Persistency

There is one form wbich peraiatency takes that is peculiarly trying : I mean that peraistency ot opinión wbich deerns it neeessary to stop and raise an argument in self defense oü the slighteat personal criticism. John tells bis wife that she is half au hour late with her breakfast this mormng, and she indignantly douies it. " But look at my watch !" " Yuur watch isn't right." " I set it b railroad time." '■ Well, that waa a week ago; that watch of youra always gains." " No, my dear, you'ro iuistaken." " Indeed I'm not. Did I not hear you telling Mr. B about it 't" " My dear, that was a yenr ago - before I had it cleaned." ' " Hiw can you suy so, John ? It is oiily a month ago." " My desr, you are mistaken." And so ibe contest goes on, eacb htriving for the laat word. Ttiis love of the last word has mide more bitternes: in fWnüiei aud spoiled more Christiana thau it is north. A thousand little differenctis of this kind would drop to the ground, if either party would let theui drop. Suppose John is aiistakeu in saying breakfant is late - suppose that tífty of the little criticisms which we niake on one anoth r are weil or ïll fouuded, are tbey worth a discussion ? Are they worth ill-tempered worde, 6uuh as are almost sure to grow out of a disonssion ? Are they worth the destruoiion of the ouly lair ideal left on earth - a quiet, happy name ? Better let the most uujuBt state ineiits pat-s iu silence than risk oue's temper in a discussion of them. DiscusKiona, assuming the form of warm argumenta, afe uever pleasant in gredieuts of domesiic life, never saté recreatiouB between near lricuds. The) are, generaliy speukiog, mere uosuhpected veuts for self-vill, and the cases are few where they do atiything more than to make both parties more positive in their own way than they were before. A calm comparison of opposing viewg, a fair statement of reasons on either side may be valuable; but when warmth and heat and love of victury and pride of opiniop come in, good temper and good manne'sare too apt to step out. And now Christopher, having come to Lhe end of nis subject, pauses for a senter.ce to close with. Tuere are a lew lioes of a poet that sum upso beautifully all he bas been saviog, that h. mav be pardoni,d for elosing with them. " Alas I bow light & cause may move, Dissension betweeu hearts tbat love ; Hearts that the world has rainly tried, Aud soitow but more closely tied That siood the storm when waves were rough, Yet in a sunny hour fall ofl, Like ships ihat have gone down at sea Wheu heaven was all tranquility ! A something light as air, a look, A word unkind, or wrongly taken, - Oh, love that lempesls never shook 1 A breath. a touch like this hath shaken ! For ruder words will soon rush in To spread the breach that words begin, And yes forget the gentle ray They wore in courtship's smiling day, And Toices lose the tone which shed A tendernass round all they said,-Xill, fast declining, one by one, The sweetnesses of Iovj are gone, And hearts so lately mingled seem Like broken clouds, or like the stream, That, smiling, left the mountain-brow As tbough its waters ue'er could sever, Yet, ere it reach the plain below, Breaks into floods that part forever." -Mr. Stowe, in the May Atlantic