir, have
you the courage to try the experiment
Dare you be so much of a man? Or,
do you fear to let your dear wife know
how much you love herP Do you fear
she would respect and esteem you less
for the deed? Tell me-do you think
the cloud of unhappiness might thus
be banished? Oh, Clarence, if you
would but try it p


Sarah Spencer had finished her work
in the kitchen, and in the bed-chamber,
and had sat down with her work in her
lap. But she could not ply her needle.
Her heart was heavy and sad, and tears
were in her eyes.


Presently she heard the front doc,
open, and step in the passage. Ger.
tainly she knew that step Yes-hel
husband entered. And smile upon
his face. She saw it through her gath.
ering tears, and her heavy heart leaped
up. And he came and put his arms
around her neck, and kissed her and
he said to her, in. broken accents
Darling, I have come home to throw
down the burden I took away with me
this morning. 1t is greater than I car
bear p


And she, trying to speak, pillowed
her head upon his bosom, and sobbed
and wept like child. Oh / could he
forgive her? His coming with the
blessed offering had thrown the bur.
den of reproach back upon herself. She
saw him noble and generous, and she
worshiped him.


But Clarence would not allow her tc
take all the blame. He must share
that.


"We will share it so evenly" said
he, " that its weight shall be felt nc
more. And now, my darling, we will
be happy?"


"AlwaysP


Mr.. WardIe had no need, when Clar
eHce returned to the counting-house, tc
: ask the result. He could read it in the
young mans brimming eye, and in his
ioy-inspired face.


1t was q year after this-and Clar.
ence Spencer had become partner II
the house-that Mr.. Wardle, by acci
/ dent, referred to the events of thai
gloomy morning.


"Ah p said Clarence, with a swelling
bosom, "that was the most blessed
: lesson I ever received. My wife knows
who gave it to me-"


"Asd it serves you yet, my boy p
+ "Aye and twill serve us while We
live. We have none of those old bur
, dens of anger to bear now. They can