Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-12-10

| tire from ner gay. poSItlou! n leellnS =
of .discouraSement came over him as
these questions jaroce in his mind.
1 "She must give it up-she must re-
| tire," he said to himself with some
warmth. But he did not wish, to make
known the fact of his deep eir barrass-
ment; for he had no confidence il her
power to endure reverses. IF she sunk
down in weak distress, the burdens he
had to bear would be SO much the heav-
ier; and they were quite heavy enough
already. After viewing the matter on
all sides, and pondering it deeply, Will
liams came to the conclusion that the
only economical change likely to meet
his wife s approval, was the change from
their own home, to fashionable board
ing house. A close calculation salts
| fed him, that to do so, would lessen
their annual expenses about one thou
sand dollars "Anna," he said to her
one evening, breaking through his cold,
abstracted silence, "we are living at too
costly rate" -'''''
Mrs Williams turned her eyes upon
his face with the manner of one who
had heard unpleasant words, but did
not fully comprehend their meaning.
sit would cost, us less to board; and
you would be freed from house hold
| cares" .,s..t 3" ---.i-.' o.
Il am not troubled by them"
at is a question of economy said
| Williams 81" ~"
@'sIf that is all, the question may as
we'll sl,e,'," replied his wife, almost in,
differently for it costs quite as much
| to live in tirst-class hotol or boarding.
house as in your own home. -"
Williams had no more to say. 4
deep sigh .huttcred on his lips ); his gaze
| drew itself from the countenance of his
| wife, and thought went from his home,
to wander among the scething breakers
towards which his vessel was driving,
hoping TO find some narrow passage
through which he might steer in safety
| to smooth heaven. He felt colder to-
wards his wife after that; and she was
conscious of the coldncss, without i'm
agining the cause.
No change in the style or cost of liv-
ing took place. That heavy burden he
had to carry, in addition to his heavy
| burdens; andit req hired all his strength.
During the two years that elapsed
| before his feet were on firm ground
a;-ai+a,- IN. appeared to- lsaF Fellest all ia
terest in his homc, his wife, his chill
dren. Mrs. Williams. frequently said,
| lightly speak king to her friends OF ac-
quaint.inces, that she had no husband
now; Mr.. Williams had united himself
to business in second marriage. II
she spoke thus in his presence, he would
part his lips in forced smile. or, per-
haps, say jocosely, that she had better
have him before the courts for bigamy.
Fashion, show. pleasure, filed up all
the time of Mrs. Williams which was
not devoted to maternal duties and
household cares: and business was the
Moloch atswhich 1tr Williams sacrificed
all social and!hoine affections.
! At forty. with family of interesting
children springing up around them,
they were but coldly tolerant of each
other. Mover having seen, from the
beginning of her married life, any good
reason for economy or self denial. Mrs.
Williams had filled to practice these
virtues, but had suffered the opposite
vice of extravaganza and self-indul-
gcnce to grow rankly as offensive woods.
Her demands upon her husbands purse
had, therefore, always been large, and
they steadily increased, until he was
learning to hold the strings more tight
ly, and to question and object whenever
she made what he thought large requi-
sitions. Thus, alterations were con-
, stantly engcndered; and at times, there
Was strife between them. Roughness
on his part, and petulance on hers of
ten came in to help the work of es-
arrangement.
i Twenty years of false life, twenty
years in which two married partners
warm and loving at the first, went OIL
f steadily growing cold toward each Other
through the intcrposition of sordid and
worldly things-twenty years of home
, intercourse but rarely frightened by
, loves warm sunshine breaking through
the leaden clouds of care and folly
! what sad heart-history is here! Ant
is it not the history of thousands o
!, over earnest business men, and theil
!: thoughtless, unsympathizinS wives, whc
c seek outside of hearts and homes wha
they can never fnd-that tranquility O.
: soul after which all aspire, but to whicl
V so few attain. Alas, that it is so.
: Ah, that We could write, from hence
: forth, better record of Leonard vii
liams and his wife. That we could tel
" you, how, growing at last weary of thei
: vain existence, they turned back, athirs
C for the pure waters whose sweetness hat
e once refreshed them, finding again tn
: fountain of eternal youth. But it wa
n not so. Habits of thought and feelin!
g were hardened into that second natur
e which is rarely broken up. If, occa
7. sionally, the restless heart returne
st along its life journey, seeking for som
e of the lost flowers and tarnished fra
IA grance, their sweetness was perceive
d only as the dim light Of dream; no
i real enough to inspire an effort to see
l. restoration. And as they moved on i
Z the coldness of twilight, Age found hir
ID sordid, irritable, unhappy man-an
e. she nervous, restless, vain, disappoint
l. ed woman.
t. There are such, reader, all aroun
you. But keep your heart warm. D
fe not suffer it to grow cold towards you
to wife or husband. Shut out the val