The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-07-22
NO. Al.

nv months, when by succession of sudden
disasters, it was swept from him, and he
found himself reduced almost to pcnury. For
time he kept his situation to himself, and
went about with haggard countenapce, and
a breaking heart. His life was but pro-
tracted agony; and what rendered it more
insupportable, was the necessity OF keeping
up a smile III the presence of his wife, for he
could not bring himself to overwhelm her
with the news. She saw, however, with the
quick ewes of affection, that all was not well
with him. She marked his altered looks
and stillcd sighs, and was not to be deceived
bv his siuklv and vapid attempts at cheer
fulness. She tased all her sprightly row-
crs and tender Establishments to win him
back to happiness; but she only drove the
arrow deeper into his soul. The more he
saw cause TO love her, the more torturing
was the thought that he was soon to make
her wrctched. A little while, thought he,
and the smile will vanish from that check
tho song will die away from those lips--thc
lustrc Of those eyes will be qucnched with
sorrow; and the happy heart which now
beats lightly in that bosom, will be weighed
down, like minc, by the cares and miseries
OF the world.
At length he came to me one day, and re-
lated his whole situation in the tone of the
NNSliGNt tCoptils W lSli llstu DCdIQ IllIl
through, enquircd "does your wife know all
this ?''-At the question he burst into an ag-
ony oftcars. " For Gods sake" cried he,
if you have any pity on me, do not mention
my wife it is the thought OF her that drives
NC almost to madncss"
".And why notf' said / y" she must know
! it sooner Or later; you cannot keep it from
her long, and the intelligence may break up
on her in more startling manner, than il
| impaired by yourself; for the accents of
those we love soften the harshest tidings.
Besides You are depriyng yourself of the
comforts of her sympathy, and not merely
that, but also endangerng the only bond that
can keep hearts together-an unrcserved
community of thought and feeling. She will
soonp perceive that something's is secretly prey
! ing upon Your mind; and true love will not
brook reserve, but feels undervalucd and
outraged, when even the sorrows of those it
loves are concealed from it."
"Oh but my friend to think what blow
| am about to give to all her future pros.
pcctS--how am to strike her very soul to
the earth, by telling her that her husband is
a beggar that she is to forego all the ele-
gancies Of life--all the pleasures of society
Ito sink with me into indulgence and obscu-
rity To tell her that / have dragged her
down from the sphere in which she might
have continued to move in constant bright
ness--the light OF every cyc--the admira-
tion of every heart! How can she bear pow
crty? she has been brought up in all the re-
hnemcnts of opulcnce How can she bear
neglccta 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 relieves itselfby
words. When his paroXism had subsidized,
and he had rclapscd into moody silence, /
resumed the subject gently, and urged him
to break his situation at once to his wife. He
shook his head moumtully, but positi, ely
But how are you to keep it from her.
1t is necessary she should know it, that YOU
may take the steps proper to the alteration
of your circumstances. You must change
your stile vi living-nay," observing pang
to pass across his countcnance, "do not let
that aillict you. | am sure you have never
placed your happiness in outward show
you have yet friends, warm friends, who will
not think the worse of you for being less
splendidly lodged and surely it does not
require palace to be happy with Mary
"I could be happy with her." cried he
convnlsively, in hoyel III could go down
with her into poverty and the dust IL could
i could-God bless hcr!" cried he, BURST
ing into transport of grief and tenderness
"And believe me, my friend" said / STEP
ping up, and grasping him warmly by the
hand, "believc me, she can be the same with
you. Aye more: it will be source of pride
and triumph to her-it will call forth all the
latent energies and fervcnt sympathies of
her nature, for she will rejoice to prove that
she loves you for yourself. There is in ev-
cry true womans heart spark of heavenly
fire, which lies dormant III the broad day
| light of prosperity; but which kindles up,
and beams and blazes in the dark hour of ad-
versity. No man knows what the wife of
| his bosom is---no man knows what minis
tering angel she is--until he has gone with
her through the fiery trials of this world"
| There was something in the earncstness
of manner, and the figurative style of my lal-
guage, that caught the excited imagination
of leslie. knew the auditor had to dea!
with, and following up the impression had
made, / finished by persuadng him TO go
home and unburden his sad heart to his
wife.
| must confess, notwithstanding all had
said, | felt some solicitude for the result
Who can calculate Oh the fortitude of one
whose whole life has been round of pleas
uress Her gay spirits might revolt at the
dark, downward path of low humility, sud
denly pointed out before her, and might cling
to the sunny regions in which they had hith-