The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-04-28

ler's villainy. Still l could not credI
the gossip of my host, and continually
exclaimed, it is impossible 7 So / con-
tinued all the night, and until the follow.
ing morning. when the shocking inlelli-
gence was confirmed on all sides, and by
the General himself"
"Abominable Abominable - cried
Frederic, and pressed his hands against
his heart, as ii he would prevent its
bursting into pieces.
The old counselor remarked (: "Ah
my son, just SO did l, TOO. exclaim. Per-
ceiving myself so betrayed on all sides, I
was almost deprived of belief in any
thing valuable on earth. put conf
dence in the love of no maiden, in the
vows and friendship of no man, in the
prosperous duration of no course of life
What had appeared impossible to me had
actually happened. / therefore regarded
the most incredible things as credible,
and man and his lot as variable and tran
sient. When 1 was informed of cir
cumstance, however opposed to truth it
appeared, / observed II is very possible
In these four words were comprised the
experience and wisdom of my life. /
kept them before me, and drew service
from them on every occasion. They af-
forded me consolation in the depths of
my misery. These words saved me from
despair. l learned that I could depend
on nothing but myself. Canst thou,
thought 1 frequently to myself, canst
thou ever again be happy on earth ? 1t
is very possible, was my reply, and so it
proved. Ever afterwards constantly
kept the maxim in mind. The greatest
favors of fortune were unable to intoXi-
cate me, for thought of their perisha-
BILE nature. and in considering whether
they might not take wings and fly away,
l said always, it is very possible. When
l again met charming young woman,
whose beautiful countenance and round
ed figure ravished me whose large and
tender blue eyes shot rays to the bottom
of my heart and when she taught me to
love with indiscribable ardor, and gave
me love in return. l dared not feel cer
tain of my happiness till she became the
wife of my bosom. Till that consumma-
ton, recognized the liability of disap-
pointment, and said, it is very possible !
And when afterwards that wife became a
mother, and you, dear Frederic, was pre-
sented to me. and l experienced one of
the most happy moments of my life, l
moderated my enthusiasm by the thought
that you might be snatched from me by
death, or, if you lived, might be vile and
wicked. said. it is very possible and
with sober mind prepared myself for
the worst"
"Thank God, my dear Father !" in
terrupted Frederic, +" that neither Of the
things you dreaded concerning me have
happened"
1T is true, my son." continued the
Baron, =" but it was very possible. Since
the adoption Of my axiom, have regard
ed ever agreeable hour as one which l
should nationally enjoy, without counting
on its permanence. On the other hand,
when afflicted with evil, l have not been
overwhelmed by, but armed against, it,
by thinking it would pass away. That
was very possible. Therefore advise
you to adopt this maxim; but in that
case it must, by continual use, be incor-
porated into your whole system, and be
transfused, as it were, throughout your
whole nervous system otherwise it will
be of no advantage, and you will remain
chaacterless.
"Men," continued the Counselor, still
further, "alike in their most important
and most unimportant transactions and
business, are governed, almost without
knowing it, by an idea which occurs to
them on the instant. The conduct is the
result Of fleeting time and circumstance,
aud so much so that afterwards they are
frequently unable to explain, even to
themselves, why, at a particular moment.
they acted in this, and not in that man
ner. Ignorant people attribute these eff
fects to divine or satanic INSPIRATION
Therefore only an extremely small num-
ber of men act with consistent uniform
ity, because all are Influenced by the
varying relations of life. They cannot,
because the great mass of mankind are
rendered powerless, benumbed and over
whelmed by the course of circumstances
their minds are destitute of the firm
ness, or, as l might say, of any strong
skeleton frame work, of any fixed idea of
lfe's highest wisdom, of the ennobling
Christ's mind. as displayed in the gold
en- rule, of contempt for terrestrial fol-
lies. or of longing, earnest, searching.
desire for eternal truths and for eternal
good. To.possess these qualities, man
must have some simple means that can
ever be ready for use, as a support to
the mind, and refuge against adversi-
ty. Does misfortune then occur to him
He is not prostrated by it. When the
custom of contemplating the hue and
the real, becomes habitual. it is new
nature for the rejecting and grateful. but
not for the brutal and thankless. That
gives strength and frmness. Therefore
follow my advice. 1t is very possible. :"
CHAPTER III