Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-04-18

tNents nj nome tO nrgirc' ", as nNr,
Garry, | do not wonder bu,ioes. IS con
sidered such toll an SELF j-uiai.'
With this piece Of galI,ntry, he kissed
his wife and hasleOed away.
Now had Caroline remembered aud
acted upon her mGher's advice, she
would have been wise woman bu'
she chose To be unhappy. The bo"kS
were unopened, aud she sat bropllng
over imaginary sorrow. Yet she may
be excused, for this was the first time IN
hal life her wishes had been tbwarlcd,
and she was ignorant Of the imperative
claim Of business.
The hours passed slowly away and
when al length Lacy returned, Instead
of meeting The cheerful smile Of his wife,
and losing, IN the comioit OF domestic
happiness, all thought of weariness,
Car"line's sad expression and almost re-
proachful gaze met hlm.
i thought you would have been home
long ago, Charles, and | have listened
10 every foo, step along the pavement,
ill am tired out with watching.
Charles thought 'womrn were unrea-
sonabIe > but he checked the thought,
for he would not include hIs Caroline.
i could ni return one moment soon
er, Garry he said, cor you well knn",
nnihing would have kept me from you.
am very tired, aud ] assure you my
slippers hook comfortable, and the blazing
fire inviting
So saying he drew two chairs before
the fire and was soon snugly seated with
Caroline beside him. She still con,n-
ued melancholy and silent. lie be.
sought her, with all the tenderness Of
affection, to tell him why she was sad.
oh dear Charles, ! am 50 nervous,
and | thought you were never coming
replied Caroline.
Lacy attached the oId-(ashioned
meaning TO this word. In the dIriiJna,y
Of our rude foreia,hers, nervous is de-
fined idle fears at least, the nervous
ness which at present covers laulis OF
temper and pelulance. ln good old
times, a deficiency in these things met
with the censure they deserved ; but in
our days Of luxury and refinement, ner-
sutSteSS mas Dttu
er indulgences, so that irri,abiliy and
other manifestations OF temper, under
the term nervous, may not only avoid
censure, but receive tho sympathy Of
iirnds.
We'll dear he replied, 'if YOU are
only nervous, You must exert yourself,
and moi give way To 1t.
This was rather toD much Tor poor
Caroline, no had been accustomed to
the new acCeptatlon ul the term, and
generally the attendance OF The physi-
elan whs thought requisite, If she were
suffering under the prevailing malady.
Tears started in her eyes, and silently
cnursed down her cheeks.
Women are unreasonable, again
thought Charles and this time he did
not check it. lie gave sigh of lrnpa-
iirnce, as he shaded his face wiih his
hand bat the remembrance of all
Caroline's loyel.ness was too fresh IN
his mind to allow him to indulge in so
painful feeling : and remembering
that he had Promised To cherish her, he
could not witness the gathering tear
unmoved. Turning a1ectlouateiy to-
wards her, he said. 'My dear wife, YOU
distress me for your happiness is my
greatest desire. know you feel per
haps, that | am unmndlul of it but
consider, dearest, and YOU will lose all
doubt. did not leave you for pleasure,
but To toni 'or your comfort and this
thought sweetens every anxiety. This
must often happen, for there are cares
in my business which demand attention,
and my mind sometimes will be absorb
ed by them | AT such times | cannot
devote my every thought to you, my
heart remains the same and, IN The
certuinty of your affection, feel a peace
aud satisfaction which is never lost sight
of. Now, Garry, let yonr own good
sense speak, and | am sure all sadness
Will vanish from your brow
Charles was right, and orce more the
bright sunny smile Of happlnes played
over her features Many an evening
after that, did Caroline Lacy spend
alone, hut never did she feel nervous in
consequence. But long indul : cnce
always mars the happiness Of after years
Caroline had been Il nervous patent tof
some time, bnl had, during her courlShip
entirely recovered. She was amIable,
hat like Rasssrlas, with nothing to wish
Tor, she was at times unhappy from this
very fact. Her parents could not bear
To see a gloon Shading her path, and
their anxiety took alarm upon such oc.
casions and ascrlbed II to ndisposuion.
The physician could find no name for
the disease but nervousness and as
a natural consequence, Caroline regard
ed il in the same way. When her mind
was fully occupied, and the novelty OF
her situation threw a charm over IL, she
was entirely free from this disease but
when she had settled down as n wife,
and her husband was occupied late and
early at :he counting house, the symp-
toms returned She had a house-keep-
or, and was exempt from household
cares her own maid had waited on her
from m infant, and, from long habit aud
affection, indulged ever whim. Sur
rounded by every earthly blessing, she
could not fail Ia be happy, and she was
80 but nj times, when her wishes
could no, he supreme, az had been the
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