The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-01-14

"ent' ihe iruit oi years OF toll with hand
and brain shrivelIed like flax in the flame Of
Commercial revulsion, and John Delorest
was cast almost penniless upon the world.
IN, then opened the noblest opportunity
OF lie. Then was the time for two hearts
properly knit by bonds Of love and trust, to
: cling yet closer when the storm.wind blew.
Then was the time for two whom God had
joined and man might not put asunder, to
stand amid the ruins of their worldly pros.
perity, and ciasping hands and looking up to
heaven swear to fill. each for the other, the
place oi the honor and the wealth that had
oeen lost, and make purer happiness rise
from the ashes that had consumed the dross
around them, A hand that seemed misfor-
tune, but might have been blessing in dis.
gulse, had swept away every earthly prop
upon which they leaned, and each had only
leit-the other. Ii was theirs, then, to re-
cognlse the angel and embrace it tey slight
ed, and he went away and left them in their
darkness and desoation.
The strong and iron heart Of John Deforest
bowed to no misfortune. He might be said
more truly to live, when in the midst of
struggles that would have been to some dis
couragement; and met, without quivering
lip, the story Of his ruin. He asked no coun-
sci, sought no aid, no sympathy--but strip>
ping himself at once of every remembrance
OF his life of wealth, bent every energy to
bear the present with calmness, and rise
again in the future.
not so with the yoAeg wife Of two years Of
luxury. Alice Delorest had no such resources
to iall back upon. So far her lite had been
one ol sunshine and prosperity, and even the
partial consciousness that followed her every
hour, OF something of happiness unattained.
something of duty unfulflled-had had no
power to make her miserable. Now the
foundations were indeed removed, and what
remained for the fragile, weak and unrelant
woman, but to bow and break bofore the
storm.
Into the humble tenement to which the
poor man and his wife removed, from the lux.
urlous apartments where the first two years
ni their welded life had passed, but few fol,
lowed them. Alice's fashionable friends knew
her no longer; and even her naughty family,
once SO proud Of her marriage, considered
her now as another victim Of an unfortunate
marriage, and visited her but seldom. Even
the little cordiality that remained between
the families, was cooled effectuslIy by word
from Detorest-who to patronizing offer Of
assistance from the father Of his wife, re-
decisive.
Few lives, as we'll as few lines run paral.
lei; and when two lives are not drawing
nearer together, il is rare that they do not
widen in their course day BY day. John
Deiorest and his wife became still less and
less companions for each other. Harrassed
now more than ever, BY contact with the
world and the discouragements Of his reduced
circumstances, Defurest needed more the
sympathy and warm affection which should
have made his home refuge from everything
that was bitter and discordant And even
while he needed il more, he met il less and
less. His weak, unframed wifi was sur.
rounded BY circumstances that almost pre-
cluded the possibility Of her sympatbizing
with him, or bearing any part of his heavy
burthen. Something was due her, Of defer
ence 20 her tastes, aud sell.denial in favor
even Of her fOibles-snmethng Of meeting
on a neutral ground where she, too, could
be considered; but the stern, strong man
bent now less than ever, and each icpelling
tie other, they wandered away into d path
that promised eternal ruin.
From this, the change to bitter words is
but little step. Between John Deforest
and his wife, before many months more had
crept over them, had grown feeling so near
10 repugnance that every antagonistic passion
was excited. Each felt sure that the wrong
was all in the other, each confident that with
any other their life might have been peaceful
and happy, whether 10 wealth or poverty.
Alas how little either knew that We carry
within us the spirits which tinge every cir
cumstance 10 life, and that when our evil
passions are excited the company Of angels
would be to Us but the exhibition 81 our own
detormcd naiurcs--they, to Us, would be but
hcnds Of darkness.
The fountain Of bitter words, once opened,
IS seldom closed without cOnyulsion. Bit
ter and sullen words came from the sweet
lips that once had breaihed but thoughts Of
gentleness. Tones Of contempt were heard,
with sick and peeyish whining, and bitter
tears Eel! where they fell to little purpose.
10 these came answering the rough and stern
rebnke, the cutting, withering sarcasm from
the husbands lips. How nearly was the
demon Hate peering out through the siekly
aud withered leaves tnat yet remained "a
their ruined Eden
Al last business no longer called John De.
forest from his hnme alone. The smiles that
should have met him there wrre necessary to
his nature, anj ii thes c1uld no mure bs
Ncn al home, they must be found in more
questionable places The strong man some
tines bowed beneath Tie pre- ssure u liz cares,
and tiieH stInIlaut s1s lhr panarra Vi the
world. Not tst % CActss, (if every dtop ul
poison that passes bet Neen tie lips II any Oh
earth br nui excess. " drank Jvhn nslurt.t--
bat litjlt iuf excitement. until liz manly
ettek had a rudditr tiHEe, aud his Enc eve
found an occasional fasa ihat had 40 orisin
10 his happiness.
And licn Alice Dtigrcsl anI her child
The sole pledge 81 their union---aere lelt
alnue olter and lnr uaaf seaIy hours That