The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-07-03

carry, in addition to his Other heavy bur
dens; and IL required all his strength.
During the two years that elapsed before
his feCt were on frm ground again, he APP
peared 10 have lost all interest in his homo his
wife, or his children. Mrs. Williams fro.
qusntly said, lightly, speaking to her friends
or acauaintances, that she had no husband
pow-Mr. Williams having united himself
10 business in second marriage. IL she
smoke thus in his presence, he would part
his lips in forced smile; or, perhaps say.
iocossly that she had better have him before
the courts for bigamy.
Fashion, show, pleasure, filed up oil the
time Of Mrs. Williams. which was not devot-
ed TO maternal duties and household cares.
and business was the Moloch ut which Mr..
Williams sacrificed all social and home af-
fectiOns.
At forty, with family Ofinteresting chill
dren springing up around them. they were
put coldly tolerant Of each other. Never
having seen, from the beginning Of her mar
ried lite, any good reason for economy or
self.deuial, Mrs Williams had failed TO prac-
tice these virtues but had suffered the OPP
posite vices Of extrayagance and self-indul-
ccnse to grow rankly rs offensive weeds.
Her demands upon her husbands purse bad,
therefore, always been large, and they stead
ly increased, until he was learning 10 hold,
the strings more tightly, and to question
and object whenever she made, what he
thought, largo requisitions. Thus alterations
were constantly engendered; and, at times,
there was strife between them. Roughness
on his part, and petIlance on hers, oiten
came into help the work Of arrangement
Twenty years Of false life-twenty years
In which two married partners, warm and
loving at the FIRST, went on steadily growing
cold toward each other through the inter
position OF sordid and worldly things
twenty years Of u home intercourse but rare,
ly Frightened by love swarm sunshine break
ing through the loaded clouds Of care anC
r0lly-what n sud heart-history is here
And is il not the history OF thousands o.
oyer-earnest business men and their thought
less, unsympathizing wives who seek outside
Of hearts and home, what they can neyei
fnd-that tranquility Of soul alter which al
aspire, but 10 which 80 few attain Alas
that il is 50!
All, that we could write, from henceforti
q better record of Leonard Williams and hi
wife That we could tell you. how, grow
ing at least weary Of their vain existence
they turned hack, athirst lor the pure water
whose sweetness had once refreshed them
finding again the fountain Of eternal youth
But lt was not 30. Habits OF thought ant
feeling were hardened into that second na
ture which is rarely broken up. If, occa
sionally. the restless heart returned aloni
its life iourny, seeking for some Of the lot
flowers and vanished fragrance, their swee
ness was perceived only ast Oh, dim delgh
Of a dream not real enough to inspire III
effort to seek restoration And 80 the.
moved ON IN the GOODNESS Of twilight. Ag
found him sordid, irritable, unhappy maj
and she nervous, restless, vain, disappoin
ted woman.
There are such, reader, all around you
But keep your heart warm. Do not sutie
IL 20 grow cold toward your wife or husband
Shut out the vain things Of the world. Tn
hOme-lOye are warmest, the hOme-light
brightest aud they will grow warmer an,
brighter with years IL you feed them will
the pure oil OF unselfsh ahtctions.-Pdo
sons Magazine.