Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-07-20
know al this ?"-At the question he burst


don't mention my wife il is the thought
of her that drives me almost to madness -
''And why not ?" said |. "She must
know it sooner Or later; you cannot keep
it long from her and the intellis@ nee may
break upon her in more startling man.
ner, than if impaired by yourself; for the
accents Of those we love soften the harsh.
esl lidings.-Besides. you are depri, ing
yourselfot The comforts OF her sympathy
and not merely that, but also endsns ering
the only bond that can keep hearts toge-
ther-an unr' served community of thought
and feeling. She will soon perceive that
something is secretly preying upon your
mind and true love will not brook re.
serve, but feels undeIvalued and outraged
wht n even the sorrows of those it loves are
concealed from it,"
oh, but, my friend TO think what a
blow am log,ve to all her future prospet Is
how am to strike her very soul to the
earth, by telling her that her husband is a
beggar that she is to lorego all the ele-
gancies Of life-ail the pleasures of society
Ito shrink with me into indulgence and
obscurity TO tell her that | have drag.
ged her down from the sphere in which she
might have continued to move in constant
brighiness-the light Of every eye--ibe
admiration of every heart !--How can she
bear poverty -? she has been brought up in
all the refnements Of opuleace. How can
she bear neglect she has been the IDOL of
society. Oh, it will break her heart, it
will break her heart -"
| saw his grief was eloquent. and let it
have its flow for sorrow relieve, itself by
words. When his paroxysm had subsidized,
and he had relapsed INTO moody silence, I
resumed the subject gently, and urged him
70 break his situation at once TO his wife.
He shook his head mournfuly, but posi-
lively.
''But how are you to keep it from her p
1t is necessary she should know it. that
you may take the steps proper to the al
iteration Of your circumstances. You must
change your style OF livng--nay," OBJ
serving pang to pass across his coun'e-
nance, "don't let that aflict you. | am
sure you never placed your happiness i'll
outward show--you have yet friends,
warm friends, who will not think the worse
Of you for being less splendidIy lodged {;
and surely it does moi require a palace to
be happy with Mary" 81 could he hap
py with her," cried he convuIsiveIy, lin a
bowel =! could go down with her into 20
verify and The dust II could could
G cd bless her." cried he, bursting into a
transport of grief and tenderness.
"And believe ME, my friend" said |,
up, and grasping him warml' by
the hand, "believe me, she can he the same
with you. Aye, more twill be source
of pride and triumph TO her--it will call
forth all the latent energies and fervent
sympathies other nature for she will re-
joice to prove that she loves you for your
self. There is in every true woman's
heart a spark OF heavenly fire, which lies
dormant in the broad daylight of prospe.
rity but which kindles up. and beams and
blazes in the dark hour of adversely. No
man knows what the wife of his bosom is,
no man knows what a ministering angel
she is--unliIhe has gone with her through
the fiery trials Of this world"
There was something in the earnestness
Of my manner, and the hgurative style OF
my language, that caught the excited ina.
yination OF Leslie. knew the auditor |
had to deal with !; and following up the
had made, ! finished by per
suading him TO 60 home and vnburden bis
sad heart to his wife.
must confess, notwithstanding all | had
said, | felt some little solicitude for the re-
suit. Who can calculate on the furtituda
Of one whose life has been round
Of pleasures Her gay spirits might revolt
at The dark, downward path Of low humi.
lily, suddenly pointed out before her, and
might cling to the sunny regions in which
they had hitherto revelled. Besides, ruin
in fashionable life is accompanied by SO
many CALLING notifications, TO which, in
other ranks, it is stranger.--In short, |
could not meet Leslie, the next morning,
without trepidation.--le had made the
disclosure.