The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-10-20
from the New York Literary American
EMILY WATERS,

IF oTsWeaT the bow
For one rash moment sends you to the shades,
Or skaters every hopeful scheme of life,
And gives to horror ALL your DAYS to come.

of age prior TO which event her father had given
her good education, and early instilled The pure
principles of Christianity into her young mind She
was suddenly bereft of both her parents, whom she
had dearly loved, by one of those terrible occur
rences which are frequent and disastrous on the
rivers of our country making the hearts of many
family circles bleed for the havoc of their members
a steamboat explosion. They had joined the tide
of emigration to the far west, with the intention of
seeking a home in that delightful region, where
with industry and prudence they expected to obtain
a good support and leave at their death an only
and beloved child, not entirely dependant upon the
world for a pTeCarOus livelihood They had left
Emily behind them until home should be provided
for her, when 10! father and mother were both sud
denly cut of-the overlooking waters Of the Mssis-
sippi enguphed their disfigured and lieless bodies,
with every soul board the Inflated vessel,
to surrender them until time shall have run its
course, and the sound Of the last trump shall be
heard Thus, just springing into life, beautiful
and fragile being, without resources, without
friends, was Emily launched upon the unfeeling
world, TO meet with whatever of happiness or mis-
cry, kind Heaven fit TO make her portion.
1t is true, there was one individual upon whom
she might rely in this hour of WTetchedness, the
first she had ever experimentation whom she did
rely with the confidence and pertinacity of WO-
mans love, when that passion for the first time has
taken possession Of her breast. This person was
Cecil Waters, to whom she had surrendered all the
budding affections Of her youthful heart. They
had been waiting considerable time for a favor
able moment to be welded, when she heard of the
shocking catastrophe which had befallen her pa
rents Many long days and nights, in bitterness
and sorrow, did the orphan in the solitude of her
chamber, bewai their fate, than whom none were
more kind or better loved. Methinks | see her
n0w as beheld her that occasion, sitting alone
in the twilight of her apartment, with her eyes
swollen and red, and face streaming with sCalding
tears her fingers empurpled with blood, which was
ready to start forth, as she wrung her hands to-
of
She would not be comforted-the rod had stricken
too deeply, and nature was far too eXqusitely
wrought for a time, to admit the voice of cOnsOla-
ton and sympathy 1t many days before even
her lover was received by her, so holy, so absorb
ing was this feeling; and then, with but portion
of the joyous alacrity with which he was accuss
toned TO be greeted.
She married Cecil Waters-reluctantly certain
"; this reluctance, however, did not arise from
any Discrimination her part towards him, for they
had long been betrothed to each other, and ardenty
attached. 1t arose from a knowledge that their
union would not receive the blessing Of his father,
who had expressed strong disapprobatiOn against
his sons wedding a pOrtonless woman 1t was
after many repeated and earnest solicitations on the
part of her lover that she finally consented to marry
him. in opposition to bis athers expressed will and
inlerIictUn, and for which disObedience they were
to feel almost Immediately the unpleasant cOnse-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES which nearly drew Eerdl-
ton on them both. Mr.. Waters was wealthy,
proud and opnonative, little inclined TO accede to
any act which in his Judgment was unlikely TO IN
crease his consideration with the world or of adj
ding to the many thousands existing in his Golfers
the virtue the taultess beauty, the cultivated mind
of the Young woman, or his childs happiness being
at stake, were matters of perfect indifference to him
it would not hatter his vanity, nor augment his
importance in the eyes Of the multitude After the
marriage, consequently, Cecil was informed from
his parents own lips, that whatever expectations
he might have formed of receiving assistance from
him, he must now discard forthwith
8 You have disobeyed me, sir, continued his
father, in anger; you have dlsobeyed M, sir, and
upon your head must fall the fruits of your wilful-
ness your own exertions must now give you live
hood or else YOU must bear the bitter consequences
of want from me, hereafter, expect nothing! l
have brought you up, reared you with tender care,
your least wants supplied, fulfilled all the duties
demanded from a father to his Ottspring-and this,
this is my reward-this is your gratitude Migrate,
from this time | know you Undergraduates,
begOne, SIT"
They parted-nOt to meet again until one of them
had drunk deep of sorrow, and want, and wretch
edness-and the other lay cold, rigid and senseless,
in his winding-sheet, gone to his account But we
must not anticipate.
Accustomed to idle and luxurious habits, and
unused to any settled plan of obtaining support,
now when his fate had become joined to that OF
anoher-n0w, when most in need of assistance,
and an encouraging hand-Cecll found himself
frendless and beggar Poverty, OF itself, how
ever dscOuraging to the young when first starting
in the race of life is commonly the chief cause of
their success particularly when correct principles,
early inslilled into their minds are joined with
industrious and frugal habis-indeed, in our coun-
try scarcely without exception, these are the best
fortune that can be given to youth
Wealth is prOverbial for It's lnsubstantaIty-a
thousand casualties may in moment lmpoversh
the richest it is not so with honorable employ
ment the truly noble and efficient means OF OBJ
tanning independence. With these in his possession,
he is not poor who chooses TO exert them-they are
richer far in bringing interest, than stocks, which
declare the largest halfyearIy dividends; all Is
here clear profit cent per cent, without drawback
and without loss. Happy would 1t have been for
Young Waters had his education benin accordance
with them; if instead of idleness and unsettled
pursuits he had been Injured to some regular bust
ness or employment; he would then have been
comparatively independent the smiles and patron
age of any individual-could have laughed to
scorn those who would pretend to withdraw their
cOuntenance, because he had chosen to act for
himself in taking to his bosom the woman he loved.
This Oh Lnge, however, which came over the
prospects of the young man, lost Its wonted and
legitimate effects. Instead of bearing up CALAMITY
as a race-horse impatient to run his race and WIN
the offered prize after few ineffective eXertiOns
he dropped in spirit and effort, and at last relIn-
pushed all attempts, as though fate had shut up
every possibility of success from him; and what
y
imbibed vile habits, whose touch, as with the wand
of the evil one, turned what was once strong into
incapacity. In word, intemperance obtained the
mastery over that which was not shielded by pure
and high-minded principle.
In a narrow and obscure street Of our city, whose
neghborhood was Of questionable responsibility
there stood two story building, which, from Its
dilapdated appearance, would denote to the pass
er-by that it had not for many long years fet the
renovatng hand of either painter, carpenter or ma
son. Its begrimed and dirty front, scarcely pre-,
scented trace of the coat of white paintit had once
received, and its broken windows, there not penn
an ntira name of glass left in any of the six which
faced the street, gave it forbidding and desolate
aspect The interior of this domlciI, Tor II Wa'
still Inhabited by number of wreIched d, families
was 10 less gloomy and tilaI lts e1IetIo
was uninviting; and it needed no lnordInate
stretch Of the Imagination conceive its occupant.
as being among the most wretched' II not the mos
debased of the human KIND
In dark and badly ventilated chamber, upor
| H. eCJ floor of the building. were two indiyd-