Show PRAISE HER andrew lee had come home from his shop where he had worked all day tired and out of spirits came home to his wife who was out of spirit A smiling wife and a cheerful home a paradise it would be I 1 said andrew to himself as he turned his eyes from the c clouded face of mrs lee and sat down with knitted brows and moody aspect not a word was spoken by either mrs lee was getting supper and she moved about with a weary step come she said at last with a side glance at her husband there was invitation in the word only none in the voice of mrs lee andrew arose and went to the table he lle was tempted to speak an angry word but controlled himself and kept silent lie he could find no fault with the chop and the homemade home made bread nor the fragrant tea they would have cheered his inward man if there had bad been only a agleam gleam of sunshine on the face of his wife he noticed that she did not eat are you not well M mary a 11 the words were on his lips ups bu but te he did not utter them for the face of his wife looked so repellant that he be seared leared an irritating reply and so in moody silence the twain sat to cether together until andrew had bad finished his supper this is purgatory oryl said lee to himself as he commenced walking the flour of theli thell breakfast room with his hands thrust in his trousers trow sers pockets docket g and his chin almost touching touch tonch ine inc h his I 1 breast after removing all the dishes and taking them into the kitchen mrs lee spread a green cover on the table tabio and placing a fresh trimmed lamp thereon went out and shut the door after her and leaving her husband alone with his unpleasant feelings ile he took a long deep breth oreath as she did so paused in his walk stood bood still for some moments and then drawing a paper from his pocket sat down by the table the sheet and commence commenced reading enough the tho upon which his eyes rested were it praise your wife 9 they rather tended to 10 to 10 the disturbance ot of mind from which he lle was suffering it seemed to andrew as tt if this sentence were written aten for him and just forthe occasion it was a complete answer to his question g praise her for what and he felt it as a rebuke he read no further for thought came too busy and in a new direction memory was convicting him of injustice to his wife she had always made his home as comfortable as her hands could make it and had he offended the light return of praise or comfort he had experienced ile he was not able to recall the time or bocc occasion aslon as ile he thought thus mrs sirs lee came in from the kitchen and taking her work workbasket basket from the closest placed it on the table and sitting down without speaking speak mg began to sew mr lee glanced alced almost stealthily at the work wor in her hands and saw that it was the bosom of a shirt which she was stitching neatly ile he knew that it was for him that she was at work it praise your wife the words were before the eyes of his bis mind and he could not look away from them but he was not ready for this yet ile tle still felt moody and unforgiving the expression pres slon sion on his cifes face he interpreted to mean ill lii nature an and d with ill nature he had bad no patience his eye fell upon the newspapers spread out before him aid alid he read the sentence 1 I should like to find some occasion for praising mine how quickly his thoughts expressed that ill natured sentiment I 1 but his eyes were on the page before him and read on praise your wife man fl for fon r sake give bera hera her a little encouragement enco urao ge ment 2 it wont hurt her andrew lee raised his eyes from the pap paper erand and muttered hyest est esl all very ve well weli praise Is cheap enough but praise her for what llor eor being sullen and making your home the most 1 J disagreeable place in the world his eyes fell feli f ell eli again on the paper she itsie has made your biome home comfortable your heart bright dright and shining food agreeable agreed ble for sake tell teil her you thank her if nothing more she doat dont expect it irwill it will make her eyes open wider than they have for ten years but it will do her good for all that and you too A kind cheerful word spoken in a gloomy house is the little rift in the cloud that lets the sunshine through lee struggled with himself a while longer his own III ili nature had to be conquered first his moody accusing s spirit had to be subdued he thought of ma many ny things to say yet feared to say them lest his wife should meet his advance with a cold rebuff at last leaning toward her and taking hold of of the linen mien bosom upon which she was at work he said in a voice carefully modulated with kindness Youa you are redoing doing this work very beautifully mary arary 11 mrs airs lee made no reply but her husband did not fali fati to observe that she lost almost instantly that rigid erectness with which she had been sitting and that the motion of the needle had ceased imy my shirts are better made and whiter whlter than those of any other made in the shop I 1 said lee encouraged to go go on are they mrs lees voice was low and had in it a slight huskiness 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 all was easy now his hand was aulon anlon among the clouds and a few feeble feebie feel ae rays were ware already struggling C through the rift it had made yes mary he answered softly and ive lve heard it said more than once what a good wife andrew lee must have 91 mrs lee turned her face toward her husband there was a light in it and a light in her eye but there was something in her expression of her countenance that a little puzzled him it do you think hinkso so she asked quite s soberly oberly what a question 19 ejaculated andrew starting up and going round to the side of the table where she was sitting what a question mary he replied as he stood before her ker yes darll darling ng 91 was his warmly spoken answer how strange that you should ask me such a question guestion if you vou would only tell me so now and then andrew it would do me good 99 mrs lee arose and leaning her face against the manly breast of her husband stood and wept what la a strong light broke in upon the mind of andrewles Andre wLee he had never given his wife even the smallest reward of praise in all the loving interest she had manifested dall dali daily dally until doubt of his love had en entered tereTher her soul and made the light all around her thick darkness no wonder that hereace her face grew clouded nor what he considered and ill nature took possession of her heart you are good and true mary my own dear wife I 1 am proud of you I 1 IL love you ou and my first desire is for your happiness Kap happiness oh if I 1 always see sec your face in sunshine my home would be the dearest place on earth 91 64 how precious to me are your words of love and praises praise andrew said mrs lee smiling through ajer her tears into his face with them in my ears my heart can never lie ile in shadow 91 how easy had been the work for fon andrew Andre andrewles wLee lee he had swept his hand across the cloudy horizon and now the bright sunshine was streaming and flooding the home with joy and beauty popular monthly magazine |