Finger Posts on the Way of Life | Page 2

hours.
The clouded brow of his wife ever threw his heart into shadow; and the
dusky vail was never removed, until sunlight radiated again from her
countenance. It was all in vain that he tried to be indifferent to these
changeful moods--to keep his spirits above their influence: in the very
effort at disenthralment he was more firmly bound.
From some cause, unknown to her husband, there was a cloud on the
brow of Mrs. Abercrombie one morning, as she took her place at the
breakfast-table. Mr. Abercrombie was reading, with his usual interest,
the newspaper, and the children were sporting in the nursery, when the
bell summoned them to the dining-room. All gathered, with pleasant
thoughts of good cheer, around the table, and Mr. Abercrombie, after
helping the little ones, was about mentioning to his wife some pleasant
piece of news which he had just been reading, when, on lifting his eyes
to her countenance, he saw that it was clouded. The words died on his
lips; a shadow darkened over his feelings, and the meal passed in
almost total silence--at least so far as he was concerned. Once or twice
he ventured a remark to Mrs. Abercrombie; but the half-fretful tone in

which she replied, only disturbed him the more.
Soon the pleasant aspect of the children's countenances changed, and
they became captious and irritable. Both parents were fretted at this
reaction upon their own states of mind, and manifested, at some slight
misconduct on the part of one or two of the children, a degree of
ill-nature that instantly transferred itself to those against whom it was
directed, and became apparent in their intercourse one with another.
Before summoned from the nursery, these children were playing
together in the utmost harmony and good feeling; on returning thereto,
the activity of another and far less amiable spirit was manifest; and
instead of merry shouts and joyous laughter, angry words and
complaining cries sounded through the apartment.
As Mr. Abercrombie left the house, Mrs. Abercrombie entered the
nursery, attracted by the notes of discord. Had there been sunshine on
her countenance, and firm but gentle remonstrance on her tongue, a
quick change would have become apparent. But, ere this, the shadows
she had thrown around her had darkened the atmosphere of her
dwelling, and were now reflected back upon her heart, enshrouding it in
deeper gloom. The want of harmony among her children increased her
mental disturbance, obscured her perceptions, and added to her state of
irritability. She could not speak calmly to them, nor wisely endeavour
to restore the harmony which had been lost. Her words, therefore, while,
by their authoritative force, they subdued the storm, left the sky black
with clouds that poured down another and fiercer tempest the moment
her presence was removed.
But this state of things could not be permitted. The mother reappeared,
and, after some hurried inquiries into the cause of disturbance among
her children, took for granted the statement of those who were most
forward in excusing themselves and accusing others, and unwisely
resorted to punishment--unwisely, in the first place, because she
decided hastily and from first appearances; and in the second place,
because she was in no state of mind to administer punishment. The
consequence was, that she punished those least to blame, and thereby
did a great wrong. Of this she was made fully aware after it was too late.

Then, indignant at the, false accusation by which she had been led into
the commission of an unjust act, she visited her wrath with undue
severity, and in unseemly passion, upon the heads of the real offenders.
By this time the children were in a state of intimidation. It was plain
that their mother was fairly aroused, and each deemed it best to be as
quiet and inoffensive as possible. The reappearance of harmony being
thus restored, Mrs. Abercrombie, whose head and heart were now both
throbbing with pain, retired in a most unhappy state of mind to her
chamber, where she threw herself into a large chair, feeling unutterably
wretched.
And what was the origin of all this discord and misery? Why came that
cloud, in the beginning, to the brow of Mrs. Abercrombie--that cloud,
whose shadow had already exercised so baleful an influence? The
cause was slight, very slight. But do not, fair reader, blame Mrs.
Abercrombie too severely, nor say this cause was censurably
inadequate. The touch of a feather will hurt an inflamed part. Ah! does
not your own experience in life affirm this. Think of the last time the
cloud was on your brow, and ask yourself as to the adequacy of the
cause.
"But what was the cause?" you inquire. Well, don't smile: a pair of
gaiters had been sent home for Mrs. Abercrombie, late on