The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-07-04
Growing Cold.

There was an ar,lor about the Young lover
that showed how deeply his heart was inter
cs,cd. and his hc,rothcd nigh, almost be said
TO live only in his presence He flew to her
side when evening set him free from bu>i-
''",.-. WI ~" aw .;."l his cert ain cnn,inr Nth
JOY that prr,adcd her whole being. The DAYS
were long that kept them apart; but light
nln:g-tootcd the hours Of evening" How car
lv they looked forward to that time. when
they would hear the words spoken that were
to make them one. And the time came at
last. though with >low-pacing steps. Hand
in-hand and heart beating to heart. they en-
tered new path of life. carpctcd with flow
cr>. and moved onward with Springny feet.
that took their measure to loves delicious
muse
Swiftly passed the first season of their new
existence. 1t was the warm, fragrant, bios
>ominS >pring-timc.
"Shall We ever grow cold to each other o.
SAID the young husband, leaning towards his
bride
This was occasioncd by the presence. in a
small company. of Il married couple. not two
years welded. Their indifference was so ar-
parent as to have become subject of remark
with their friends and acquaiances.
"Nevcr. Leonard. never" was whispered
back. That is impossible! Those who tru-
lv love. love on forever"
And with us it is true, said the husband.
True. warm love-
And each believed that it was so.
Leonard Williams was a Young ambitious
merchant. who was trying. unwisely. to do a
large business on a small capital and Leon
ard Williams and his wife were a Young coup
lie who thought rather more of making an
appearance i'll the social world. than was con-
sl>tcnt with their means and prospects. lie
had too large 4 store. and too many goods in
1t; and they lived in too large house. with
too much furniture in it.
y tranquil spirit is not possible under such
circumstances. Ovcrwearving mental labor
and absorbing care must attend them. L. has
ever been so-lt was so with Leonard vii
llams. Even before the waning of the frs,
year. his fine brow began to wear shadow
and his eyes to have all absent cxprcssion.-
here was failing warmth in manner toward
his bride. that chilled her heart. at times. a.
if cold airs had blown upon it suddenly. She
was too Young. too inexperienced, and too is.
norant OF the world to comprehend the cause:
that were at work, undermining, daily. tn,
foundation of their happiness. She only fell
that her husband was changiny-that warmth
was diminishing. and the cloud and the shad
ow coming in the place of sunshine.
Daily. and weekly, and monthly the change
went on--hc getting more and more absorb
cd III business. and She finding certain poor
compensation for heart-wcariness, in dress
gay company, pleasure, and fashionable dis.
sipation. The coltlness of feeling, as well a.
OF exterior, was mutual. \ few years longer
and all the little tender courtcSics that mark.
ed their intercourse when alone, failed utter.
ly. Williams would meet his wife. ON his dai
ly return from his business, without chang.
ing countenance or tender word; and she me,
him at evening, and parted with him on each
succeeding morning, with an air of indiffcr-
encc that iced over the surface of his feel
ings.
And SO the years went on. lie struggling
and striving with the world in the arena of
business; and she trying to find in the un-
substantial. gilded exterior of things, that
pleasure she failed to extract from the real.
How like mould on rich garment, or rust
upon FURNISHED steel, did Indifference creep
over the pleasant surface of their lives, dim
ming the mutual attraction. Williams had
energy and character, and mind that found
new strength in difficulty. 4 man of feebler
intellect, less hope, and less suggestion, start
ing wrong. as he did, would have been driven
to the wall in few years. But Williams dis
covered his error in time to prepare himself
for the impending consequences. At the close
of five years from the day of his marriage
he resolutely looked his affairs in the face
and saw that instead of being worth many
thousands of dollars, he was just upon the
verge of bankruptcy. 1t took him two wears