The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-05-15
A little while between cur hearts
The shsdOvy gulf must lie,
Yet have we for their communiDg
Still, still eternity" HemaA

otll still eternity" HcHGhs.
THE LETTER.
Frederic, my dearsst-pride of my heart
love Of my youth-my husband A sweet, yet
most mournful task is mine, TO write 10 you words
which you may not read until my voice is hushed
in the grave-till the heart that prompts is cold
and pulseless-till the hand that traces is mould
ering into dust. Yes am called from you-from
our children-and you are not near 10 comfort
me with your love in this dark season. But |
must not add to your sorrow by thus weakly in
dulgng my own. Though it may not be mine to
feel your tender hand wiping the death-dew from
my brow-though may not pant out my soul on
your dear breast, nor feel your strong, unfailing
love sustaining me as go-yet shall not be all
forsaken, nor grope my way in utter darkness;
but, leaning on the arm of our Redeemer descend
into the valley Of the shadow Of DEATH
" And now, dearest, | would speak to you Of
our children, our children, of whose real charac-
tiers it has happened that you know comparative
ly little. would tell you of my hopes and wishes
concerning them--would speak with all the
mournful earnestnees Of dying mother, knowing
that yoW can well understand the mighty care at
my heart
There is Frederic, my summer child our
bright-eyed, open-browed boy, almost all we could
desire in q son. | resign him into your hands
with much joy, pride, and hope. Even were my
! life to be spared my work in his education were
now nearly done. | have had much happiness in
remarkng his talent, his enthusiasm, his fine
physical organization, his vigorous health his
gay, elastic sprits-and far more in being able to
believe him perfectly honest and truthful in char
acter. Oh, my husband, can we not see in him
the germ Of noble life, the possible Of glorious
destinyl
"Yet, Frederic has some faults, clear even to
my sight. think him too ambitious of mere
greatness CT distinction end, rather than as
the means Of attaining some higher good, Teach
him, dear husband, that such ambition is but a
! cold intsNsSsua settshuess or fever thirst Of
the soul q blind and hesdlong passion that mise
rsbly defeats itself in the end. Teach him that
! the immortal spirit should here seek honor and
| wealth only as means and aids in fulfilling the
purest and hottest and therefore the highest, pur
poses of our being to do good-simple good-to
leave benefcent footprints on the sands Of
time'-to plant the heaven-Hower, happiness, in
some oflfe's desolate places-to speak true words,
which shall be hsllowed in human hearts-strong
words, which shall be translated into action, in
| human lives And oh teach him what | have
ever earnestly sought to inspire-a hearty devo-
ton to the rights fervent love Of liberty
humble reverence for humanity. Teach him to
yield his ready worship to Gods truth, wherever
he may meet it--folowed by the multitude strew-
ing palm branches, or forsaken, denied, and cru
Gifted Teach him to honor his own nature by a
brave and upright life, and to stand for justice
and freedom against the world
:" have seen with joy that Frederic has an ut
ter aversion to the society Of tops, spendthrifts
and skeptics | believe that his moral principles
are assured, his religious faith clear. Yet fear
that he is sometimes too impossible, too passive
and yielding. His will needs strengthening, not
subduing Teach him to be watchful of his inde-
pendence, to guard jealously his manliness
know that need not charge you TO infuse into
his mind true patriotic spirit free from cant and
bravado--to counsel him against poor party feuds
and narrow political prejudices. God grant that
you may live TO see son, IL not one Of the
worlds great men, one whose pure life shall radi-
ate good and happiness strong and SYM
metrica character shall be lesson Of moral great
ness, type Of true manhood.
"Our daughter Pauline is happy and health
! full girl, with good, though by no means great
| intellect. She has dangerous dover in her rare
beauty, and pray you, dear Frederic, teach ner
not to glory in that perishing gift. She is not,
fear, utterly free from vanity, and she is some
times arrogant and wiful. | have even seen hel
show a consciousness Of her personal advantage
, toward her ssfavored sister. You will seek /,
check this imperiousness to subdue this Wilbur
not with severity, for, with ALL Pauline is warm
hearted and generous. You know that she is tai
, for her age, and is fast putting away childish
things 1t will not be long now before as young
lady she will enter society | surely need moi
charge you to be ever near her--to watch vel
lest q poor passion for dress and love of admira
ton invade and take possession of her mind, low.
ering her to the heartess level Of fashionable life
to teach her to despse tlstterers and tops to
shrink from the ostentatous the sensual, the pro-
fame, the SOOTHING and unbelieviDg. feel assured
that you will Undue her spirit with your own
| for hon worth and ow a
enthusiasm for truth and the right-an enthusi-
asm never loveler than when it lights the eye and
Flows on the lips Of lovely woman.
"For my daughter Louise, our youngest, | have
most anxiety, for she seems to have inherited my
own physical decacy, and has moreover an in
tense affectonateness and a morbid sensibilty,
which together are misfortune. Dear husband,
deal gently with this poor little girl Of mine, for
to YOU | will confess that at this hour she lies
nearest my heart Her whole nature seems to
overflow with love for ell about her. but the sweet
waters are ever being cmbittered by the feeling
that she is not herself object Of pride, scarcely
of affection, to us. She is very plain, you know
vet look at her, she is not ugIy-her plainness is
that of lanQuor and i'll health Poor Louise is sell
dom well, though she never complains except
mutely, through her palor and weakness. She
also inherits from me an absorbing passion for
reading and study, aud perhaps you will think it
strange In me when ! call upon you, earnestly en-
treat YOU. to thwart and overcome this, II posi-
ble-not forcibly, nor suddenly, but by substitu-
ting other pleasures and pursuits-thus turning
the current Of her thoughts.
although do not remember TO have ever been
very strong, yet do not think that had at the
first any disease in my constitution. Yet what
was the course pursued in my training2 II was
| unfortunately discovered that was O genus and
40 | was early put TO study-my young brain
stimulated into unhealthy action, the warm blood
driven from my cheek and lip, the childish light
ouenched in my eye, by thoughtful and seden-
tary life. | wasted long bright mornings over
books, when should have been riding over the
| hills. or frolicking with the waves rambling
through the healthful pine woods, or fishing from
the rocks, inhalng the invigorating ocean breezes
And sweet evenings, instead Of strolling abroad
In the summer moonlight, sat within doors alone,
wrapt in deep, vague reveries; and on winter
| nights read and wrote, or pored over Euclid, or
Viroil in nv close dull chamber, instead Of join
ing the laughing, chatting circle below, mingling
| In the dance aud merry game
"Yet, Il was not alone my passion for study
which prevented me from taking that vigorous
exercise and INDUCING In those outdoor amuse-
ments 30 absolutely necessary for both physical
and mental health. bat ideas Of propriety and
feminine delioscy carefully inculcatcd and
wrought into my character. | have since seen
their folly, but too late. Habit and old associa-
lions were too strong for the new principles
"Ah, had my early training been different
had | been suffered to remain child, simple,
natural child, through the appointed season OF
childhood-had my girlhood been more free and
careless, less proper. and siudious, and poeto-I
might now have been in my hsppiest season, the
prime of rich and useful life. But as it Is, now,
when my husband il at last returning home for
bis lfe-rest-when my son IL soon to take bis first
step into the world-when my daughters need me
most, at thirty foe my course 10 already rum Oh,
Frederic see that our little pal faced Louise does