Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-05-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
From Chambers Edingburgh Jour.
A Skeleton in Every House.

US of a sudden, VIC are apt to imagine
that no individual in the surrounding
world is SO unfortunate as we, or, perhaps,
hat we stand altogether by ourselves in
calamity, or, at the most, belong to a
small body Of unfortunates, forming an
exception from all the rest of mankind
We look to a n%eighbor, aud, seeing that
he is not afflicted by any open or palpa-
BILE grievance, and makes no complaint
of any which are hidden from our eyes,
we conclude that he is n man entirely
fortunate and thoroughly happy. while
we are never free from trouble of one
kind or other, and, in fact, appear as the
very step-chiIdren of Providence. For
every particular evil which besets us, we
find a contrast in the exactly opposite
circumstances Of some other person, and,
by the pains of envy, perhaps, add ma
terially TO the real extent of our distress
ses. Are we condemned 10 a severe
toll for our daily bread, then we look to
him who gains it by some means which
appear 10 us less laborious. Have we
liule Of worldly wealth, then do we com
pare ourselves with the a%fluent man,
who not only commands all those nee
c~Ssaries of which we can barely obtain a
sutficiency, but many IuXuries besides,
which we only know by name. Are we
unblessed with the possession of children,
we pine to see the superabundance which
characteristics another family, where they
are far less earnestly desired. Are we
berelt of 4 succession of tcnderly below
ed friends or relatives, we wonder at
the felicity of certain persons under our
observation, who never know what it is
to wear mourning. In short, no evil
falls TO our lot but we are apt 10 think
ourselves lis almost sole victims, and we
either overlook a great deal of the cor
responding veXations Of our fellow crca-
lures, or think, in our anguish, that they
are far less than ours.
We remember a story in the course of
our reading, which illustrates this fallacy
in a very affecting name A widow Of
Naples. named, if we recollect rightly,
the Countess Corsini, had but one son
remaining to give her an interest in the
world; and he was a youth 50 remarka-
bic for the elegance of his person, and
every graceful and amiable quality, that,
even if he had not stood in that situation
of usual tenderness towards his mother,
she might well have been excused for be-
holding him with an extravagant degree
of attachment. When this young gen.
tleman grew up, he was sent TO pursue
his studies at the University of Bologna,
where he SO well improved his time that
he soon became one of the most disiin-
guished scholars, at the same time that
he gained the affection of all who knew
him, on of his ~singularly noble
character and manners Every vacation
he returned 10 spend a few months with
his mother, who never failed 10 mark with
delight the progress he had made.if not
in his literary studies, AT least in the Gull
Iivalion OF every personal accomplish
ment. Her attachment was thus proven
led from experiencing any abatement, and
she was encouraged 10 place always more
and more reliance upon that hope of his
future greatness, which had induced her
al first 10 send him 10 so distant q univer-
sity, and had hitherto supported her un-
der his absence. Who can describe the
, solicitude with which a mother-and
/ she a widow TO use the language OF
r scripture)-regards a last-surviving son
His every motion-his every wish-she
watches with attentive kindness. lie
d cannot be absent a few minutes longer
than his wont, but she becomes uneasy,
and, whatever be the company in which
she sits at the moment, permits her whole
soul 10 become distracted in a %reverie
is from which nothing can rouse her buI
his return. If he comes on horseback
she hears the football of the ANNA.
re while it is as yet far beyond the ken o
ordinary ears; if he be walking, she
knows the sound of his loot upon the
threshold, though COMPOUNDED to all othe
mr. listeners amidst the throng of his com
panionS. Let him come into her roon
r on ordinary occasions ever so softly, sh'
ar distinguishes him by his very breathing
his slightest respiralion-and knows il i
~ her son. Her entire being is bound u
in his, and the sole gorgon thought a
which she dare not look is the idea O
his following the goodly and pleasan
company with whom she already parle
for the grave. Such exactly were III
h. feelings Of The Neapolilan mother res
pecting her noble and beloved-her oNL
son.
1t CHANGED, however, that just when h
was about to return 10 Naples, p%erfcctc
in all The instruction which could be be
slowed upon him, he vas seized sudden
, ly by a dangerous sickness, which, no
withslanding the efforts of the best ply
: %sicians in Bologna, brought him in tire
days to the brink Of the grave. Bein
assured that he could not survive, HI
only care, so far MS concerned the Twin
/! world, was for his mother, who he fea
It! ed would suffer very severely from he
loss, if not altogether sink under it.
lie WAS his tnoSt onyious wish that SON