The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-06-18
hidden evil, which arc only ripened BY time and

Three or ;our years passed. and then the wife,
who at longer and longer intervals had sought
recreation in her pen, laid it altogether aside,
and for as many more, the dust lay heavy upon
the discarded writing.desk that had been the
delight Of. her girlh5od. Did it lie upon her
heart as well? No. We live in world ofcom-
Ipensations True, when the resolution was
first taken there were sighs breathed in secret
and tears shed at midnight and weary wakings
in the morning, to feel that a brightness had
gone from the sunshine, and voice of singing
from the melodies OF earth. Unquestionably
true it is
'That when the dream of youth departs, f
| 1t takes something from our hearts b
| That never comes again.
But Elinor had come to see many points where
in she had erred, ffom the i'll balance of her
mental organization, and reasoning to extremes,
had almost persuaded herself that poetry and
sentiment were outlaws upon earth, and should
be driven tlience at the sharp point of ridicule
and sarcasm. She had learned to believe in
philosophy and expediehey, almost in stoicism;
she the olden dreamer! Their married life
had shown no more incongruity, no more want
of harmony perhaps, than the majority of mar
ried lives very few passages like the one desert
Ibed above had darkened its records, yet Elinor
knew that she failed to realize her husbands
ideal of what wife should be, a mental, ,norab
and physical absorption of domestic duty and
family care. Not uniformed and uncultivated
"Frede-ic's wife, had long ceased to be the par
agon of his estimation; but informed and cult
vated solely with view to increased efficiency
in the domestic field, Einor had determined to
win peace Of mind at any cost, and as the Giver
of Peace not unfrequently provides, the cost
was less than she had anticipated.
Her husband saw the change, and understood
its motive; herein she was blest above many
Not that he fully appreciated her resolution
he could scarcely imagine difficulty in discar
ding taste, habit, or an aspiration that con-
fcted with his business affairs and interests
He needed no mental stinulents, and no seda-
tives; except when sickness interfered, the we'll
organized machine of thought and action mo-
we'd regularly on, without jar or hindrance; why
was it tfat others SO frequently complained Of
obstructed wheels, and imperfect selfadjusting
power? u,ka
During these years, Elinor was content, if not
happy according to her capacity for happiness.
If there were less elasticity and buoyancy Of
spirit; if she were less transparent, less enthu-
static than formerly she had erownrnoFo thought
full more patient, more studious of herself and
of Gods providences. She had learned the su-
peror safety of clear, practical views of life
over the coulely de rose; she had experienced the
power of active, daily labor i'll checking a tco
morbid sensiblity, and calming disqueted
spirit. Her companions partial utilitarianism
seemed better fitted for the real world, than her
own interso and imaginative dreams, beautiful
as they still rose on the back ground of the
past dear as their memory remained.
She learned to set .juster estimate upon the
true nobleness of her husbands character, the
strong selfpoised Judgment the energy, the
uprghtness, that made him a true and success
full worker in the harvest field of life. She
learned in all things wherein they approached
to lean upon and trust him; in sickness, or in
any sorrow which he could share, she had his
kind sympathy and faithful care She felt that
he made more allowance for her mistakes than
lormerly5in short that the distance between
them was diminishing, and herein was her ex-
ceedng great reward
So IN process Of time, kind of dim forget
fulness grew over the scars in her heart where
che old loves and longings had been pruned
away, as moss grows upon a tree that has scarce
been wisely and kindly tended by the gardener,
A tree, somewhat dwarfed perhaps, and little
warped from the natural intent, yet with thrift
ty principle Of growth within; and ON the whole
more useful, if not more symmetrical than some,
growing in sunny places, with no wounds for
: the moss to cover.
i Itwould be difficult to say through what agen-
cy this state Of things was finally changed. An
association revived here and there an acquain-
tance formed; a few words of appreciation, now
and then falling upon her ear; the conscious
ness that no interest pertaining to the home
which was the dearest thing on earth, to her,
! need suffer; more than all, the just and scrupu-
lous study of herself led her at last to renounce
her determination Of nevermore giving her
thoughts to writing. Not without much serious
consideration, the dust was removed from her
desk, and over it a new resolution taken. Like
the perseverng wife in Miss Bremer's "Home," I"
she said within herself "My husband shall yet
be reconciled to my poor little gift. The ac-
acknowledgement may come or not, but the rec
lonciliation noalst!" t8a fate "a. rs
i Elinor's heart yearned for the acknowledge
4 ment; she longed to hear, II am satisfied that
you have been but true to yourself;-I am re-
joiced, true wife, that your faith and hope were
greater than my charity" She commenced and
continued her efforts, not with the former fe-
{ verish yearning for the recognition Of hearts,
fbut in a calm and hopeful patience. She ex.
pected no sudden or brilliant success in the 10
called literary world, wished for no. need Of
praise that had not been fully earned. When
it came, it refreshed and graticd her the more,
that she perceived that it was not displeasing to
her husband, who was the only critic she feared
or cared TO please. OF late his health had de-
!, clined, and his views Of life had taken uneoh-
/, ciously more comprehensive scope, and a soft
4 or coloring. The husband and wife were draw.
lI.i. 4 lls A n II