The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-14

ing-nay," observing pang pass across his
countenance, edon'i letthal affiict YOU. am sure
you never placed your happiness in outward show
You have yet friends who will not think the
worse Of YOU for being less splenddly lodged |;
and surely il does not require such place 10 be
happy with Mary"
a could be happy with her." cried he, conyul-
sivey, sin a howell could 60 down with her
into poverty and the dust--I could-I could
God bless her God bless herp cried he,
bursting into a transport Of grief and tender
ness.
And believe me, my friend, said T. stepping
up and grasping him warmly by the hand, be-
lieve me, she can be the same with YOU Ay,
more il will be source of prd. and triumph
to her, il will call forth all the latent energies
and fervent sympathies Of her nature for she
will rejoice 10 prove that she loves you for your
SELF There is in every true woman's heart a
spark Of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the
broad daylight of prosperity but which kindles
up and burns aud blazes in the dark hour OF ad-
yersity.. No man knows what the wife Of his
bosom is; no man knows what ministering
angel she is, until he has gone with her through
the fiery trials OF this work.
There was something in the earnestness of
my language. that caught the excited imagina-
ton of Leslie. knew the auditor had TO deal
with; and following up the impression | had
made, ! finished by persuading him to go home
and unburden hip sad heart 70 his wife: must
confess, nOlwiEksiandhng MI ] had said, had
felt little solicitude for the result Who can
calculate on the fortiude of one whose whole
life has been a round Of pleasure? Her gay
spirits might revolt at the dark, downward path
Of low humility suddenly pointed out before her,
and might cling TO the sunny regions in which
they had hitherto revelled Besides, ruin in
fashionable life is accompanied by so many gall
ing notifications, 10 which, in other ranks, it is
T.. I "A. AZ
next morning without trepdation He had made
the disclosure.
Sand how did she bear it?"
"Like an angel. II seemed rather TO be re-
lief to her mind, for she threw her arms around
my neck and asked if this was all that had lately
made me unhappy. But, poor girl" added he,
"she cannot realize the change we must undergo.
She has no idea of poverty but in the abstract !;
she has only read of it in poetry, where il is al
lied to love- She feels as yet no privation-she
suffers no loss of accustomed conveniences nor
elegancies. When we come practically to expe-
rence its sordd cares, its patry wants, its petty
humiliatons, then will be the trial."
s'But,n said ], "now that you have got over
the severest task that of breaking il to her, the
sooner you let the world into the secret the bet
ter. The disclosure may be notifying but
then it is single misery, and soon over; where
as you otherwise suffer il in anticipation every
hour in the day 1t is not poverty so much as
pretence that harnesses ruined man-the strug-
gle between proud mind and an empty purse
the keeping up hollow show that must soon
come to an end. Have the courage to appear
poor, and you dsarm poverty of its sharpest sting"
On this point found Leslie perfectly prepared.
He had no false pride himself, and as TO his wife,
she was only anxious to conform to thtir altered
fortunes.
Some days afterwards he called upon me in
the evening He had disposed of his dwelling
few miles from town. He had busted himself all
house, and taken small cottage in the country, a
day in sending out furniture. The new esta-
blishment required butfew articles o(the simplest
kind. All the splendid furniture Of his late resi-
dence had been sold except his wife's piano.
That, he said, was too closely associated with
herselc-it belonged to the little story of their
loves-for some of the sweetest moments OF their
courtship were those when he had leaned over
that instrument and listened 10 the melting tones
of her voice. ] could not but smile at this in
stance Of romantic gallanry in doating hus-
band
He was now going Out to the cottage, where
his wife had been all day experimenting its ar
rangement. My feelings had become strongly
interested in the progress OF this family story,
and as il was fine evening, offered TO accom-
pany him.
He was weared with the fatigues Of the day,
and as he walked out fell into fit of gloomy
musing
"Poor Mary p at length broke with heavy
sigh from his lips.
.And what of her ~ asked !, "has anything
happened to her?'
WHAT said he, darling an impatient glance,
is il nothing to be reduced TO this paliry situa-
tion--to be Gagged in miserable cotiage-to be
obliged to toll almost in the mental concerns OF
his wretched habitation ~
"Has she, then, repined at the change"
"Repined she has been nothing but sweet
ness and good humor. Indeed, she seems in
better spirits than have ever known her; she
has been to me all love, tenderness and COM
fort"
"Admirable girl % exclaimed |. "You call
yourself poor, my friend, you never were so rich
you never knew the boundless treasure OF exr
cellence you possessed in that woman.
"Oh, but my friend, if this first meeting at
the cottage were over, think ] could be com
Portable. She has been introduced into an hum
BILE dweling--she has been employed all day
in arranging its miserable COMPREHENSIVE has,
for the first time, known the fatigues OF heing
Obliged to do domestic employ ments-she has,
for The first time, looked around her on home
destitute of every thing elegant-almost OF every
thing convenient, land may now be sitting down,
exhausted and spiritless, brooding over pros
pect of future poverty"
mere was u ueSIee VI Piooaumy :" .,iis Pr
ture that | could not gainsay, so we walked on
in silence.
After turning from the main road up narrow
lane so thicky shaded by the forest trees as TO
give il a complete air of seclusion, we came IN
sight of the cottage. II was humble enough in
its appearance for the most pastoral poet; and
We, il had a pleasing rural look. A wild vine
over-run one end with profusion Of foliage;
a few trees threw their branches gracefully over
it. and observed several pots Of flowers taste
fully disposed about the door, and on the grass
plat in front A small wicket gate opened upon
a foot path that wound through some shrubbery