The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1826-08-15
A NARRATIVE.
BIZ J. w. CUNNINGHAM.

By J. W. Cunningham.
~ If she had married man with.
out religion, it was not because she for q
moment undervalued it-but because she
Iignorantly imagined religion to be too ex-
cellent to have few friends, or at least N
to be too good not to be among them. Ii
| she ever suspected him she yet charged his
/ failings upon the vehemence Of his nature
and his want of opportunities. "Love,' 81
she said, with you, Gustavus, ." is the best
school of piety; and if have his heart
in my hands, can not mould it ash will?"
Although N. was for time far too watch
full of her happiness to give any direct
wound to her feelings, still there is in re-
llgion or irreligiona kind of omnipresence,
by which they are seen and felt in every
thing which their possessors say or do.
She soon saw, therefore, that if she attemp-
ted to touch the string of religion, there
was within him nothing which answered
that whilst she hoped to walk as stranger
and pilgrim in this world, he made it his
home; and if he did right, it was frequent
4 ly without motive, or from a false one.
| 1t was plain, also, that he did not love her
for her piety, but rather winked at it; that
The viewed it as her weak point-as kind
of dead weight which her other excelIen-
cies alone could balance. s
/ need not explain to you the effects of
this discovery upon Caroline, or her sensa-
tons, when she saw herself cast upon the
world with such guide. Of her conduct
/ must say, and my intimacy with both en-
titles me to speak confidently, that she
bent every nerve to the" task Of retaining
him that she sometimes attempted to force
but oftener to soften way to his heart
that she never forgot to be wife, because
he was not a Christian.
! / have said with how lofty nature he
was endowed. His hopes and projects
were such as might bee3xpecfed from one
thus constituted, and aid not accommodate
themselves to the dtsil realities Of life.
Shall we wonder then, hat the visions he
sought continually eluded his grasp2 This
by degrees, however, soured his disposition
and as the space between the opposite ex-
tremes is seldom great, the once sanguine
N. Shutdown in sullenness and despair.
His love of Caroline was indeed the last
anchor which the storm carried away. But
as he had not takenthe ground of infidelity
from clear and conscientious conviction
that it was the best, but had hewn it out as
place Of refuge from irresolution and in
difference the subject of religion became
intolerable to him. Whenever, therefore,
her mild language or bright example pressed
Fit upon him, he felt it as a wound, and be-
gan to dislike the hand which gave it. 1t
was with himself that he was angry, but he
soon vented his spleen upon her. One a t
of unkindness ever produces another, for
"men always hate those they have injured"
At the end of six years, therefore, when
the last sentiment which had lent any grace
or polish to the colossal features of his
character was worn away, he stood like
some shapeless relic from the hand of a.
great master-which we admire only for
whati has been.
About the middle of the tenth year of
their marriage, the apathy of which i spoke
had SO completely fixed itself upon him,
that it would have almost been as easy to
have reused his statue as himself, to any
interest in the common circumstances OF
life. Il y.
There is but one employment Il dare
not call itamusement) to which such a state
of mind eminently disposes men. 1t is
said that the ancient Cloths, during the time
of peace, would doze away whole years in
the most senseless sloth, unless called from
it to gamble. 1t was then that their ewes
again lighted up with savage fires, and their
bosoms swelled with wonted fury. Thus
engaged, they would sit till one or the 9TH
er party had lost his property, his children,
MS arms, and even his person; as though
they refused to live, except when thew could
butcher their enemies or rn;n ,h.,,,sal,,o,
1t is ferocious picture of man but alas i
it is the portrait of N. The first time he
took the box in his hand, he seemed 10 cas-,
the die of his own fate. Having once
: burst asnnder the bands Of letharyy. he
seated himself a the tables of ruin. and
scarcely ever quilted them.
II II was one evening when N. had gone
Il from home under singular agitation Of mind,
: that she requested l would follow him to =
; gaming house. which he was known to fire.
: quent. This place was celebrated for the
: p'llage of all who were not initiated in the