Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-02
MORNING LEADER.


AWOht HUH ucI EcNtIlG-GtC BIC ChiAGA AACA
thoughts from that long, earnest musing Of the
future-and sought the sitting.roOm of her pa
rents.
They were sitting costly by the CRATE, waiting,
as they said, to hear some music. "COme,
said her father ''give US my favorite." "
One might have thought it i'll in harmony
with Alice's feelings TO tune her voice and IN
strument to lively tones, but it was ever in har-
mony with her feelings to do anything that
would add TO the happiness of her parents
No peculiar thoug ghtfulness was betrayed IN
tone or manner as her fingers swept the keys of
the piano in quick, lively piece; but when her
mothers favorite was called for-when her
voice rose in tremulous pathos-her soul rose
with it, and she, for time, was almost lost to
present scenes.
'There, come sit by me nOw-yOur mothers
choice always quiets US to solemn mood.
Father" said Alice, placing her hands in his
AS she drew her chair closely to his side
"Father, don't you wish to talk with mel
"Yes, my daughter; why did you not go to
the party!"
"i preferred the pleasures of home, and to-
night particularly. l wished you to talk with
me-"
"And pray, what would you wish me to talk
about J"
"You are an old man, you have seen much OF
life, and wish you to tell me where is the great
est amount of happiness to be found; or have you
learned what is the true secret of happiness"
"My dear girl, you ask strange question:
When l was young man l sought the pleas
ures of society, but found that money was the
one thing wanting, and resolved to have it
supposing that when that was obtained l could
satisfy my hear in unrestrained pleasure.
have money now. | am wealthy, but my heart
has sickened with the giddy pleasures of life,
and my satisfaction now is that my family can
move in the first circles of society-that wealth
opens for them the way to all lifes pleasures"
fYou feel that it is an honor and pleasure
to move in the first CIRCLES and do understand
you that this is happinessr'
81 scarcely know what happiness can be II
that is not, but must acknowledge l have Oft
en- thought that happiness is but name"
Il have often wondered" replied Alice,
''whether there were not more true, real haPPl-
ness among the so called humble classes"
81 can hardly conceive how happiness can be
found where daily labor is the necessity"
''I mean not really with the toll worn, care
worn laborers, who have no time, no opportunl-
ty for mental improvement; this lot l feel must
be miserable, but mean among those who, by
earnest busy lives procure for themselves hfe's
comforts and pleasures, but are not SO pressed
with care but that they have time for mental
culture"
81 fear, my daughter, the class you speak of
are but a fancied class, at least, if there are
those who perhaps have some time for mental
cultivation. They cannot, as / see, have time
or opportunity to be educated, as we are proud
to have our sons and daughters educated"
"Perhaps not, as many of the sons and daugh-
ters of wealthy parents are educated; but, father
| believe there are more who are educatedln the
true sense of the word, among them, than among
the gay idlers who acquire few accomplish
ments, and then fancy themselves educated be-
cause people call them so,''
Business has absorbed my life, and in a bust
ness capacity l am extensively acquainted with
people, but that seldom leads US to tie inner
iife-the home life of any one. You had an
opportunity of being with that class when teach
ing.
"Yes, and that was the very reason desired
to teach, and felt very grateful for your con-
sent when it was so against your wishes"
81 could not endure the thought of your step
ping down in society, and TO common occuPa-
| ton"
Il felt that it was stepping up to step from a
life of ease and pleasure to life of usefulness;
and found it stepping up in the scale of enjoy
ment, for l found deeper, purer SURGE of pleas
ure even amid wearisome tolls and cares than
ever found in the pleasures of society"
"Ifyou were happy, then of course am not
now sorry, but now hope you will abandon your
visions of usefulness and take your place in the
society you are fitted to ad9rn. You have ac-
duired accomplishments which l long to see re-
ceive their due honor. l fear you little realize
how much you sacriie."
"Alice your higher enjoyment in a life Of
drudgery among children in whom you have nc
personal Interest, is but dream of romance
tell you it is your place to shine in society
and YOU may easily win your way to position
where wealth, honor and fame may all be yours
Many a man of wealth and distinction would bt
proud of my Alice, with all her grace and dig.
nifty as his wife"
''Father!" you talk of personal interest ant
OF future bappiness;-my personal interests arr
linked with the interests of every immortal sou
destined to that eternity hope to enjoy,-I cart
not to what part of the human race they belong
and nv happiness is to deal with the human
mind, and lead it "onward and upward" NJ
i would rot for the sake of wearing the nam,
of one of the most honorable of earth-barte
the priceless joys of life as haveIiound them.
"Why should honor or pleasure SO impai
your happiness you fancyl"
"Would not wealth place US where all th'
pomp and ceremony of pride and position mus
be observed would not honor, in the world
acceptation make us the envy of the many wht
cannot gain it land oh, would not the eOlC
heartIess world with its pomp, its pride, and it
sweeping tide of evils step between US and purr
happiness would it not rob me of lifes pre-
cious Jewel, affection? 1t might not-but my
heart would be hurdened with anxious fears.
but my daughter surely does not think o
finding her happiness for life in the class o
common people !"
81 cannot say that wish to place mysel
where labor will be stern necessity, but ! dC
desire the society of the truly intelligent, and
find it is them that are engaged in the humble
but most useful of callings; and desire too tC
live in that society where people are free, WHERE
the heart and soul shine in the eountenanee
and speak in every word, where every act anC
tone are not measured out according to conven
tional rules.
"But, is this necessarily confined to the la
boring class !"
"Perhaps not necessarily, but it seems to m,
that according TO the laws of our being manua
labor is necessary to certain extent, not only
10 good physical health, but to the development
of strong and sturdy intellect, and to the de
velopment of full moral strength, and the de
Yelopment of these great powers of minds truly
Educaton-is it not!
"These are, fear, new-fangled notions tina
I come from reading many books. But my dea
girl, in that society what would you do will
your accomplishments in music and in the ar
ofpainting! Surely you acquired these to max
you shine in society"
: my dear father, it was not to shine in soci
ety-not to appear before an admiTing circle a
! a1i accomplished lady-that learned and lovet
, the melody of sweet sounds, OF studied the ar
, that brings within onr own homes the entran
cling scenes of nature 1t was for the refine
ment, elevation and high cultivation Of the miuC
and heart 1t was to prepare me more fully fo
that high and holy sphere in which ii is tht
destiny of every true woman to act By paint
inc we study nature in her various forms anC