The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-10-22
MARRYING FOR A HOME.
Marrying for a home.

Marrying for home.
Gently, gently, if you please, you who
curl the lip to virtuous scorn, and laugh de-
risively at the thought; you who denounce
it as unwomanly, heartless and even sacri-
ligious, the woman who could bemean her.
self by marrying for SO miserable consid-
Grafton. Gently, gently-remember how
strong we all are until tempted; and then,
alas, how weak We do not care to drink
until the fragrant cup is pressed to the lip,
then, too often, we drain it to the very
dregs.
Gently, gently-your feet are strong in
the ideal path now; every hope of your
heart is fresh and sweet with vigorous life,
but time may come when you may totter
and tremble in the way-Heaven help you
that you may not fall Many hands
may beckon you forward, but few hold you
| back
Gently, gently-now, while the woman
ly pride shines out from your eyes, and the
crimson color leaps up to your cheeks, let
me ask you how strongly you have been
tempted in the true and beautiful way
Lat me ask you if you have ever grown
weary in battling with the harsh, cruel
world-weary with waiting for the tender
ness and care for which every woman's
heart yearns IF you have seen your
dreams die away before your eyes-the ro-
SEES of your life crumble into ashes in your
hands, and darkness settle down upon you
while you prayed for light2
If, while you have mourned for the love
of mother lost to you in childhood
the home that has not been yours for
many weary years-when your hands have
fallen helplessly down, mutely asking a
respite from the labor you have performed
SO long and SO well-when your feet stag
gered in the wearisome way, and the noise
some hum and hustle of the great stifed
city nearly maddened you-if, at such a
time, there were words of tenderness and
love whispered in your ears-if, afar off in
the cool and delicious country, when the
birds and the brooks and the fragrant air
sing their anthems all through the day
where the trees flying their shadows, and
the blue sky presses its bosom lovingly down
upon the green bows of the hills, and the
blessed, free sunshine writes its stories upon
the emerald pages of the meadows, you
have been told there was a home waiting
for your A home-a home Yours was
brave, true heart indeed, if it did not
waver; yours strong soul if you did not
turn longingly to the promised heaven of
rest"
Did you not say to yourself that for the
home, the kindness and tenderness that
was given you, you might at least be an
obedient perhaps, in the year to come,
a loving one2 Did you not shut your eyes
again and again in the face ofthe dead love,
lying away in the past, with the weight of
years-perchance only of months-upon
it, and say you could not love again. as you
had once loved2 that the first strength of
your heart had been wasted-the truest
hope blasted
Praise God, my friend, if this cup has
"passed from youp But bear gently with
those who falter when the temptation
comes. The ways of life are hard to know
the passions and the trials of the human
heart are best seen by the Father of US all.
You and have little right to judge. To
day we are strong; tomorrow we stagger
forward, and care but little what hand is
outstretched to lead, so that it shelters and
protects us.