Year: 1875

Mr.. Lee glanced almost stealthily
at the work in her hands, and saw
that it was a bosom of a shirt, that
she was stitching neatly. He knew
that it was for him she was at
work.


ePraise your wife, These words
were before the eyes of his mind,
and he could not look away from
them. But he was not ready for
this yet. He still felt moody and
unforgiving. The expression Of
his wife's face he interpreted to
mean ill-nature, for which he had
no patience. His eyes fell upon
the newspaper that be was read
ing. "a kind, cheerful word spo-
ken in gloomy house is the little
rift in the cloud that lets the sun


..faHHal . r o. ~ n II
shine through" oabs,. j


Lee struggled with himself a
little while longer. isfelf


Hb own i'll nature was to be
conquered FIRST; his moody, accus
ing 1pirit had to be subdued.


He thought Of many things to
say, and yet he feared to say them
lest bis wife should meet his ad-
dress with . rebuff. At last lean.
ing toward her, and taking hold Of
the shirt bosom on which she was
At work, he said in "a voice that
was carefully nodulated with kind
ness;


You are doing the work beauti-.
fully, Mary IS - s.. fei.sl


Mrs. Lee made no reply. But
her husband did not fail to notice
that she lost, almost instantly, the
rigid erectness with which she had
been sitting nor that the motion
OF the needle had ceased. lrea


Ny shirts are better made and
whittier than those Of any other
rna9 in the shop, said Lee, en-
couraged 70 60 On,


Are theya Mrs. Lees voice was
low, aud had in it slight huslsi-
ness. She did not turn her face,
but her husband saw that she
leaned a little toward him. He
had broken the ice Of reserve, and
al was now easy. Bis hands were
among the clouds and a feeble ray
was already struggling through
the riftit had made. sibaI znoi2 Q


Yes, Mary, BE answered, softly
and I'ye heard it more than once,
what . good wife Andrew Leo
must have 4sss.;ti Nj


Did you? was all she said. .


Yes, darling, was his warmly
spoken answer; and he stopped
down and kissed her. How strange
that you should ask me such a
~ no4 doseasa A.


If You would tell me 50 now and
then, Andrew it would 2 do me
good. Mrs. Lee arose, and, lean
ing hef face against the manly
breast Of her husband, stood and
went. srad ames 39sars .gas1n1


What a strong light broke in on
the mind Of Andrew Leel he had
never given his wife even the
small reward Of praise for the low
ing interest she had manifested
daily, until doubt of his love had
entered her soul and made the
light around her thick darkness.
No wonder her face grew clouded,
or that what he considered mood
iness and in nature took posses
sion Of her spirits. iiaisaf oil sa


You are good and true, Mary,
my own dear wife. l am proud
Of you, and my first desire is for
your happiness. Oh, II l could
always see your face in sunshine,
my home would be the dearest
place on earth. sao % oai-E ia-


How precious to, me are your
words Of love and praise, Andrew,
said Mrs. Lee, smiling up through
her tears into his face, with them
in my ears, my heart can never be
in shadow.


How easy had been the work for
Andrew Lee He had swept his
hand across the cloudy horizon,
and now the bright sunshine was
cleaning down and flooding that
home with iov and beauty.