Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-07-15
From the Passion Flower.
THE VISIT.

| From the Passion Flower.
| THE VISIT.
In one Of the freezing days of our climate,
young physician but recently married invited hi
wife to accompany him on a visit to one OF his pr
sienfs.
"lou are romancing, James; what! visit fam
lily without introduction an invitation or el
changing cards ?''
"In this family, my dear Amanda, there is n
ceremony Of cards. said James, sbut they vii
not be the less pleased to see you
neveruscd to go to see poor pcople;' said A
nanda thoughtfully: but continued she, after
short elaboration, I'll go with you, James, an,
where
| They passed from the handsome street Of thei
residence to public square, and crossing owe
entercda small alley, in which Amanda saw
row OF houses built in a manner that showet
they were for the laboring class.-Crossing III,
whole range, they entered the last house, and a
the first door DR.. Ledson gave a gentle rap. 4
common looking woman opened it and welcomed
him.
Two chairs were immediately set. one with
the back broken of, the other rickety and unsta
blc
Before the fire were two little children seated
on the hearth, making noise which the attend
ant female vainly endeavored to quell. A glrl Of
about ten years Of age came out Of small pantry
bedroom, and smiled as she spoke.
In large rude chair sat thin female.-She
rocked herself necessarily. She looked up when
Dr. Ledson addressed her, but neither smiled moi
spoke: Her complexion sallow by illness,
her lower Jaw had fallen from its socket, and her
teeth chartered with the vain endeavor to close
the mouth.
At receiving some nourishment from the hand
of her companion, she seemed revived
i am glad to see you doctor, though had ho-
ped TO have been released from my wretchedncss
before now. do not complain, but my bones
have started through the skin, and suffer'-She
shiyercd and stopped an Instant Il thought very
hard when lost my baby last simmer; but see
it was kind, what would have become of it now ?
must leave these, young enough, to take care Of
themselves, and my husband is of the stud
dicst
She did not weep, she was past that human
feeling. Amanda looked on in silence. She had
learned more of life's state from the scene than
she could have acquired from volumes. She felt
now wiser woman at eighteen, than she would
otherwise have been at twenty-five.
1t brings down all our vanity and little repinings.
= ~r~-.~..~ of ."eh voc. Even the almost total
ordinary sorrow. 1t gave feeling Of much
that must have been endured before.
is this your sister? said the woman
No. said James, and Amanda smiled as he re-
plicd, 1T is my wife,
lit is your wifc!' said she, showing some vi
yacity sIIow sweet she looks Can she sing
How often had Amanda sung that carclcssly
before. She felt awed and humblcd now by every
syllable that floated on her soft rich tones around
he narrow apartment.
The dying looked up so thankfully, that she even
looked pretty. slight hectic relieved her livid
:ountcnancc. She said audibly, Il hear the angles
singing now around me- and then relapsed into
monotonous groan Of WEAKNESS.
The little girl shook hands bescechingly as the
;oung couple left, and in a sabdued voice Amanda
'wc will take Of YOU
Who, like the physician, save indeed the min
stor, is called upon to see human nature in every
tagc. in every shadow of tint! The rich and
he poor, the delicate and the coarse, the learned
nd the ignorant, come before him without dis
uisc.
Amanda thought before, that she had loved her
but luxury is Dead Sea atmosphere,
a which the noble passions sickcn and lie mo-
onless. She chung to James arm she return
d home, with a feeling of devotion to him, that
he had never even imagined before; and in the
lcasure she experienced in softening the horrors
her fellow creatures poverty, she found every
ay new cause to rejoice in having shared her for
me with one who, if he brought to her addi-
OH of earth's wealth, had taught her that there is
way of employing it, that will awaken the purest
eight.