Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-08-13
From The Democratic Rep'ee.
LEGEND OF LIFE AND LOVE

"a ibseLlfb NE LIT Il AiFO lstt} IL E
A very cheefless and falIacious doctrine Is
that which teaches to deny the Yielding to nat,
aral1eeiings, rightaously directed, because the
consequences may be trouble and grief, as well
as satisfaction and pleasure. The man who
lives on from year to year, jealous Of evenpla-
cling himself in a situation where the chances
caa possibly turn against him-ice, as ii we're,
surrounding his heart, and his miHd too scra-
pulously weighing in a balance the results of
giving AWAY TO any of those propcnsities his
Creator has planted in his heart-may be a
philosopher, but can never be a happy man.
Upon the banks of a pleasant river stood a
cottage, the residence ofan ancient man whose
limbs were feeble with the weight Of years and
of former sorrow. In his appetites easily
gratified, like the simple race Of people among
whom he lived, every want of existence was
supplied by a fertile acres. Those acres were
titled and tended by two brothers, sfandsons
ofthe old maq, aud dwcIlers also in the cottage.
The parents ofthe boys lay buried near by.
Nathan. the elder, had hardly seen his TWEEN
tieth summer He was a beautiful youth.
Glossy hair clustered upon his head, and his
cheeks were very brown from sunshine and
air. Though the eyes Of Nathan were soft
and liquid, like a girls, and his checks eurled
with a voluptnous swell, exercise and labor
had developed his limbs into noble and manly
proportions. tffhe bands Of hunters as they
met sometimes to start off together after the
game upon the neighboring hills, could hardly
show one among their number who in comli-
ness, strength or activity, might compete with
the youthful Nathan.
Mark was but a year Younger than his bro
Their. He too had great beauty.
In course oftime the ancient siekened, and
knew that he was to die. Before the approach
ofthe fatal hour, he called before him the two
youths, and addressed them thus:
@The world, my children, is full Of deceit.
Evil men swarm in every place and sorrow
and disappointment are the fruits Of inter-
course with them.-So wisdom is wary.
"And as the things of life are only shadows,
passing like the darkness of a cloud, twine
no bands oflove about your hearts. For love
is the feklelest of things Of life. The object
Of our affection eies, and we thenceforth Ian
guish in agony or perhaps the love we covet
dies, and that is more painful yet.
at is we'll never to confde in any man. It
is well to keep aloof from the folIies and im-
purities of earth. Let there be TO links be-
tween you and others. Let not any being
control you through your dependence upon
him for a portion of your happiness. This,
my sons, have learned by bitter experience,
is the teaching of truth.
Within a few days afterwards, the old man
was placed away in the marble tomb of his
kindred, which was built on a hill by the shore.
Now The injunction given to Nathan and
his neutrality-suspicious. frequently impressed
upon them before by the same monitorial
voice were pondered overly each youth in his
Utmost heart. They had always habitaaliy
respected their grandsire; whatever came from
his mouth, thsrefore seemed as the words Of
an oracle not to be g~ainsayed.
Soon the path Of Nathan CHANGED to be sun
dered from that of Mark.
And the trees leaved out and then in au-
sunan cast their foliage !; and in due course
again-and the brothers meet not yet.
Two score years and ten! what changes
work over earth in such a space as two seore
years and tent
As the sun. an hour ere setting, cast long
slanting shadows to the eastward, two men
uithered, and with hair thin and snowy, came
YEARLY up from opposite direction, and stood
together at a tomb bullion a Hill by the boz
ders of a fair river.-Why do they stare, as
each casts his dim eyes toward the face of the
otherf Why do tears drop down their cheeks,
and their forms tremble even more than with
the feeblcness of ages They are the lsng SCI
peTatsd brethren and they enfold themselves in
one anotasy,s arms,
aAnd vet said mark, after a few moments
stepping back, and gazing earnestly upon his
companions fern and features, sand yet il
wonders me that thou art my brother. There
should be a brave and beautiful youth, with
black curls upon his head and not those pale
emblsms of decay. And my brother should
be straight and nin,hle-not bent and ~tottering
rs thor"