The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-12-03
THE CHARMS OF MARRIED LIFE


II now in that chair yonder, not the one
your feet lie upon, but the other beside
youA-closer yet--werc seated q sweet-faced
girl with a pretty little foot lying out upon
the hearth-a bit Of lace running round the
swelling throat-thc hair parted TO charm
over a forehead fair as any of your dreams
and if you could reach an arm round that
chair back, without fear Of giving offence.
and suffer yolu fingers to play idly with
those curIs that escape down the neck, and
if you could clasp with your other hand those
little. white, Iaper fingers OF hers, which lie
so tempnngly within feach--and So talk
softly and low in presence of the blaze, while
the hours slip without knowledge, and the
winter winds whistle uncared for; il, in
short, you were no bachelor, but the hus-
band of some such sweet image-(dream,
call it rather,) would it not be far plesanter
than a cold single night-sitting
the sticks-reckoning the length OF the
blaze and the height of the falling snow?
Surely imagination would be stronger and
purer, if it could have the playful fancies of
dawning womanhood to delight it. All toll
would be torn from mind-labor, ifbut another
heart grew into this presentSoul quickening
it, warming it, cheering it, bidding it ever
God-speed!
Her face wonld make halo, rich as a
rainbow, atop of all such noisome things as
we lonely souls call trouble. Her smile
would illulnine the blacklist of crowded
cares; and darkness that now seats you des-
pondent in your solitary chair, for days to-
gether weaving bitter fancies, dreaming
bitter dreams, would grow light and thin,
and spread and float away--chased by. that
beloved smile.
Your friend, poor fellow! dies-never
mind that gentle clasp of her fingers, as she
steals behind you, telling you not to weep
it isworth ten friends,
n Your sister, sweet one, is dead--buried
The worms are busy with all her fairness
How it makes you think earth nothing but
aspot TO dig graves upon tsfaI
1t is more; she says, she will be sister
and the waving cur.s as she leans upon YOU
shoulder touch your cheek, and your we
eye turns to meet those other eyes--God hal
sent his angel, surely
4 Yonr mother, alas for it.. she is gone i
there any bitterness to a youth, alone. ans
{ homeless, like this
But you are not homeless; YOU are no
I alone She isthere, her tears soilening yours
her smile lighting yours, her grief KILN
: yours; and you live again. to assuage tha
: kind sorrow of hers
4 Then--these children, rosy fair-haired; n
: they do not disturb you with prattle now
they are yours. Toss away there on til
2 greensward never mind the hyacinths, til
snowdrops, the vioets, ifso be any are there
; tile perfume OF their heathfuI lips is wort
Z all the flowers of the world No need noS
( Ito gather wild boqnets to love, and cherish
flower. tree, gun. are all dead things thing
livelier hold your soul
! And She the mother, Sweetest and fai,
I est Of ALL watching. tending caressing, ios
ing, til your own heart grows panied wit
Z tenderest jealousy, aud cures itself wit
loving
! You have no need now Of cold lectur
: to teach thankfulness: your heart is inll (
9 it, No oneed now, as once. Of bursting bio,
= SONS, of trees taking leaf, and greenness, I
/ turn thought kindly and thankfully; for ei
= er beside you there il bloom and ever besid
i You there is fruit for which eye heart, All
:, soul are full OF unknown. and unspol1en, b
/ cause unspeakable, thank-ofiering.
7 IT, Mayvel-