Don't cry, dear!" And Mr.Ellis kissed tenderly his little girl, in whose eyes the tears were already starting.
Slowly, and with sad faces, the children turned to obey their mother, who, not for a moment relenting, spoke to them sharply for their lack of prompt obedience.

They went crying up-stairs, and she scolding.
The moment the door of the nursery closed upon the retiring forms of the children, Mr.Ellis started to his feet with an impatient exclamation, and commenced pacing the room with rapid steps.
"Temptations without and storms within," said he, bitterly.

"Oh, that I had the refuge of a quiet home, and the sustaining heart and wise counsels of a loving wife!" By the time Mrs.Ellis had undressed the children and got them snugly in bed, her excited feelings were, in a measure, calmed; and from calmer feelings flowed the natural result--clearer thoughts.

Then came the conviction of having done wrong, and regret for a hasty and unkind act.
"He sees but little of them, it is true," she murmured, "and I might have let them remain up a little while longer, I'm too thoughtless, sometimes; but I get so tired of their noise and confusion, which is kept up all day long." And then she sighed.
Slowly, and with gentler feelings, Mrs.Ellis went down-stairs.

Better thoughts were in her mind, and she was inwardly resolving to act towards her husband in a different spirit from that just manifested.