Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-12-10


nestle felicity in group of living figures,
need have gone no further than the man.
sion of Welberg. He and his wife were
seated at the head of tho table, smiling on
their children, and seeing them smile in re-
turn, without the Intervention of one anx.
ious thought present harrassing diff
ficulty, or heavy presage of future mis-
chance-one fear o the moryoic, or aching
remembrance of the past. The children
formed indeed group, upon which the
eye Of the painter or parent, the gaze of
taste or of affection, might have hung with
equal delight. Everard, their eldest son,
now sixteen, possessed TOO much beauty
for his sex, and his delicate and brilliant
complexion, his slender and exquistely
moulded form, and the incubation ofnis
tender and tremulous voice, inspired that
mingled interest, with which we watch,
in youth over the strife of present debility
with the promise of future strength, and
infused into his parents heart that fond
anxiety with which we mark the progress
of a mild but cloudy morning in spring,
rejoicing in the mild and balmy glories of
its dawn, but fearing lest clouds may over
shade them before noon. The daughters
Ines and Julia, had all the loneliness of
their colder climate--the luxuriant ring
lets of golden hair, the large bright blue
eye, the snow-like whiteness of their bo-
SONS, and slender arms, and the leaf
tint and peachiness oftheir delicate cheeks,
made them as they attended their parents
with graceful and fond officiousness re-
semble two young Hebes ministering cups
which their touch alone was enough to
turn into nectar.
''1'he spirits of these young persons
had been early depressed by the difficult
ties in which their parents had been invol-
we'd and even in childhood they had ac-
CURED the timid tread, the whispered tone,
the anxious and inquiring look, that the
constant sense of domestic distress pain.
fully teaches even to children, and which
it is the most exquisite pain TO witness.
But now there was nothing to restrain
their young hearts that stranger, smile
fled back, rejoicing to the lovely home OF
their lips--and the timidity of their former
habits only lent gentle shade to the bril-.
liant exuberance of youthful happiness.
Just opposite this picture, whose hues
were so bright, and whose shades were sc
tender, were seated the figures ofthe ageC
grandfather and grandmother. The con
trast was very strong; there was no con
Meeting link, no graduation medium you
passed at once from the first and flares
flowers of spring to the wthered and bar
renness Of winter.
''These very aged persons, however
had something in their looks to sooth,
the eye, and Teniers or Wouverman would
perhaps have valued their figures and cos
tune far beyond those of their young ant
lovely grand. children. They were stiff,
and quantity habi:ed in their German CARL
the old man in his doublet and cap, an
the old woman in her ruff, stomacher, AM
head gear resembling a sklll-cap with lony
depending Primers, through which few
white, but-very long hairs, appeared OF
her wrinkled cheeks !; but on the counte
nances of both there was a gleam of Joy
like the cold smile of a setting sun on
wintry landscape. They did not distinct
| iy hear the kind opportunities of their so
and daughter, TO partake more amply c
the most plentiful meal they had ever wit
messed in their frugal lives-but they bow
ed and smiled with that thankfulness whc
is at once wounding and grateful to tn
hearts of affcctionate children. The
smiled also at the beauty of Everard an
the younger grand children-at the will
pranks of Maurice, who was as wild
the hour of trouble as in the hour of pros
perity-and finally, they smiled at ali tha
was said, though they did not hear half {
it, and at all they saw, though they coul
ehioy very little-and that smile of age
that PLACID submission to the pleasures
the young, mingled with undoubted antic
pations of more pure and perfect felic
f ty, give almost heavenly expression fee
lures, that would otherwise have born
only whitening marks Of debility and DE-
) cay.
"Some circumstances occurred durin
! this family feast, which were sufficient
t characteristic of the partakers. Weber
/ (himself a very temperate man) presse
/ his father repeatedly to take more win
! than he was accustomed to--the old ma
! gently declined it. The son still presse
it heartfully,an the old man complied wit
a wish to crafty his son, not himself.
D "The younger children, too, carresse
p their grandmother with the boisterol
fondness of children. Their mother r.
r preached them. Nay let be- said Il
gentle old woman. They trouble you
j MOTHER said the wife of Weberg. The
y cannot trouble me long, SAID the gran,
. mother with an emphatic smile. 'Fathe
f SIS not Everard grown very tall 2 TT
last time saw him. said the grand-fathe
! | stopped to kiss him now / think
must stoop to kiss me- And at the wor
! Everard darted like an arrow into ii
: trembling arms that were opend to receil
: him, and his red and hairless lips we
!, pressed to the snowy beard of his gran
! father. Cling there my child said Il
exulting father. God grant your XII
may never be applied to lips less pure
They never shall, my father 2 said Il
susceptible boy, blushing at his own EN-
5 tions-1 never wish to press any lips b
/ those that viii bless me like those of n
n grandfather and do you wish, sa
e the old man jocousely, that the blessir
n should alsOays issue from lips rough al
q hoary as mine 2 Eeyerard stood blus
q ing behind the old mans chairat this que
n fion and Walhoro xvho heard tho rlo.