Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-04-07

lodged; and surely it does not require pal
ace to be happy with Mary"
Z" could live with her, he cried, cOnvul-
sivcly, lin hOvcl ] could 90 down with her
into poverty and the dust ! could-I could
God bless her." cried he, bursting into Il
transport Of grief and tenderness
And believe me, my friend said !, step
ing up and grnsping him warmly by the hand,
" believe me, She can be the same with you.
Av, more, it will be source Of pride aud
triumph to her-it will call forth all the latent
energies and Iervcnt sympathicS of her nature;
for she will rejoice to prove that she loves you
for yourself There Is in every true woman's
heart spark Of heavenly fire which lies dor.
mant in the broad daylight Of prosperity;
but which kindlcs up, and beams and bazeS
in the dark hour of adversely. No man
knows what the wife Of his bosom is-no man
knows what a mni>tcring angel she iS-until
he has gone with her through the fiery trials
of this world"
There was something in the carnrStncSs Of
my manner, and the igurativc stylc Of my
language that caught the excited Imagination
of Leslie. | knew the auditor had to deal
with 4; aud following up the impression had
made, | finished by pcrsuading him to go
home and unburden his sad heart to his wife.
must confess, notwithstanding all had
sail, ! felt some little solicitulc for the result
Who can calculate ON the forttudc of one
whose r-haS been a round of pleasure? Her
gay spirit might revolt at the dark downward
path "f low humility suddenly pointed ont be-
lore her, and might cling to the sunny regions
which they had hitherto rcvcIcd. Besides,
ruin in fashionable life is accompanied 10y so
many Calling notifications to which in other
ranks 1t is stranger. In short, could not
patton. lie made the disclosure.
q" And how did she bear it,"
Like an angel! II seemed rather To br a
relief to her mind, for She threw her arms
around my neck and asked If this was all that
had lately made ne unhappy. But poor girl,
added he, she cannot realize the change we
must undergo. She has no idea Of poverty
but in the abstract; She has only read Of it
IN poetry, where 1t Is allied to love. She feels
as yet no prvation; she suffers no loss Of ac-
custOncd convcneheeS or elcgancieS. When
we come practically to experience its sordid
cares, It's paltry wants, its petty humliatiOnS
then VIII be the real trial.
But, ! said, "n0w that you have got
over the Sevcrcst feat, that Of breaking it to
hrr, the sooner You let the world into the Sc
rret the better. The disclosure may be NOR
tiiying, but then it is a single misery, and
soon over; whereas you otherwise suffer it
III anticipation, every hour in the tlay. 1t is
not poverty so much as pretencc that harnesses
ruined men-thc struggle between a proud
mind and an empty purse, the keeping up a
hollow show that must soon come to an end
Have the courage to appear poor, and YOU
di>arm poverty OF its SharpeSt sting" On this
point found Leslie quite prepared. lie had
no false pride himself and as to his wife, she
was only anxious to conform to their altered
circumstances.
Some days afterwards he called upon me in
the evening lie had disposed of his dwelling
house and taken small cottage in the coun-
try, few miles He had been busted all day
in sending ont furniture. The new establish
mcnt required few articles, and those of the
simplest kind. All the furniture Of his late
residence had been SodrXcrpt his wifcS harp.
That. he said, was too closely associated with
the idea OF herself: it belonged to the little
story OF their loves; for some Of the sweetest
moments "t their courtship were those when
lie had leaned over that instrument, and list
cncd to the melting tones Of her voice. |
could but smile at this instance Of romantic
gallantry IN dotlng husband.
lie was now going out to the cottage, where
his wife had been all day experimenting its
arrangements. My feelings had become strong
" Interested IN the progress of this family
story, and, as 1t was Il fine evening" ! offered
to accompany HIM.
lie was wrarird with the fatigue of the day,
and as he walked out, fell into fit OF gloomy
mu>lng.
Poor Mary, at length broke, with a heavy
sigh, from his lips.
" And what Of her. asked "has any
thing happened to her?'
what, said he, darting an impatient
glance, Is 1t nothing to he reduced to this
paitry sIiuatlon-to be Gagged in miserable
cottnSe-to he Obliged to toll almost in the
mtniaI concerns OF her wrctchcd hahtation:'
las She thth rcPlncd at the change =
Krplhcd she has been nothing but sweet
ness ana good humor have never known
her she has been to me all love and tender
ness ana comfort
Admirable girl y exclaimed |. You call
your poor, my friend; you never were SO
rlch-you never knew the bonndlcSs treasures
OF excellence you possess in that woman
Oh but, my friend, if the first meeting
at the cottage was over | think could then
he comfortable But this is her first day of
real experience; she has been introduced into
humble dwclllng-Shc has been employed all
day arranging its miserable cqupmcntS-shc
mas l"r The hrSt time, known the iatigucS OF
domestic empoyment-she has, for the first
tln', looked around her on home destitute
OIL everything elegant-almoSt OF everything
convenient, ana may now be sitting down, eX-
Inn tIf.SA I1rnn linn