Year: 1870

|


The times are getting worse and worse
every day."


What then, my dear sir g? viii it do any
| good to draw your face up into ten thousand
! wrinkles, and vent the bitterness of your
spirit upon all with whom you come in con-
tact, on the strength Of the above mentioned
! fact?


! Suppose you had to walk barefoot over a
road thickly strewn with thorns, and sharp
hlnty stones. What would you do? Go
aside out of the way to tread on every stray
thorn and pebble, instead OF carefully avoid
ing every needless hurt by picking your way
wearily through them Which course will
you choose now?


Will you snap your wife up at the break
fast table when she asks you for little
change p Would you suggest to her the
probability of your all going to ruin in short
time thro' the prodigal outlays made for
households needs, and then throw the mon
ey across the table as you'd throw bone
10 dog? You know very well that her de-
mand Is perfectly reasonable !; and you know,
too, that you would be just as much offended
as you are now if she did no. ask you for
money for household expenses when it is
needed bat you are not willing to miss he
opportunity of seltishly venting your un-
pleasant feelings on this convenient domes-
tic scapegoat.


And if sheshould wonderful to think of =
pluck up enough courage to ask you for mon
ey to buy new dress though it may be only
six months since she committed this mortal
sin don ask her ironically if she thinks
thousand dollars will do her this time, or
make some cutting remark about her ruin
Gus extravaganza and the slave life that you
lead ; but if you can afford it give her the
money cheerfully and kiss into the bargain
But if you really feel too poor to indulge
yourself in the pleasure of seeing your wife
in a new dress for the first time in six
months, give her the kiss anyhow and ex-
plain the matter kindly to her, and the kind
explanation will go nearly all the way toward
making her forget the disappointment.


And, above all, don bring your business
home at night with you Don't sit in soil
tary misanthropy, or snail and poke the fire.
Your wife haSn' had chance to talk with
you all day. She has a thousand little
cheering items to communicate, but while
you sit there looking so cold and repellant,
che has no ocourage to begin Your children
are eager for game of rosps but they are
afraid of papa, when he looks as he does
here tonight; so they congregate in a half
awed manner in the corners, until it is
time to go to bed. No pleasant chat, no
merry laughter, no game at romps, no music
nothing but gloom and constraint, because
father has come in bad humor"


Iceberg to behave so in the bosom Of
your family. To turn away from the pleas
ures and privileges still left you, because
you can't have everything just as you want
it Think of the loving, clinging hearts that
your coldness shadows-ot the bright faces
over which your frown has cast reflection
gloom. Are you not ashamed of yourself?


Again. your burden may be SO heavy that
you can not smile But, oh be kind. Be
cause your own soul is dark, don't pierce
another heart with needless wound by
your coldness and sullenness Because there
are some thorns in your way, don't plant
other thorns in the path of another with
your own hand. If you cannot be cheerful,
be kind.