Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-05-20
From the Trenton Emporium.
SMILES AND TEARS
"Life's dull dream of hopes and fears,

| was out enjoying the fresh air on a
clear and beautiful spring morning, and
having wandered TO the banks of the cool
and murmering stream that meanders in
the environs OF Alesbury, sat myself
down among some low weeping willows
that overshadowed its borders, a few
yards from sweet flower encircled cot
tage, to rest myself moment, and muse
amid the tranquil and enchanting scene
ry of nature that surrounded me, when a
voice of bitter weeping broke upon my
ear, and looking towards the cottage,
saw pretty girl standing near the door,
her face hid in her apron and sobbing
aloud. Before had moments time
to inquire the cause Of her distress, an
idle iddling fellow who had spent nearly
all his life in sirolling about the settle
ment, getting livelihood nobody knew
how, yet as merry chap as you come
across in ten days journey, stepped up
to the little mourner, and asked her what
was the matter.
80, my flowers; my howers," said
the little girl" pet lamb has eaten
up all my pretty flowers"
And you are pretty fool" answer
ed the idler, ITO be crying about the
flowers will tha, make them grow
again; will your tears bring them back -
That's very conclusive argument,
to be sure" said the father, who just at
that moment stepped up with his garden
hoe in his hand" it's very conclusive,
Bob, who did you get it FROM"
"From two old friends OF mine, called
Reason aud Experience" answered
Bob" they have learned me that one
may as well laugh as cry, whatever be-
tide him; it comes 10 the same thing at
last; neither tears or smiles alter any
body's fortune; get any body dinner ;
or make us or our neighbors live min.
ute longer"
"But ii you had been toiling all your
life Tor little property would you not
be sorry to lose it -
"As to that" replied Bob, I" l never
intend to make the trial if l had the
property, l might lose it; and if that
would make me unhappy, I'm in no dan
ger OF loss, therefore out OF reach Of sor-
row Oh that account"
"And if relation, or good friend Of
yours we're p die, what would you do "
Do--why I'D 60 into the woods and
fiddle a whole day by myself; because
it isn't fashionable to DC merry on such
occasions"
"You would not weep"
Certainly not, since it would not
bring them back; or alter the case
whit"
But natural affection; what do you
say to that Bob"
"Why," answered Bob, very gravely
" ! say that it is natural fool; what do
you say it is %
"a principle implanted in our bosoms
by our Maker" answered the man, for
wise purposes too, and il ought there
fore to be cherished"
"You are sure" replied the idler,
significantly, "you are sure its not
weakness of human nature !"
swell, what it admit it to be a weak
ness ?'
"Why then it should be overc come it
possible, not cherished, as you say"
"You draw conclusions with great ia
cility," replied the gardener, laughing a.
the fellows ingenuity, "but suppose |
re,ract my admission; how will you
prove natural affection to be weak
ness I"
"By some Of It's fruits" said Bob,
your little girl has lost her flowers, and
she is unhappy; people ge, in love and
go crazy; il one dies, sometimes there
is world OF misery in consequence; if
men of property meet with losses, they
grieve themselves TO death; all these
seem to prove it, because whatever prin-
cIple in our nature causes needless suffer-
| ing is a weakness"
left the dispuisnts and resumed my
morning walk. The little birds were
singing merriy on every overhanging
Dough; the young lambs frisked abou,
in the outspread meadows, and the face
OF nature seemed to wear smile OF
gladness which was reflected back by the
clear blue sky; and in casting my eye
over the landscape, l saw on the borders
OF the green wood, at distance, the
peaceful sunlight of the morning playing
over the village grave yard. The com.
bination Of circumstances awakened a
new feeling in my bosom l thought that
the argument Of that strolling idler, with
so much wi, upon his tongue and SO lit
tie OF it in his practice, did teach les
son; and that lesson was, we dc over
L l. Al:. - L.. Il aoH