Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-05-27

parents heart will not let that son CO., He
comes home reeling, buta bed is provided him,
and kind treatment is ever shown him in the
midst of his waywardness He is college
bred boy, and has been in an office in this city
but he is sadly disjointed from his profession by
bad habits. They were once rich, and antici-
pated no downfall. But then the father failed.
and sickeued and died and the proud spirit of
Belinda could not bear dependence, and SO she
took room and began the business of shirt
making-an honorable, but slow method to
gain money. Yet there was no outlay of capital
to learn trade, no swinging sign to announce
th.t she was forced to earn her baily bread,
and this is a great desideratun to a proud spi.
,lt--yulgar gazers could not stand in her door
WaSxand point to her fall, and then speak OF
bygo6e days, as if her improvidenca dcaused
the cbange--ohno, her room was too elevated
for that, She took the heavy linen, cut into form,
sewed it up with the incest care, and returned
it in the evening to the employer, received her
compensation, and nobody cared or knew about
her history. 1t is curious to observe how quick.
ly the friendship. of better days will perish,
when adverse ones succeed
But to my story Edwin had been imprudent,
and having learned nothingin the school OF poy-
erty, had foolishly purchased an Opera cloak
fir which payment was now due. This was
the cause of Belinda's note to the Broker. She
wanted but the sum of ten dollars to complete
the amount, and as security pledged the golden
cup of her fathers miniature, and diamond
ring, the relics of former greatness. Placares
heart was again in its right place. He uttered
no heart-rending words about the improprieties
of conduct, but made out the sum and took the
securities home. 1t would have done you good
to have watched his countenance, to haveeoni-
pured it with the sullen face he brought to his
low room some months ago! Again he called
on me, and narrated his fresh tale of suffering.
How his nature developed itself in words
"What," said he, ;" isl nothing to mef 70 wit
ness this spectacle Of changing life, to see these
silent, but death consuming sorrows : to behold
the youthful child Of promise preying upon ms
grey haired mother; to see the dark ,broodiug
of despair, the kindlings of hope that will soon
die out; to witness starvation, brutality, ard
failure! Oh, could tell such tragedies as would
make hearts bleed with anguish. A motheEin
vain attempting to palliate a sons offence;
lovesick maiden asking formeans to obtain the
miniature likeness of some lover whonnsthe par
ents have elected from their doors; these, yes,
and then times an many more doll and lhave
lived to witness. They rise in my dreams, they
come in spectral array in my walking moments;
the sound of anguish and woe are all the spec
tacles. / have known or heard for years;
now sigh for a better life. At times money
seems to me the only good; l cling to it, be-
cause see so much of its power to give en-
joymeut where distress only abounded--but
have not used it aright | have been hard and
inexorable to many a poor dead debtor. % Fan.
ny Grey showed me | had conscience, aud
Belinda that had heart
whispered words of cheer to the Money
Broker. 1 told him Of recovery from miseny
bondage and what think you he whispered in
my earl He suggested the word marriage, and
in connexion with the word, he spoke OF Be-
linda. | Was struck beyond utterance., In
my fancy, saw the spindly old withered
wreck of man, changed into a shapeable
mass of pure bumanity-his holden gray gar
ments were thrown aside, neat broadcloth
suit was his attire-he moved from his, low
dingy room, and rented a spacious house, and
furnished it with becoming simplicity and neat
ness, and when Miss Belinda called to return
the small loan he received her most graciously.
But her youthful spirit disdained the alliance,
she would not marry for gold, and she knew
not the Money Brokers heart! -.
But he grew more and more humanzed, and
when once the affections are thus changed.
we are completely transformed, and the soul
sends out its sympathies like the vine its tend
rls, and it seeks something whereon to cling.
His search was not in vain, for a card soon
announced that 'Mr. and Mrs. Placare would
be at home OH an appointed evening. There
we found trim man, clothed, and in his right
mind, and with feeling emphasis did he. pay
this tribute to woman. ... p. ,,..-.,.,.s. ,..,-.
'The power of female endurance, the unial-
terng hope of her naaRre, the trust which out.
lives all earthly discouragements unnamed;
or rather, may say, transformed me into
state of existence
My profession have surrendered; but from
it have learned the highest lesson Of wisdom.
Yet my change was more gradual than would
be believed. often loathed the manner of
life lived, and felt how useless was gold when
it was the idol of ones life. The contemptu-
GUS sneer in Fanny Grey's couutenance, as
she exclaimed, gold, a worthless baublesS had
to me even then deep significance. 1resolv-
ed to break away from its treachery,. and ex-
change the miser for the man. had but one
worshipper of mammon in my trade, for mon
ey does necessarily produce such results upon
character--it is only boarding for the love of
accumulation. Thank heaven, have learned
hoco. 7 J;a