The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-22

TO pay cooks and walters ana chamber MAIDS,
but his wife and daughters he expected to be
ladies, and nothing that could offend his fas-
tidious taste must obtrude itself upon his pres
ence They were denied nothing that could
crafty their love of dress, and everything that
wealth could furnish, and fancy devise, minis
tered to their love of the beautiful and fostered
luxury. Alas, we could almost regret that he
who was the author of their woes, should not
have lived to witness their suferings.
The crash of one mercantile house swallow
ed up their house, aud also its rich adornings
80, with a few articles which were the gift of
friends. and few which forbearing creditors
kindly loaned, they entered their humble dwell
ing, which soon became tenanted by a limited
number of genteel boarders. Principle had
never been the guiding-star in the duties of a
luxurious establishment, and it could not sud
denly take root in hearts where it had never
existed. Economy is not always the growth
of culture: but if it is a natural gift, unless
also habit, it soon loses its controlling power,
and without it no domestic establishment cap
hong thrive, though calamity remain afar off.
What can be expected of the financial trans.
actions of woman who has never learned a
single form of business, who has never pur-
chased anything but silks and laces, has never
known any use for money but disqualification,
and never known what it was to be denied ?
| OF what service must be fashionable young
lady, whose life has been spent in frivoity,
and to whom the idea of duty, of responsible
ty, had never for a moment occurred. What
comfort must be q son who reeled home from
the midnight revel, where he had squandered
the fruits of a mothers drudging toll, and only
came to curse her that he had not more to
spend? Yet one is prompted to ask, Which
is most to be pitied, the son of such mother,
or the mother of such SOM"
Not single noble sentiment had she ever
implanted in his bosom, not single high and
holy motive had she ever set before him. Love
had not single link to unite them; and yet
these three made up the family, with com
mon interest, and the same path in life before
them, in which they must walk.
A home without love, family with no bond
but interest and necessity how long can it re-
main even nominally a family? Cold and
comfortless is every room, cherries is every
meal, and gloomy is the common fireside, how
ever brightly blazes the sea-coal and anthra-
cite" within the CRATE. But in the parlor there
is an attempt to keep up appearances, for the
daughter must make her market She has no
idea of supporting herself; and one who pitied
her for her misfortunes, and admired her quiet
submission, was not long in persuading her
to become his wife. And when she had become
his wife, he was not long in discovering that
what she had seemed was something very diff
ferent from what she was. He had been de-
ceived, and, right or wrong, would not abide
by such a contract, and in a little time she was
deserted. This was humiliation her proud
spirit could not endure; she could no longer
live where henceforth she must meet only
scorn, and the fatal draught was deliberately
mixed by her own hand as coolly swallowed,
and life for her was at an end. A few months
more, and the son was immured in dungeon
for crimes which the law requires years to ex-
plate, and the mother, processing to be distract
ed tore her hair, and uttered the wailings OF
the heart broken, while in reality her lamenta-
tions were only for the loss of wealth, and rank,
and fashion. A more pitiable object we have
never seen, though we have seen thousands as
desolate and poverty stricken. A woman with
out principle, mother without spark of the
holy love for her children which seeks for them
honor rather than riches, and mourns a depar-
ture from rectitude more than the loss of all
earthly substance. We will not follow her far.
Tier, for her end is not yet.
We will look in upon a home, at one time Sc
like it in outward appearance, upon which fell
almost the same calamities but so different
now. The heads of the family were married in
early youth, and married with the love which
can alone secure happiness to themselves and
prise soon gave them riches, and for many
years filled their dwelling with every comfort
and luxury. But in the midst of prosperity
they did not forget to prepare for adversely
Though gay and happy home, gaiety and
pleasure were not the end and aim of life. The
mother was in the highest sense Christian
mother, and how her children honored her
She trained them for usefulness and, ere the
shadow Of evil had fallen upon her household
they were strengthened for the hour of trial.
Failure in business was the first calamity
but it did not destroy, it did not even seem tc
blight, their home. The father renewed his
energy, the mother smiled as cheerfulIy, and
each son and daughter thought, How can
add mite to the household treasury, and thus
share the common burden and increase the
common happiness?" and each did what he
could. There were 40 murmurings at the loss
ofluxuries, no repinings at the loss of position
The ties that bound them to each other were
strengthened, and not less gay and merry was
the humble than the luxurious home.
Next came death. From far away across
the seas the sad tidings reached them that the
mother was widow and the children orphans.
Now indeed, there went up wall of anguish
from those stricken hearts for among the no.
BILE, and generous, and honored, of the sons of
men, there are few like this husband and father.
|
| life, and in the same degree affectionate, in
dulgent, and genial, in private, he had been
almost worshipped around his own freside,
and, in a wider circle, thousands had risen up
to call hiIl blessed. He had not retrieved his
fortunes, and he was gone. No stain rested
upon his name-there was no shadow upon his
memory; but how dark the place he had filled
in their home, which could know him no more ]
There were eight sons and daughters. The
eldest had entered upon his profession, had
married, and made home OF his own, and
answered the fondest hopes of fond mother
for her son. The others were still around her,
and cInging to her with devotion only seen
when nourished by sanctiGed adversely! My
mother! How much of love, of reverence, in
the tone with which they spoke.
Mother and home could not be relnquished;
and however humble the cot in which they
dwelt, they must live together. SO, each morn
ing saw those who were able to toll go forth to
their labors, and each night return, to pour into
one common purse their earnings which the
mother kept; and in her they confded and to
her they went, in the same way as when the
dependence was on their side for food and
dress, and the means of pleasure. Those who
performed the duties o. the household shared
equally with those who spent the day in the
schoolroom and the counting house, and no
word Of discord interrupted the harmony of
this peaceful home.
The mother shared every thought; for neither
sorrow nor age chilled her heart. With every
innocent and childish Joy it bounded as gaily
as the youthful hearts around her. In this
humble dwelling might be seen one of the most
beautiful Of family pictures-one to exalt our
ideas of humanity. 1t was our ideal OF a home,
such home as it is woman's duty and province