thus restored.

These thoughts were suggested by the recollection of a little
domestic incident, to which I was a silent, though not uninterested
spectator. During the summer months of 1834, I was spending several
weeks with a happy married pair, who had tasted the good and ills of
life together only a twelvemonth. Both possessed many amiable
qualities, and were well calculated to promote each other's
happiness. My second visit to my friends was of a week's duration,
in the month of December. One cold evening the husband returned home
at his usual hour at nine o'clock, expecting to find a warm fire for
his reception, but, instead, he found a cheerless, comfortless room.
His first thought, no doubt, was, that it was owing to the
negligence of his wife, and, under this impression, in rather a
severe tone, he said,

"This is too bad; to come in from the office cold, and find no fire;
I really should have thought you might have kept it."

I sat almost breathless, trembling for the reply. I well knew it was
no fault of hers, for she had wasted nearly all the evening, and
almost exhausted her patience, in attempting to kindle a fire. She
in a moment replied, with great kindness,

"Why my dear, I wonder what is the matter with our stove! We must
have something done to-morrow, for I have spent a great deal of time
in vain to make a fire."

This was said in such a mild, pleasant tone, that it had the most
happy effect. If she had replied at that moment, when his feelings