Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-09-11

! nllhSftO icFeilcu. bcshf y III lash
ionable life Is accompanied by so many
calling notifications, to which, in other
ranks, it is stranger.-ln short, could
rot meet Leslie, the next morning,
without trepidation. He made the dis
closure.
" And how did she bear it !'
" Like ali angel. 1t seemed rather to
be relief to her mind, for she threw her
arms around my neck, and asked if this
was all that had lately made me SO I'M
happy but, poor girl" added he" she
cannot realize the changeWe mustundcr-
go. She has no idea of poverty but in
the abstract: she has only read Of it in
poetry, where it is allied to love. She
feels as yet no privation: she experien-
ces 10 want of accustomed conyenienccs
or elcgancies. When we come practi-
cally to experience its sordid cares, its
paltry wants, its petty humiliations--
then will be the real trial"
" But said !, "now that you have
got over the scvcrest task, that of break
ing it to her, the sooner YOU let the
world into the secret the better. The
disclosure may be Notifying; but then
it is a single misery, and soon over
whereas you otherwise suffer il, in Anti
cipation, every hour in the day. 1t is
not poverty, so much as pretenoe, that
! harnesses a ruined man---thc struggle be-
tween proud mind and an empty purse
the keeping up a hollow show that
must soon come TO an end. Have the
| courage to appear poor, and you disarm
poverty of its sharpest stinS." On this
point l found Leslie perfectly prepared.
lie had no false pride himself, ana as TO
his wife, she was only anxious to con-
form 10 their altered fortunes.
Some few days afterwards, he called
upon me in the evening. lie had dis
posed OF his dwelling house, and taken
a small cottage in the country, few
miles from town. He had been busted
all day in sending out furniture. The
new establishment required few articles,
and those Of the simplest kind. All the
splendid furniture OF his late residence
had been sold, excepting his wife's harp.
| That, he said, was too closely associated
with the idea of herself: il belonged TO
| the little story OF their loves; for some
| of the sweetest moments OF their court
ship were those when he had leaned over
! the instrument. and heard the melting
strains Of her voice. | could not but
smile at this instance OF romantic gal
| lantry in toating husband.
lie was now gong out to the cottage,
where bis wife had been all day, super
intending its arrangement. My feelings
had become strongly interested in the
progress CT this family story, and as 1t
was fine evening, | offered to accom-
pany him. He was wearied with the
tatigues Of the day, and as we walked
ont, fel. into a fit Of gloomy musing.
" Poor Mary ~ at length broke, with
heavy sigh from his lips.
And what of her,". asked l, "has
any thing happened TO her %
" What" said he, darling an impa-
tient glance, " is it nothing TO be redu
ccd to this paltry situation-to be Gagged
in a miserable cottage---to be obliged to
toll almost in the mcnial concerns u her
wrctched habitation %
" las she thenrcpincd atthechange -
! " Repined! she has been nothing but
sweetness and good hunor. indced,
she seems in better spirits than / have
ever known her; she has been to me ali
love, and tenderness, and comfort
"Admirable girl % exclaimed l.
"You call yourseiipoor, my friend; you
never were so rich--you never knew the
| boundlcss treasures of excellence III
that woman
ooh, but my friend, if this first meet
| ing at the cottage were over, think !
could then be comfortable. But this is
her first day ofreal experience: she has
been introduced into humble dwelling
She has been employed all day in ar
ranging its miserable equipncnts--she
has for the first time known the iatigues
of domestic employment--she has for
the first time looked around her on a
home destitute of every thing elegant,
and almost convenient; and may now be
sitting down, exhausted and spiritless,
brooding over aprospect OF future power
ty.
There was degree of probability in
this picture that could not gainsay; so
we walked on in silence.
After turning from the main road, up
narrow lane, so thickly shaded by forest
trees as TO give it complete air of Sc
cluson, we came in sight of the cottage.
twas humble enough in its appearance
| for the most pastoral poet; and vet it