The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-06-03
Temptation and Deliverance.


plicity atoned for, only by the severest orde
and neatness, which made themselves manifest
even IN the arrangement of his paper folde
and pens. This, however was something Of
which he bestowed no thought or labor Ever
thing from his hand seemed naturally to fai
into the very place that best suited it: and th
unthrift and disorder which attach-sometime
justly, sometimes unjustly-to literary people
would have been almost enough in the ewes 0
some, to convict him of treason to his class,
| This was the outside. Within was the sound
healthfu nut, whose brown shell, though plai,
and homely, was not rough nor harsh.
A deep thinker, Howard thought great dea
more for others than for himself. His wants
like his surroundings, were few and simple
easi smet--and when met, never thought O
afterwards. A philanthropist, in the best sense
of the word--not that morbid philanthropy
which knocks one down, figuratively speaking
while pretending to hold one up-he began his
benevolence by gently cleansing the wounds
of society, before applying the harsh plaster
Right minded and pure himself, he had pit,
and forgiveness for those whose organisations
or circumstances exposed them more than his
own had done, to struggle with temptation, OF
fall before it, Respecting all creeds, as far as
they went to help fallen man, or to worship God
truly, he rejected all beyond that, and adopt
ed another creed, simple and unostatous as bis
own personal appointments If that short but
comprehensive creed was more tender to hum an
nature than those of
Good christians, who sat still in easy chairs,
And damned the general world for standing up"
it was because he honored that nature as Gods
creation, made only "a little lower than the
angels although sometimes pitifully lowered
and degraded
The door of Howard's study opened sudden
ly, and tall, pale man entered without cere-
mony, and sat down, face TO face with him on
the other side of the table, across which How
ards ready hand sought the Strangers
''lou do not shrink from nae then, Mr.. Liv-
ingston? You donot turn away your face and
droop your eyes, and put Indifference into your
very morning, on my way hither-because John
Cumming has yielded again to his cup of red
wine?'
Howard looked up with his clear, honest
eye, little troubled, peshaps, in its express
sion, but without shadow of severity or harsh
ness.
''God forbid, john" he answered, "that |
should do SO. | would sooner strengthen you
to overcome, than condemn you for being
overcome.''
"Bess you for SO much of forbearance with
my failing! Not a word like that has been
said to me since | saw you last. Men court
me, and minister to my infrmity-and women,
too, God help me when they tempt me to the
wine cup!'
Sad! John, how sad this is to me- lest you
should think [ overstrain the matter Is it pos
sible that woman, who could have so much in
fuence-could approach your peculiar weak
ness so much more delcately than we rough
and untamed MEXICAN tempt you from any
good resolution you may have formed?''
'Even so, Howard Even in presence OF
my wife, when they might know that she would
as soon have the knife offered to her neck, as
the glass to her husbands lips, they will make
me look upon its bright sparkles, until be-
come thing for scorn to point at And, as l
said, men will court me for what they are pleas
ed to call my witty and intellectual conversa-
ton; and when the poison with which they bait
me, begins to work too violently, they sneak
away from me, and tell me that [ ought to
know where to stopp'
Livingston did not reply. His thoughts were
with this great wrong but he dared not express
them. Not any the less did he blame, and,
indeed, utterly condemn, those who thus i'm
properly wrought upon delicate physical or
ganisaton, like John Cummings; an organsa-
ton so sensitive that what would scarcely stir
the pulse of some men, would rouse him to fe
yer heat--almost, indeed, to frenzy
He looked upon the tall, slight form before
him, the high, pale brow, from which long
silken curls were brushed away, the hands,
thin and delicate as a ladys; and then the look
of utter distress and abandonment on his coun-
tenance; and his heart almost sunk before the
picture which his fancy drew up, involuntarily,
of the wife and children whom John Cum
ming had left at home, anxiously waiting to
have him safe and unharmed for the night.
Too many are the sources of anxiety in this
way, to make it appear strange that he should
thus picture it for those whom he loved with
the affection of brother.
They had been boys together--he and John
Cumming had entered on their manhood to-
gether--had loved the same fair girl, and even
when John had carried off the prize, it had not
broken their bond of fellowship; for Howard
covered the arrow which had pierced bis heart
and no one knew how deep was the wound
John Cumming had chosen the law for his
profession and Howard Livingston had devo-
ted himself mainly to literary pursuits, in which
the benefit of mankind predominated far more
than personal fame Or personal gain, beyond
the limited amount which we have spoken of
to meet his simple requirements.
Not that he sat alone in bis study, and 81
lently mused upon the great wrongs of society,
did Howard earn his reputation as philan-
thropist. No morbid brooding over evil, with
out an effort to arrest it, ever found its place in
his heart or on his lips, but he went out boldly
into the highways and byways of life, and
meeting social wrongs that wrung his heart or
excited his indignation, he strove to help those
who were struggling against them, and feared
not to touch them deeply with the sharp point
of his powerful pen.
He did not shrink either, from taking the
arm of his old companion, and walking up and
down the market place, until John, soothed and
encouraged into more hopeful mood, had
gained at least part of the seHrespect which
he had been losing. -.. ~.
At home once more, with lis wife and very
beautiful children, all eager and solicitous to
wait upon and show him affection, he felt like
a man again. -.s..-