The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-09-26
MI SCELLANEOUS
From the Southern Literary Messenger.
l. 0SI G A ND W INNING,

BY THE AUTHOR OF THE /" COTTAGE OF GLEN,n
"sENsIBILITY," &c.
Think not, the husband gained, that all is done;
The prize OF happiness must still be won;
And, Oft, the careless find it to their cost, .s
The lover in the husband may be lost .... ~.
The graces might, alone his heart allure
They and the virtues, meeting, must seeures
-..- ....a- .sr.- ..rs E.s. .sr Lori LittletoR.
Can not win his love. . ., ..r ..
Is not his heart of "penetrabe stuff"
VIII not submission meekness, patience, TRUTH
Win his esteem Ia sole desire to please ..
Conquer indifference ?-they must-they will -.
Aid me, kind Heaven !-Pll try. A1,oR.
1t was bright and beautiful autumnal evening
The earth was clad in garb of the richest and
brghtesthue and the clear cerulean of the heavens
gave place, near the setting sun, to a glowing
"safron color" over which was hung most mag
niticent drapery Of crimson clouds. Farther
towards both the north and the south, was sus-
pended here and there a sable curtain, fringed
with gold, folded as but one hand could fold
them. They seemed fitting drapery to shroud the
feet of Him who rideth upon the wings of the
wind. -''
Such was the evening on which Edward Gun
ningham conducted his fair bride into the mansion
prepared for her reception. But had both heaven
and earth been decked with tenfold splendor; the
beauty and magnifcence would have been lost on
him for his thoughts, his affections, his whole be-
ing were centred in the graceful creature that
leaned on his arm, and whom he again and again
welcomed to her new abode-her future home.
He forgot that he still moved in a world that was
groaning under the pressure Of unnumbered evils;
forgot that earthly joy is oflimes but dream,
fantasy that vanishes like shadow of n summer
cloud; that fits across the landscape or, as the
morning yapor before the rising sun forgot that
all on this side of heaven is feeting, and change
able, and false In his bride, the object of his
fondest love, he felt that he possessed a treasure
whose smile would be unclouded sunshine TO his
soul; whose society would make another Eden
bloom Tor him. IL was but six short months since
he first saw her who was now his wife and for
nearly that entire period he had been in "deli.
rum OF love-" intent on securing her as his own.
lie had attained his object, and life spread before
him, paradise of delight, blooming with roses,
by thorns ..
Joy and sorrow in thisworld dwell side by side.
In stately mansion, two doors only from the one
that had just received tho joyful bridegroom and
happy bride, dwelt one who had been four weeks
a wife. On that same bright evening she was sit
ting in the solitude Of her ricbly-furnishcd cham
Der, her elbows resting on table, her hands support
ing her head, while letter lay spread before her,
on which her eyes, blinded by tears, were rivetcd
The letter was from her husband He had been
from home for nearly three weeks, in which time
she had heard from him but once and then only by
verbal message. The letter that lay before her
had just arrived il was the first she had ever re.
ceived from her husband, and ran thus
Mrs WEsrBuRY: Thinking you might posi-
bly, expect 20 see me at home this week, | write
TO inform you that business will detain me in New
York soma time longer.
Yours &c,
FREDERIC WESTBURY.
For long time the gentle, the feeling Julia, in.
n.
Again and again she read the laconic epistle be.
fore her, to ascertain what more might be made
oft than at first met the eye. But nothing could
be clothed in palmer language, or be more easily
understood. IL was as brief and as much to the
point as those interesting letters which debtors
sometimes receive from their creditors through
the agency Of an attorney. Did ever youthful
BRIDE thought she "receive from her husband
such letter as this? He strives TO show me the
complete indifference and coldness Of his heart
toward me- o, why did accept bis haud, which
was rather his fathers offering than his own
Why did l not listen 10 nv reason, rather than
10 my fond and foolish heart, and ress' the
kind old mans roasonings and pcadingsS Why
did | believe him when he told me | should
win his sons affections? Did not know that
his heart was given TO another? Dear old man,
he fondly believed his Frederics affection could
not long be withheld from one whom he him.
self loved so tcnderly--and how eagerly drank
in his assurancesl Amid all the sorrow that
felt while kneeling by his dying bed, bow did my
heart swell with undefnable pleasure, as he laid
his hand, already chilled by death, upon my head,
gave me his parting blessing, and said that his son
would love mel Mistaken sssurancel ah, why
did fondly trust itY Were ! now free!--freel-
Would | then have the knot united that makes me
his for life Not for a world like this No, he is
mine and / am his: by the laws Of God and man,
VIZ ARE ONE. lie must sometimes be at home,
and an occasional hour in his society, will be a
dearerbliss than aught this world can bestow be-
side. His fathers blessing is still warm at my
heartl J still feel his hand on my head! Let me
act as he trusted should act and all may yet be
well Duties are mine-and thine, heavenly Faith
ef, are results Overlook my infrmities, forgive
all that needs forgiveness, sustain my weakness,
and guide me by thine unerring wisdom" She
fell on her knees TO continue her supphcetons,
and pour out her fall soul before her Father IN
Heaven; and when she arose, her heart II not
happy, was calm; her brow if not cheerful, was
serene.
Frederick Westbury was an only child He
never enjoyed the advantages Of maternal irstruc
tion, impressed on the heart by maternal t'nder