Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-09-02


The violet's bed not swecter. MID.
| have often had occasion to remark tn
fortitude with which woman sustains tn
most overwhelming reserves of fortune
Those disasters which break down the spir
it's Of man, and PROSTATE him in the dust
seem to call forth all the energies of tn
softer sex, and take such intrepidity AM
elevation to their character, that ut time
1T approaches to sublimity. Nothing cal
be more touching than to behold soft an,
tender female who has been all weakness
and dependence, and alive to every trivia
roughness, while treading the prosperou
paths of life, suddenly rising in menta
force to be the comforter and supporter O
her husband under mist foi tune, and abidin,
with unshrinking irmness, the bitteres
blasts of adversely.
As the vine, which has long twined it
graceful foliage about the oak, and beer
lifted byit into sunshine, will, when tn,
hardy plant is riven by the thunder bolt
cling round it with it's carressing tendrils
and bind up its shattered boughs so it il
beautifully ordained by Providence, tha
woman, who is the mere dependant and or
nament Of man in his happier hours, should
be his stay and solace when smitten will
sudden calamity, winding herself into tht
rugged recesses of his nature, tcnderly sup
porting his dropping head, and binding w
the broken heart.
| was congratulatin5 friend who had
around him blooming family, knit togethe,
in the strongest affection. 81 wish you hat
no better lot, said he, with enthusiasm
''than to have wife and chidrcn.o Ii
you are prosperous, there they are 10 share
your prosperity : ii otherwise, there they
are to comfort you. And, indeed, l have ob.
served that married man falling into mis-
fortune Is more apt to retrieve his situation
in the world than single one, partly be-
cause he is moro stimulated to exertlon by
the nee essities of the helpless and beloved be-
ings who depend upon him for subsistence
i but chiefly because his spirits arc soothed
ana relieved by domestic endearments, and
his self respect kept aliyc by finding, that
although all abroad is darkness and humil-
iation, yet there is still II little world of love
~ home, of which he is the monarch. -
whereas, u single man is apt to run to
waste and self f-neglc:t; 10 fancy himself
lonely and abandoned, and his heart to fall
~ rum, like some deserted mansion for want
Of an nhabitant.
These observations call GO mind little
domestic story, of which was once a wit
ness. My ultimate friend, Leslie, had mar
rlcd II beautiful and accomplished young
yIrl, who had been brought up in the midsl
uf fashio 1able life. he had, it is true, no
idrtunc, but that Of my friend was ample,
aud he delighted in the anticipation OF in
Ih dulging her in every elegant pur-
suit, and administering 10 those delicate
ta,tes and tancies that spread kind OF
wltchery about her sex ..llcr lifs,o said
he. .shall be II fairy tae.'
Ihe very difference in their characters
produced Il harmonious combinatlon; he
WAS Of a romantic and Somewhat serious
cast; she all hfe and gladness. | have
often noticad tls mute rapture with which
Inc would gaze upon her IN company, Of
which her sprightly powers made her the
delight; ana how, in the midst of ap-
rlause, her eye would still turn to hun, as
n there aloi sought favor and accer
tancc. When leaning on his arm, her slen-
der form conrrastcI nncy with his manly
person. The fond, conGding air with which
she looked up to him seemed TO call forth
flush of triumphant pride and cherishing
tenderness. Never did couple set for
ward on the fiowery path of early and well
suited marriage with falrer prospect Of
success.
1t was the misfortune of my friend, how.
ever, to have embarked his property in
large specuiations and he had not been
married many months, when, bya success
sion of disasters, it was swept from him
and he found himself reduced almost TO Pc
nury. For a time he kept this to himself,
and went about with haggard countenance
and broken heart. His life was protrac-
ted agony, and what rendered 1t more in
supportable was the necessity of keeping
up smile in the presence of his wife; for
he could not bring himself to overwhelm
her with the news. She saw, however, with
the quick eyes Of affection that all was not
well with him. She marked his altered looks
and stiHed sighs, and was not to be deceived
by his sickly and vapid attempt at cheerful
ness. She tasked ali her spriShtly powers
and tender Establishments to win him back
to happiness, but she only drove the arrow
deeper into his soul. The more be saw
cause to love her, the more torturiny the
Thought he was soon to make her wreiched
A little while though he, and the smile will
die away from those lips the lustre of
those eyes will be quenched with sorrow
and the happy heart which now beats light
ly in that bosom, will be weighed down like
mine, by the cares and misery of the world.
AT length he came to me one day and re-
lated his whole situation in q tone of the
deepest despair. When heard him through
i inquired, "Does your wife know all thisY',
At the question he burst into an agony Of
tears. "For Gods sake cried he, ssif you
have any pity on me don't mention my wife;
it is the thought Of her that almost drives
me to madness
Sand why not!" said 1. "Sho must
know 1t sooner or later, and you cannot
keep it from her, and the intelligence may
break upon her in q more startling manner
than ii impaired by yourself, for the ac-
cents OF those we love soften the harshest
tidings. Besides, you are depriving YOUR
self of tho comforts of her sympathy; and
not only that, but you are endangering the
only bond that can keep them together--an an
unreserved community of thought and feel
ing. She will soon perceive that something
is preying upon your mind and true love
will not brook reverse; it feels underyalued
and outraged, when even the sorrows of
those it loves are concealed from it.''
sob but my friend to think what a blow
! am about to give to her future prospects,
how am to strike her very soul to the earth
by telling her that her husband is a begcar
that she is to forego all the pleasures Of
society; to shrink with me into indulgence and
obscurity. To tell her that have dragged
her down from the sphere in which she might
have continued to move in constant bright
ness the light Of every eye-the admira-
tion of every heart How can she bear
poverty? She has been the idol of society.
Oh, it will break her heart-it will break