Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-09-07
VOL. XLIII.
DIED OF a STARVED HEART

DIED OF n STARVED HEART
Il am sorry to have kept you waiting
Edith" said lady warmly clothed in mantle
and furs, descending the steps of pleasan;
village residence, on bitter day in January
''Sorry enough that you should have waited
moment in the cold but Fred iDsited upor
wrapping up so warmly, and even holding my
shawl and cloak to the fire, that my toilet fo
once consumed something like fashionable
amount Of time. Are you very cold 2"
"Not very; was sheltered from the wind,
answered the other; lady who Judging from
her face, had seen fewer years than sorrows
one of those earnest. half sad faces, which mort
than any other, make us wish that hearts haC
| Windows
Erred came very near forbidding my going
outright" asserted the first speaker, laughing
| .Hc says if we do not freeze our noses he will
recommend us to DIR. Kane, as valuable acces
sions TO his next Arctic expedition. l told
him old Mrs. Darrow was probably suffering
and that you were waiting to accompany me
| TO her house. so he withdrew his opposition
But oh be is so careful of me. 1t is really
! troublesome, at times to be so vigilantly guard
ed and watched over.
| "But Annie-no! Don't say that !' and as
| the sad fade flushed with earnestness Better
a sur6etd than'-StarvatioD. she might have
added, but gust of wind at that moment
met them, SO icy. sharp and penetrating, that
! both ladies' drew quick breath. and pressing
their mufflers to their lips, walked on in silence
But Annie Barton's volatile tongue soon es
capped its restraint
"Is it possible yoa only wore that thin Wis
lite under your cloak? Look at my double
| Bay State! Why in the name of prudence
didn't you dress warmer, Edith ?"
| Because had not the smallest suspicion il
was so cold, not having left the warm room
during the day The weather has suddenly
changed. perceive"
But your husband knew it, certainly"
He was looking over some law papers
| when came out. He said nothing about the
weather"
| Edith did not add. that as she stood warm
| ing her cloak at the FIRE, her husband had
kgiven her. half contemptors look saying
as plainly as words, How hate t, see wo
| mao afraid of little cold !" But the remem-
branee of that look was freezing at her hear,
| that morssstt colder, sharper, than the merci-
! less wind that forced its way through her thin
garments.
We'll 1 cannot help fearing that the expo
sure will increase that standing cough Of yours
remarked Annie ! "let US walk FAST
| They did walk fast, and in few moments
reached Mrs. Darrow's miserable DWELLING
Edith contrasted the poor womans utter help
/
parative health, and comfortable home. and
blamed herself for rcpiDing that all her heart
| craved had not been granted. In ministering
to the wants of the distressed pauper, nearly
an hour passed, and then laden with blessings
the ladies stepped out upon the frozen street
and turned huineward. No longer facing tn,
wind they found the cold less severe, and An
nie as was her wont, commenced lively
! chat.
That's a nice new hood Of yours, Edith
From Miss Baik sshop is it not?"
mo, imIecdr returned Edith, smiling
allow you have eompimented me, Annie
made it myself, and the visitte also, from that
old blue satin of mine, that never fitted well
Do you recollect it ~
"Certaiuly do. And you made these ele
giant garments out of it. What an economist
you are! Fred would call you such IA notable
wol >! Why, only because dyed and made
OVER my faded merino for Elsie, he calls mt
economist, Scotch housev ife," poor mans
prize, and every other fiattering name imagin-
able"
Does he ?" asked Edith, with sweet, friend
" smile, at must be very encouraging" And
then. eroWding on her memory came the innu
mera5lc instances when, after some like limo
cent display of housewitely shift, she had look
ed in her husbands face for a smile, listenet
for an approving word--looked and listened
in vain. Are these things trifes
Don't you know" continued the shrew6
and sociable bat not very judieious Mrs. Bar
ton; "don't you know that husbands, all the
world over, are divided into two classes thost
who can see nothing but good in their wives
believing them far superior to any other man'
wife and those who appear to hold the ex
act contrary of this, viz that their wives sci
dom or never do anything quite right, and arr
in fact, the most faulty and imperfect of wo
men. do not mean that they publicly pro
claim this, but that it is their secret feeling
Now my husband, am happy to say belong:
1
make am sure that the kindest construction
} will be put upon my actions, and the pleasure
feel in doing well, doubled by his READINGS
, to perceive and applaud my well doing. 1 of
ten wonder what would have been my fate ha.
5 married a cold hearted, unappreciative man
5 Rather give me convent life for with vow
: of a nun upon me, should have hopes of
: naliy overcoming that longing for lssman sym
, pathy and affection, which most make the mis-
cry of the unloveG wife,"
"Is not your condemnation too sweeping ?
} asked Edith. Some men as well as womer
! are reserved By nature not unfeeling, but ia
: from demonstrative in their feelings. Don
you think that much seeming indifference o.
I the part of husbands is owing to this fact ?"
|. "No-I am pretty well convinced tina
= where love exists, it will make itself manifes
5 to its object. Of course, selfish aud capriciou
4 men, passionate and obstinate men, will ac
t out their natures upon occasions, but no maj
t who truly loves his wife, will persist long i
: course which be sees makes her unhappy
d No more in a course of Indifference, than
course of tyranny. Men differ vastly as yo
say. 1t is Fred's disposition to see the brigl
side of every thing therefore when he tell
me, after some little act of attention to b
it comfort, that lam the most thoughtful {
u wives that no one else that could have don
$, it quite so nice; 1 know it is exaggeratio
4 and tell him so. But don't love him all Ii
,e better for it ?"
ST Edith made no answer. Had the though
,e in her haart BEEN translated at that moment
g would have read "Oh could l once hear SUE
le praise from my husbands lips, how glad
D. wnuld lie down and die !"
X Poor Edith she had grown morbid und
ID the slow process of heart-starvation. possess
he by restless, feverish, longing for gent
is words and loving smiles How cheap tb
e. are-how easily given yet how many h