St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-07-29


ming Kindness, ard gentle thoughtful
ness, and holy love which is wcaltl
far more to be priced than the kiss d
mockcry. And where then, was Vic
torine! Still feeding her wayward
and mordid mind on the most exciting
iictions Of the day Her treasure was
there, and where the treasure is, there
will tn" heart he also. And this is
the test Of the true character"
And yet uncle John" Mrs. Ash
land replied, "you know that Nicto
rimc is SO delicate. She could not
have done what Eva did. It woulc
have been impossible"
And what has made her the help
less and useless thing that she is
An unhealthy stimulant for the young
and uniformed mind. Victorine does
not exert herself enough. Her life has
been all of light. She knows not of
trial, even by name knows not that
without trial there will be no patience;
without suffering and aflliction no
resignation On tho other hand, the
mind Of Eva has been trained by
thought and action, by a discipline
well calculated to unfold It's pcrceptive
and active powers. And now, she
must, or docs, voluntarily take the
charge of the children's lessons while
she is pursuing her own studies all
to save expense. Well she knew that
| her fathers circumstances are limited
and well she knew that Victorine's
expenses for ball outfits and party
costumes have almost taken the bread
from their mouths. And, in all this
the love Of your children is shown.
The one must be ministercd unto. the
other must sacrifice all. The ono lives
upon excitement, the other seeks en-
ioymcnt in doing her duty. The one
seeks to relieve you Of domestic care,
and by a thousand little attentions
and duties to lessen their burden; the
other selfishly pursueS her desires and
inc'inations, is poevish. irritable and
ill-naturcd if the least thing occurs to
perplex, the slightest obstacle vcxcs
her"
And what responsibility rests
with the mother" continued uncle
John, training her child for future.
for an eternity. Yet how little seem
ngIy, does she think of this 1t is
but too often her highest ambition to
see her loved ono dazzle, and shine,
and cnchant, to be honorCd and en-
We'd. to form lofty alliance, to gain
4 splendid establishment oftcnCr this
than that holy and inward teaching
that tells of goodness and usefulness,
the still small voice that whispers the
way to holiness and heaven. And
thus is the daughter formed and
rshinped: and thus are her children
tHFt5sccttPitm,ed tF5ctP t,,,,,!, and educated. Now
this, its unhappiness and IFS daftnvTo
The lady marriCs for a brilliant cstab-
lishmcnt, and is welded alone to that
and its useless and frivolus accom-
plishmcnts. And this the husband
learns too late for his peace. His
angel wife is but worshippcr at the
shrine of vanity, scltishncss, fashion
and ambition. He had looked on a
future all fair with felicity. He had
reared there a holy home altar, on the
one pure shrine where all that was
beautiful and immortal was to be Of
tered. With a pang at his heart, he
beholls that sacred and cherished
spot dcsccratcd by the breathings Of
coldncss and unkinducss. And no
marvel that he turns away, sick at
heart and discouraged. No marvel
that the darkness of dcsolation is in
that heart, is there within that home.
And what are the offerings that the
woman Of fashion and the idle dreamer
brings to the domestic altar shrine:
Are they the truthful tokens Of tender
ness and holiness Of heart and life !
Nay, nay, but vanity, seltishncss and
heIplcsSncss. And the husband turns
away, disappointed and dishcartcned,
from a future of darkness, where lite's
light has forever set. But we'll |
know that this is not always the
cause Of domestic infelicity. Man,
too, is many times to blame. And
often the tender and shrinking flower
he takes to his home but feels the
breath of coldncss and neglect, and
soon, too delicate and fragile for this,
it fades and droops and dies
Slowly the old man lifted his cane
from the carpet and left the house.
Anger was the predominant feeling
IN the soul OF the fond and mistaken
mother. She was a vain, ambitious
and selfish woman, and the position in
which her marriage with Mr.. Ashland
placed her, served to strengthen in
stead OF diminish these character,
istic qualities of the mind. They
moved in the first circles, and the III
come of Nj Ashland, though consider
able, could scarcely suffice to keep
them there, was scarcely enough ior
the wiie's cXtrayaGancics.
And Eva, in her leisure moments
often assisted her father with his
accounts, and in many other ways
She knew much of his circumstances
and she therefore, insisted upon taking
charge of Willie's and Harry's lessons
And, as time passed on, her task
seemed less arduous, her burden less
heavy, as she gained more strength
to meet them. And the kind and en-
couraging words Of her old uncle were
ever hers. He had pointed out hci
path. He had told her there would
be shadows by the way-side, that
there would be darkness before her
but she must look to heaven 10,
strength to meet it all
| Uncle John had sought his lodgings
There was a heavincss on his heart
He could not bear that Nictorine Ash
land should be the being of impassion
ed romance, of dreamy excitement
should love herself alone, without one
thought of her duties, her response
bilities.
And alone, amid the solitude ant
silence of his own apartment, uncle