Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-05-12
Il From the Philadelphia Enquirer.
The Betrayal, Or PerilS Of Wealth.

From the Philadelphia Enquirer.
The Betrayal, or PerilS Of Wealth.
cloves light, like meteor has faded,
The hopes and the dreams of my youth
Are lost in the guilt of another.
The guilt that trusted for truth.-ANoN.
One of the greatest desires of the human
family, or at least large portion of man.
kind in civilized life, is to become inde-
pendent, affluent-to attain a position be.
yond the reach Of pecuniary want. If we
look through society, this object will be
found leading one with the multitude -
Riches are coveted by all, or nearly all;
nnd almost every sacrifice is made with the
object of obtaining condition ofwordly in
dependence. And yet it is conceded that
wealth by no means brings happiness; that
in many cases it induces habits of incidence,
throws open new avenues of temptation,
and thus impairs health and shortens life.
Nevertheless, there are hundreds and thous-
ands, already rich, and whose span Of ex-
istence is rapidly drawing to close, who,
Notwithstanding, toll on as steadily as ever,
anxious, it would seem, to accumulate still
more for their children, and thus willing to
subject these children to new temptations.
We may mention case in point. A few
wears since a merchant of this city died
suddenly, and left fortune Of $150,00O,
which was divided between his widow, son
and daughter. The son was engaged with
his father in business, had become inter-
ested in commercial pursuits, and thus con-
tinued on in the good old track. He is,
perhaps, worth more at the present day
than Mt the decease of his parent. But he
has lived generously and happily; he at
tends his counting room daily, overlooks
his clerks, and thus usefully employs
large portion Of his time, but the widow
and daughter. Both were reputed to. be
worth more than they real ly were, and they
Immediately became objects of temptation
to mercenary adventurers. The former
disgraced herselfby marrying man much
her junior, who has already contrived to
make way with large portion of her for
tune. She is by no means contented, for
now that the deception practiced upon her
has become visible-now that she sees that
her money was the object, she indeed feels
disappointed and wretched. The few
charms she possessed in early life are gone,
and she observes with shudder, that her
young husband regards her in any but an
affectionate spirit, and that even his acts of
courtesy and attention are forced and con-
strained. She was forwarned of all this,
and those who loved and respected her
most, interceded for hours before she took
the fatal step. But the acts of plausible
and captivating man were irresistible with
weak susceptible woman, and the result
is as we have stated.
The daughter too, alas! her case is still
worse. She was one ofthe loveliest of her
sex, amiable,. generous and con6ding. She
could not believe in the possibility of a
nnercenary marriage. She regarded with
horror the idea Of a deliberate scheme ol
deception. She was gentle, susceptible and
affectionate; and would lave cheerlully
made any sacrifice for the object Of hel
choice: To her reciprocity of feeling ant
mutual regard, were dearer, sweeter thar
life Under such circumstances, she wa'
singled out with deliberate meditation by
hear.less fortune hunter; was won, ant
cheerfully confided her happiness and he
property to his keeping. Before the mar
Yiage, some Of her friends ventured t.
speak of distinct provision for herself, o
the settlement Of portion of her fartun
in such way as to place it beyond tn
reach Of the vicissitudes of trade and spec
ulation. But she heard the suggestion wit
indignation. She had unbounded conf
dence in her intended husband, and woul
do nothing calculated in the slightest de
gree, to imply doubt. Alasl the fatal Ell
ror. They were married. They lived i
apparent peace together for a short time
But twelve months had not elapsed betor
the scales of delusion fellfrom her eyes.
She saw, and woman's quickness in sue
matters is wonderfnl--that she was no
and never had been sincerely loved. Deaf
would have been preferable to such col
viction, and for a long time she strove
shut it out from her mind and heart. B
each week and month served but to rend
it stronger and more CALLING. Her fortun
too, was rapidly wasting away. Her hu
band became a proaigate in more sens
than one He could not bear prsperit
He had hssn poor until his" marriage, al
thus his tastes appstites and proponsiti