The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-02-18
TOO LATE.
BY J. r. CHANDLER.

his wife, as they sat together late one
evening in July, 1910, sit Is well that we
discovered the character and habits of the
young man before he had advanced iarth-
err in our esteem; he might else have in
weighed our only daughter into marriage,
and brought disgrace upon us, as well as
misery upon our child"
Nv hich would have been misery to us
TOO, surely," said the wife.
ut would have been insupportabe
misery. But, thank God,' continued he,
raising his eyes in heartfelt gratitude, II
was informed in season to prevent my
child from the disgrace of connexioh
with -N
with what2" said a good-looking
young man, bo~ing to venerable pair,
with what, sir? Speak out now am
your daughters husband; and it seems not
unfit that there should be so much conf
dence between father and son, as that the
latter should know tie opinion of tie for
mer upon his pursuits. when the former
knows the relation in which each stands
10 the other"
"ll it is too late 10 prevent the marriage"
said the father
at is too late"
"Then, at least, though my rights as "a
father may have ceased, those of hus-
band and of a man are unimpalled, and if
! cannot rule these in my nouse, can,
at least say who shall be its inmates"
"Fa,her," said the bride, kneeIing. with
clasped hands, ''do not cast me lrom You;
give my-give him time, at least, 10 prove
that you have not done him justice. NJ 9TH
er, dear mother -
The closing of the door at the other
side of the room drew the ate ntlon of
the supplianl, and she found that her hus-
band was the only one left with her. 1t
was too late.
Hand in hand the newly married pair
left what had been to the wife an Eden
Of quiet happiness. The stern commands
of father were there, at least, to be o.
beyed; and she was yet to learn whether
IA serious act Of disobedience on her part,
would ever be forgiven by one who had
seemed wrapped up in her affections
whose life was apparently entwined with
her obedience.
She left that Eden then. Hand in hand
the banished palr took their departmental
as the offending daughter, and coniding
wife, turned back to look at the closing
door of her paternal mansion, II seemed
to her, indeed, as if some angel, severe i'll
awful beauty, guarded the portal agains:
her entrance to the place which she had
deserted by fiji al disobedierce.
The price Of the new husband was just
too much for his situation. He was anx
ious, not only to maintain his wife indie
pendently of her family, but to give her
many Of those comforts to which she had
been accustomed. lie could easily have
attained the former, and have met all her
wishes in that respect; but his pride in
duced him to neglect rational means of
acquiring ordinary comforts, and led him
to resort to what he deemed chances Of
sudden wealth. He had, before his mar
riage, suffered in the estimation of many
respectable persons, by his associatlng
with certain dashing young men, who, to
their social qualities, were supposed to
ado that Of londness for games of hazard.
He had amused himself in that way with,
out pecunary profits, and by observation,
had learned the tricks of the art without
practising upon others.
Time passed onward, and the young
wife became mother, and saw, in the
birth of her boy, renewal Of the atlen-
lions of her husband, which, without ap-
parent lapse of affec.io II, certainly with
out other evidences .. unkindness, had
been OF late pretermi,,ed. He had absen-
ted himself from his home until late
hour at night, and had appeared haggard
and care worn 1t was also obvious, that
the means of support were diminished,
and the wife began to feel many, very
manv, of her comforts curtailed. The
descent was rapid, and with it, the renew
al Of absence of the husband at night; but
| -, o,an unkindper@ WAS exhibited, nor