Year: 1872

nCaTL anu ~ usii II ihCCs 1oo nv
hope that your wife will meet you
with smile. And whyg because you
know that she has no particular cause
for smiling. You know that her heart
is burdened with tho same afllietion
which gives you SO much unrest
And so 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 now in
your heart to sweep the cloud away.
You can say to yourselt-I can stand
it as long as she can Am l not
right?"


Clarence did not answer in words.


II know | am right" pursued the
merchant land 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 bur-
den. BY and by it will happen, As it
has happened 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 a reconciliation. Generally the
wife fails first beneath the CALLING
burden, because her love is kecnest
and most sensitive. The husband, in
such case, acts the part Of coward.
When he might, with a breath, blow
the cold away, he cringes and covers
until the wife is forced To let the sun
light in through her breaking heart"


Clarence listened, and was troubled.
He was not fool, nor was he 4 liar.
During the silence that followed he
reflected upon the past, and he called
TO mind scenes just such as Mr.. War
die 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 sob
bed upon his bosom in grief for the
error.


The merchant read the yonng mans
thoughts; and after time he rose
and touched him upon the arm.


Clarence, suppose you were to put
on your hat and go home row. Sup
pose you should think, on the way,
only of the love and blessing that
might be; and, with this thought, You
shoRld enter Your cottage with u
smile upon Your face; and you should
put your arms around your wife's
neck, aud kiss her, and softly say to
her, Ny darling. | have come to throw
down the burden ! took away with
me this morning. 1t is greater than |
can bear Suppose you were to do
this, would your wife repulse YOU"


'Repulse me:"


"Ah, my boy, you echo my words
with an amazcmcnt which shows that
you understand me. Now sir, have
you the courage to try the expert
ment: Dare you be so much of man?
Dare you thus try To initiate your
Divine Teacher? Or do you fear TO
let your dear wife know how much
yon love her? DO you fear that she
would esteem and respect you the
less for the deed? Tell me. Do you
think the cloud of unhappiness might
thus be banished? o, Clarence, If you
would but try::'


Sarah Spencer had finished her
work in the kitchen, and IN the cham
bers, and sat down with her sewing
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 door
open, and q step in the hall. Ger
tainly she knew that step. Yes-her
husband entered. And a smile was
upon his face. She saw it through
her gathering tears, and her heavy
heart lcaped up. And he came and
put his arm around her neck, and kiss
ed her-and he said to her in broken
accents


Darling, 1 have come home to
throw down the burden took away
with me this morning. 1t is more
than can bearr


And she, trying to speak, pillowed
her head upon his bosom and sobbed
and wept like child.


Oh, could he forgive her? His COM
ing with the blessed offering had
thrown the burden of reproaches back
upon herself She saw him noble and
generous, and she worshipped him.


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


ave will share it so evenly" he
said, that its weight shall be felt no
more. And now, my darling, we will
be happy"


"Alwaysl"


Mr.. Wardle had no need, when
Clarence returned to the store, to ask
the result. He could read it in the
young mans brimming eye, and in
his joy inspired face.


1t was a year after this-and Clar-
ence Spencer had become a partner
in the house-that Mr.. Wardle, by
accident, referred to the events OF
that gloomy morning.


"Ah," said Clarence, with swell
ing bosom, "that was the most bless
ed lesson ever received. My wife
knows who gave it to me-"


"And it serves you yet, my boy?'


AYE, and it will serve us while we
live. We have none of those old
burdens of anger to bear now. They
cannot find lodgment with us. The
flash and the jar may come, as in 9th
days-for we are but human, you
! know-but the heart which has firmly
resolved not to give an abiding place
| to the Ill -faalincr will not ha called