Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-06-15
HEART TRIFLERS.


There are few individuals in the world, or at
least few in civilized society, who have not two
phases of existence, so to speak-one al inner
and the other an ouer-one connected with the
commerce the business and the ambition of the
world-the other with its social life, its domes-
tic relations, its passions, its emotions and gen.
tie susceptibities. Many persons who, in the
eyes of the thoughtless multitude at large, are
among the most fortunate and most envied of
mankind, are nevertheless entitled 10 pity and
sympathy rather than to envy, because they are
unfortunate in the affairs of the heart, or in 9TH
er words, are unhappy at home. Who can con.
ceive of more wretched state of existence than
that Of the deceived and betrayed of either sex,
who having lavished all their affections upon
some particular object, and united their desti-
nies with that object, under belief of sympa-
thy, reciprocity and mutual regard, find too late
that they have been worshipping a false idol,
that some mercenary or other selfish motive was
the real inducement, and that sadness, neglect
and disappointment must be their lot for the
rest of their days. We can imagine nothing
more criminal than perfdy, falsehood and treach-
cry under these circumstances. Life is thus
robbed of its most exquisite hopes-the dspo-
siton is embittered, the mind turns upon itself
in the very agony Of despair and disease and
premature death are often the consequences
The victim, too, is compelled in most cases to
suffer in silence. A sense Of pride prevents
complaint, while sense of modification gnaws
at and eats out the very elements of being
Alas ! for all who are thus unfortunate, who
have given away the freshness Of their gushing
affections, and who have received in return MOTH
ing but hollowness, difference-perhaps con-
tempt. The wretch who would thus deliberate
ly deceive and destroy, merits fearful retlibu-
ton. The misery that he or she has meted out
10 others, will sooner or later be visited back
again. And this language is applicable to both
sexes for both at times are at fault Who can
not point out instances-instances in which the
best feelings of the heart have been trfed with,
and which unwavering INSTRUMENTATION that
amounts TO monomania--atiectio that is blind
TO error and even to crime-is paid back even
with Indifference and scorn! What earthly hon.
Or what successful fortunes, can compensate
for disappointment like this! How guilty is
the mocker of the heart under these crcumstan-
ces. With what agony must the discovery be
ut first realized by the deceived. But there is
another species of trillers-male as well as fe-
male, who are often the causes of infinite anXi-
ETY.. We allude to the heartless, the conceited
and the cold, who, with no feeling of suscepti-
bility themselves, delight in sporting with the
affections and wreckng the happiness of others.
How much misery has been caused by these tri-
flers We could point out more than one touch
ing case. Nay, we believe that many a heart
has been broken, many gentle spirit has been
crushed many a life has been embittered by this
cruel policy. The cold and the worldly may
laugh at all such doctrines, while the selfish and
the hard hearted may deem it impossible for
such susceptibility to exist in human nature
But those who have studied the inner man as
well as the outer, who have penetrated the bar
rier of worldliness which conceals the workings
Of the human breast who have in some tho'tful
hour won the confidence and thus revived the
recollections of the susceptible and the deceived
will be able to tell another story. There is no
lot more bitter than that of broken hopes. mis-
placed affections, or violated sensibilites. Many
a poor wretch has been driven TO despair thro
such unhappy influences. Aud thus, when we
read the details of some frightful suicide com.
mitted in an hour Of excitement and madness,
we cannot but cOmmiserate the unhappness OF
the deluded and infatuated. while we deplore the
rashness and the crime. He is indeed fortunate
who has never experienced these moments OF
despondency and gloom, who has never taken
to his heart some cherished IDOL and found, alas
that he was embracing phantom. Reason has
but little influence under such circumstances
The excitements Of the world are often power.
less. The one wild thought will return and i'm
agination will bedeck the false one with thou.
sand charms that were never possessed. Sym.
pathy, harmony and reciprocity are essentials OF
worldly happiness between two beings who are
united together in the bonds of matrimony
and without these the condition is TO be avoid.
ed rather than to be envied. And when, too
hopes are held out-hopes of mutual regard
only to be Knocked at and dissipated by some
whim or heartless caprice. the effects are often
painful for life. Dstrust is felt for mankind al
large, and the baf1ed dream of affection, dream
that was dispeled just as the devoted one fan