Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-10-26

the heroine Of private life; for even though wife
and mother herself, she has her moments Of exul-
taton. and her hours of flattered repseve,o to make
her forget for season the cares of the household
the cradle and the board-her Indifferent partner
and negectful guide.
But. from the dark traits of this picture, we turn
to the light, as they shine through the cheerful
window of some happy homestead, from the cher
ished wife within, blessed with her husbands un
abated love, and her ofSpring's regard-the blaze
from the domestic hearth which warns 'the earth
| ly paradise of home,' imparting to her features
glow that mocks the reflection of the toot-llghts
on the triumphant puppet of the stage. The rose
may have left her cheek, and lines of thought be
planting their furrows on her brow; but her eye
bright with natural and delightful emotion, and
her lips culver with grateful and afectonate ut
tsrance. Hers is not the purchased applause an
ungrace(ul attitude or false enunclatlon may Tor
felt; but she sits secure in conscious desert, and
her recompense is beyond the reach of accident
and caprice. Her very infrmities of body, and
declensions of faculties, only make her more be-
loved for they point to the time when her mem
ory will be all that is left u.s. and remind Alice
tion of debt that never can be cancelled. She
is the CENTRE round which revolve the lesser plan
cts of the social systematic fountain ofthelr light,
the source of their vivifcation and they feel that
when she is stricken from her sphere, attraction
will cease, and they move in other and less de-
! lightul orbits. What wonder, then, II anxious
looks follow her in her daily round that prayers
! for her welfare respond to her retiring blessing
and that the first eager desire of morning is for the
heathful music of that voice which, though soft
and subdued, penetrates to every heart, and regu-
lates every emotion.
| What, then, is his responsibility to whom Prov
idence has delegated influence over such nature
as this? What his condemnation who has sub
stituted for so glorious fabric. ruin What
heaven befittng him who has desecrated its pro-
totype on earth? What should be his penalty for
trust so precious, abused We shrink from Its
consideration; but, on the other hand, turn with
renewed satisfaction to the happy consequences oi
its faithful fulfment, which we have attempted
to figure in the commencement of our essay, and
need not repeat at its close, do more than refer
our readers to some we'll ordered home, where the
picture we have so imperfectly sketched, presents
more lovely reality, and the husbands tender
ness and worth have won from the wife an attach
ment which if it lifts him not above the smiles and
frowns of fortune, enhances the pleasure OF the
one, and mitgates the pains OF the other. we
celebrate the wedding, and make merry over the
honeymoon The poet paints the beauties and
bushes of the blooming bride; and the bark o.
matrimony, with its freight of untested love, is
launched on the uncertain ocean Of experiment, a
mid kind wishes and rejOicings. But on that pre-
carious sea are many storms, and even the calm
has its perils; and only when the bark has wealth
cred these, and landed its cargo in the haven o
domestic peace can we pronounce the voyage pros
porous, and congratulate the adventurer on hi
merited and enviable reward.
EHendaie, "a. w. b. b.