The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-02-15
Mislellanfous.
A Portrait.

L W
centre of attraction, bearing about her the oftI
ness and peculiar mildness SO characteristic OF
woman's lovely nature. Her form was perfect
model for the artist; her movements were grace
full, and every thing in dress, manner, and ian,
puage indicated a well stored and cultivated
mind. She was the jewel-thc idol of her mo.
ther: her solace in hours of dependency and
her stay in aticton. :,
She had been instructed by the wisdom OF her
father who loved and cherished his only chlld'
and the gilded vanitics of the world had been
unmarked and its emptiness exposed, in order TO
prepare her for the stern duties of life.
But who can fathom the workings OF the hu-
man heart and understand its strange contradic-
tions? She permitted herself to be led away oy
the dazzling visions Of the world, and forgot the
solid lessons of truth so tcnderly imparted.--
With bounding steps and brilliant hopes she
swept cay on in the path of pleasure. HapPl-
ness, the most beautiful object that attracts the
Young in the outset Of life, wore to her most
inviting smile and she promised herself the full
ness of its enjoyment. Her eye and mind swept
the distant future, and it was clothed with the
most fascinating colors. The brightest imagn-
lnWS OF DlSS were ucIS, ilillt VI S"H-
inc gloom cast their shadows over her mind.
Fascinated and charmed by the scenes thus
spread out before her. and led on by thesheart-
less tempter she gave herself up TO the bewil-
derine phantom, and through the may dance OF
pleasures she eagerly sought for happiness and
fancied herself luxuriating in full possession OF
the jcweed treasure.
Oh! cruel disappointment; it was the base
less fabric of visionary hours! 1t vanished into
airy nothing. The blow came suddenly, and
she felt it deeply, keanly. We cannot speak OF
the anguish, the pain intense, that pierced her
unsuspecting heart Closely closeted in the
chambers of the soul, the sad story now lies con-
ceaed, and we dare not, we will not lift the veil
and expose it to the light of day. To the hour
of her death will she remember the revuslon OF
feeling, and the deep, sombrc hue that settled
down upon all her fairy scenes.
All, human nature, how icke thou art -! 10
what silly changes art thou subject; how deceit
full and deceiving! She who treads on their AIR,
and builds glittering castles high up i'll the flee.
cy clouds, and paints them with the reflected
lustre of happiness and then lays the fattering
uncton to her heart that fortunes silvey smiles
are permanent, will fall back to earth again, a
miserable crushed, and forsaken being.
Yet the one of whom we write did not learn
a lesson of wisdom from the storm cloud that
broke upon her. The tumutuous throbbngs of
tler afflicted spirit were stayed by the hand OF
time; the deep lines OF sorrow traced upon the
tablet of her heart are now oblitcratcd by the
dustings and gathered rubbish of time; and
again IS she placing confidence in the promises
and enchanting prospects of time. We saw her
Il few evenings since, surrounded by thc-islis
hearted and gay her countcnance was lit up by
tie animated fire of hope that burped within
her conversation was buoyant and sparkling
she had much to say, and she said it evenly, flu
cntv She was still looking upon the mirrored
sea Of ifc and dazzled with the glttcring objects
that fitted like meLeors before her. We could
not make her believe they were 1eceptive-that
such loneliness would ever wther and die; she
seemed to think thev were all fair beautiful, and
lasting as beautiful, but the rough hand Of ex-
perience will have to tear off their borrowed plu-
mage and expose their worthlessncss and empti-
ness before SHE will discover their vanity and
spurn the deception. We could, if it were ne
cessary and proper lift the veil and speak in
clever terms, but suffice it to say that the moral
standing out on the page Of every day life is this,
that true happiness is not to be found in the gil
dcd bowers of earth; it springs not from position
or wealth; is not found in fame, or the honors
of this world but is to be found only in we'll
balanced mind, stayed upon the principles of
truth, and that truth etcrnal.-Southern Organ.