Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-02-12
GERTRUDE.

ado you know, Gertrude, the opinion
prevalent in the ueighborhood, ia regard
to. your friend Wilton %
tMother,' said Gertrude with forced
composure, Il know nothing to his disad-
vantage. know he has enemies here
bitter, implacable enemies, who would
gladly sacrifice him. / know too that
their tongues have not been idle-that dc.
famation in its foulest nature has been
plentfully bestowed upon virtuous and
high-minded gentleman
%Gertrude," said her mother, {" know
thai the world sometimes CONDEMNS I'm.
justly. / know that defamation has some.
times hunted down the pure and virtuous,
and blackened the fair fame of the up.
right and Praiseworthy. But, when so
much is averred respecting Wilton, when
friends and foes alike acknowledge his alb
erration, the one by open attacks upon his
reputation, the other%by doubtful whispers,
and expressions of regret, and an evident
withdrawal of their former warm and con.
iding friendship, we may Justly fear that
there is indeed some reason for such a
change-that our young and ingenious
friend is yielding to the tacination of vice
gliding gradually, and almost impercep-
tibly down that fearful path WHICH leads
from the perfect light of virtue and hol.
ness
Il will not believe it-never,'-reDlied
Gertrude, her clear blue eye lighting I'D
with unwonted energy. Mother, YOU are
deceived alike by the avowed enemies and
abe false and envious friends of Charles
Wilton. Believe me, l have not reposed
my confidence i'll a stranger. | know
Wilton to be virtuous and honorable. And
who, let me ask, are those who traduce
his eharacterl Her beautiful lip curled
into an expression Of ineHabe scorn, as
she replied TO her own interrOgatory.-
'False.hearted wretches creatures o
envy and malice, who would as soon dare
Ahe falling thunderboIt. as confront the in
dignant glance of the man they have 81
Eoully injured.
Gertrude spoke from the impulse of he
heart. She could not believe that such
man as Charles Wilton could debase him
selftO the sin of drunkenness; that h
whose nature was so noble; so elevated
a passionate lover Of the beauty of tn
natural universe, and of the godlike man
iiestations Of human virtue, the outbreak
ing Of the immortal spirit from the dark
ness Of is pTison-house, could, by an,
possible temptations, yield to the balefu
sntcements of the destroyer-and humbI
che godlike image Of manhood lower thai
that Of the brutes which perish"
And why was it, that when all he
friends saw and warned her of her dan
ger, she chung yet closer to the object O
their iears7 Why was it when the bosom
friends Of Charles Wilton avoided him q
If there were contagIon in his very pres
ence, that the beautiful and intellectus
Gertrude welcomed his approach with
smile Of deeper fondness I She AoUed him
and the love Of heart like hers, change
nos With the changes Of the beloved
burns brighten and warmer as the shadow
Of evil close around its object.
And Gertrude became the wife &
Charles Wilton--and his victim also. Sh
died early, but not before every beautifl
blossom Of her affection had persisted
not before deathlike whitening had con
over her heart, until il became as dust. an
all j. warm and holy feelings gave plac
% bitterness and lOathing, and abhorrencs
Oh there IS nothing in the human suffer
ing IKE the wrong and scorn from thos
whom We love, and would die for-nott
ing which so changes and chills the conf
ding bosom. And an this Gertrude Eel
and her high spirit sank under the tria
She perished-but the last moments ,
her esslenee were unsoothed BY thevoic
OF affection. Az times. indeed, a bloato
and 1dlhsome form bent over her pillow
ths wreck Of all which gives beauty an
dig1ify n manhood; and voice hidaou
from drunkenness, murmured ia her "a
the disgusting words Of an idiots sont
mesa fo .ha succeeded BY. the rude oath
fhs n1 Selling iest; the savage indihsl
srea % mortal SUFFERING, which character
70 ths lost, shameless dronkard.
Let woman beware of the incorporate
Eet hsf nn their presence al tip a
eur, 81 heaven Zoe sniiten with ths
nor lsbrosy which is alike immedicabI
and me bahlo. sIet herremember ~
- uniiihg Der destiny with thai Of d