American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1844-11-25
From tie Pennsylvania InQuirer.l
CON EALM ENT AT HON T. q.
CASE FROM REAL LIFE.

AcAsE FROM REAL LIFE.
We heard Of Il case of pecuniary ruin a few
days since, which the narrator attributed to Il
disposition on the part of the husband, to con-
ceal the real state of his financial affairs from
his "better half The fair one was Young
lovely and iascinatng-the ornament of gay
circle, fond OF display, of society, and of max
ing figure in the world. Her husband doated
upon her, and at the time of her marriage, be-
lieved himself, and was generally regarded as
rich. He purchased a fine house, furnished it
in splendid style, and started forward in DASH
ing manner. His wife dressed, not only with
elegance, but in the most expensive style. She
was ambitious TO move in the best circles and
believing that her husband could afford it, she
| lived at the rate of several thousand dollars IL
year. Shortly after they were married the
husband met with several serious losses; but
they were in the way Of business, and although
they alarmed him for the moment, they pro-
duccd no serious effect upon his mind. He was
naturally cheerful and sanguine, and he could
not muster courage enough even to inform his
wife Of his pecuniary disaster His views were
that she could not mend the matter-that it
was pity TO annoy and disturb her by the dis
closure, and that in the end he would recover
But his affairs continued 10 grow worse; and
seeing this, he often determined in his thought
FIJI moments, TO tell the whole story to his wife,
and thus to induce her to be more economical
as well as to make less display in the eye of the
world, But he still lacked the nerve. His wife
had formed maay new associates in the fash
ona6e circles, was regarded as quite leader
in the gay sphere N which she moved, was
everywhere admired, and her mistaken hus-
band could not or would not wound her pride
and pain her heart, by disclosing the condition
of his falling fortunes. The worse his affairs
grew thesmore studied were his efforts to con-
ceal them at home. With this object, he re-
sorted to many new cxpcdionts to obtain funds,
borrowed money at high rates of interest dis
posed of his goods and his property at sacri-
fec, and finally found himself in the hands of
the Sheriff. The blow then fell upon his young
wife, with fearful effect. She had never ina
gned such result True, at times, when she
felt that she was rather extravaganza, she had
venturcd to apologize to her husband, and TO
ask, rather indirectly than otherwise, as to the
condition of his business But the subject was
n painful one TO him, and he avoided it with
singular deluson. He had married her as a
rich man, he had commenced life in liberal
style--hc had in measure induced his wife to
become gay and extravagant; and thus he per-
sisted in the weakness of deceiving her, and
concealing his gradually dcpreciating fortunes,
until too late. Then she was all agony and re-
morcs. Then the true woman, and her fidelity
i'll his hours of gloom, were exhibited in all
their beauty and truth. She reproached him,
it is truc, for his concealment: but was in any
but an unkind spirit She had been nsled, the
gaietes of the world had tempted her on, and
thus, while mingling in the fashions and frvo-
lities of life, she had overlooked the real state
of her husbands finances, and disrcgarded a
thousand indications of change, which now
flashed upon her with vivid truth and warning.
The young merchant, in telling the story Of his
reverses to friend, admitted his folly, confess
cd the madness that induced him to conceal the
real state Of his fortunes, but acquitted his wife
OF all censure, at the same time remarking that
she had in their adversely, exhibited qualities
which had endearcd him to her far more than
those which she had displayed in the gay, the
dashing and the eXtravagant portion Of her life
"rhe lesson,' he added, "has been bitter one
in monetary point of view, but it has had its
uses 1t has taught me to appreciate the true
enjoyment of domestic life, the blessing of the
in door world, and to contrast them favorably,
even in changed circumstances, with the gid
dy trif1ing and the wild excitement off the mere
ly fashionable, empty and cold"
Are there no cases of concealment, such as
we have described, among our readers? Is it
not too frequently the way of the world, to as
sumo a condition Of prosperity that does not
exist, or at least to hold from those who should
know them, truths Of importance to the we'll
being of the parties concerned? Is there not a
stubborn pride in our nature, which would ra-
ther suffer than contest Are there not hun
dreds of couples in this community, who are
comparatively strangers in thought Are there
not many husbands who are pursuing the same
course that we have described above, and who
while they deplore and regret the extravaganza
and expensive mode of living pursued by their
wives, permit those wives to remain in ignor-
ance as to their income, resources, expenditures
and prospects, Be assured, gentle reader, that
frankness and confidence are essential to the
married life and that those who commence the
welded condition by system of concealment,
will sooner or later repent, and with the utmost
bi,tnerness, the folly of such a course.
REMovAL. The Annapolis Republican thus
notices the removal of gentleman from that