American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-10-31

after hour, as he used to do, layshing upor
her every endearing attention, he would now
draw himself moodily into corner, and indulge
In unsocial meditation upon some absorbing
topic. And "what was the matter with poor
Ridgely?" Did the world go ill with him? Was
there any cloud oyersbadowing his future, tc
dampen his spirits and dim his hopes? No
His prospects were brighter than ever before
and he was every day adding to the little store
reserved for times Of sickness or trouble. His
wife could not fail to observe the change, and
often she wished to draw the unhappy secret
from his bosom, but her husbands forbidding
looks and gloomy sternness frightened her from
the effort.
At length, when her heart was almost burst
ing with anxious forcbodings, she came to his
side one evening as he sat moodily silent and
alone. She gnzcd for moment upon his
frowning brow, and then gave way to u flood Of
tears, and hid her face in his bosom.
Aaron's heart was touched--he raised his
wifc,s head tenderly, kissed away her tears,
and anxiously asked the cause Of her sorrow
We will not detail the conversation which en-
sued; suffice it to say, that Ridgcy confded
all to the wife of his bosom, and harmony and
confidence were again restored.
And what do you imagine had cloudcd the
open brow and sealed up the generous heart OF
our hero? The demon AvARIcE had entered
his manly breast. Not for himself did he wish
for wealth. but he would heap up gold for his
darling child: give him few more years of life,
and she should be forever secured against the
lear OF want Was not this worthy object to
live and labor for? Far from trying to dissuade
him from his purpose, his wife entered eagerly
into the scheme, and strengthened his resolve
They would deny themselves all self -gratiica-
ton, and sacrifice every indulgence They
would toll in hours usually devoted to recrea-
ton; and thus they would practise the strctest
economy, and exhaust every energy, until the
phantom poverty should be forever banishcd
from the eyes of their daughter And was not
this glorious generosity noble example of
self sacrificing devotion And they did toll
with an energy that knew no weariness-grow-
ing prematurely old, and haggard with exces-
sive care: they carefully husbanded their gains,
and even stinted the necessary supplies of their
own household. Prosperity attended their every
step. They rapidly grew rich. But domestic
felicity was a stranger to their hearth They
had no time now to spend in the sweet commu-
Mon of hearts, and in cultivatng the social vir-
tues. Every hour must be coined. They at
! tended the public observances of religion, but
the rest of the holy hours Of the Sabbath were
spent in calculating their gains, and in laying
plans for the future. They turned deaf ear
to the petitions of distress, and referred the
fatheress to the "God of the fatherless"
Years passed on. Ridgely had reached the
first limit he had set to his labors-he was com
paratively rich; but avaricc had grown stronger
IN his bosom, and took wider scope His
daughter, their only child, beautiful and
promising girl, should be the heiress to O
landed estate, and should move in higher cir
Gle than he had ever aspired to. To accomplish
this object he purchased land in q Western
State, and moved thither with his wife and
child. And here too, though he sought not the
favor of Heaven, yet God prospered him. Wealth
flowed in. His property increased in value far
beyond his expectations His neighbors won
dered at his prosperity, and began to envy his
riches, but he was not beloved. Years devoted
to boarding gold had contracted his heart, pal
sled every generous feeling, and remouldcd his
whole character The benevolent and free
handed man had become close, grasping, and
miserly.
lie did not hesitate to opprcss the poor, and
"rob the hireGng of his wages" The unfortu-
nate debtor plead in vain for mercy-Ridgely
would "cast him into prison until he had paid
the uttermost farthing."
But in the midst of his success and his golden
schemes, there came a solemn warning from
Heaven, and the death-knell rcsouuded in his
cars. The partner of his cares not of his Joys,
FOR he had none now, was summoned from the
world where her heart and treasures were
Since the time when she had joined with her
| husband in the absorbing pursuit of wealth,
she had risen early and eaten the bread of sor-
row she had led wcarisomc and self-denyine
life; but it was not that her charities might dif.
fuse joy and gladness among the homes of the
destitute. The Angel of Death found her de-
youtly engaged III the worship Of Mammon, and
hurried her soul, without q moments prepara-
ton, into the presence of Him who has said,
:" fe cannot serve two masters"
Ridgely appeared for time heart-broken at
the loss of his wife; for he had loved her dearly,
and hoped to rejoice with her in old age over
the result of their joint labors But he col
lcctcd all his energies, and directed them, with
tenfold intensity, to the accomplishment Of the
task which had become the business of his life.
His affections entered the more strongly upon
his only child now blooming into womanhood
The highest ambition was to see his darling
Ellen the possessor ofbouudless wealth, courted,
Hattercd, and cnyied.
Conclusion in next
THE BLooMER PEDESTRIAN. On n mixed