The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-05-15
might have helped my plans. But, now,

s might have helped my plans. But, now
to marry thusi"
Such were sems Of Laurencs's difjoint
ed exclamations, as be tore the letter, il
pieces, and flung them into the Gre. Thel
| he joined his. bridge. In the course 0
: the day he informed her that his brothe
had irremediably offended him, and tha
! he would never speak to him or see hin
. more. Lady Henrietta elevated he
! handsome eyebrows in momentar.
amazement, then restored her features t.
their habitual sxpressional composure, ant
} without any remark, suffered her HUSBAND
to turn the conversation.
Time passed on The wealth of Lau
renee Carr increased yearly; his nam'
grew glorious in the ears of business men
His house was q palace; his wife wa
Ijeweled like queen. He himself still
bnrrowed daily in dusty city holes, whence
all his riches seemed to spring; and every
year he became harder and more impassi
bic, and more devoted to the one end and
aim of his life-money- getting. @
1t was his sole ambition--he had nc
hope, ne joy beyond. There was nc
happiness in his gorgeous home, no ten,
derness in his majestic and arissocratie
wife, No one who looked on him would
have imagined that be felt the want o.
love; that there was any remnant sf The
generous, warm- hearted boys nature still
lingering in the old grim merchant--old
before his time, but. hard, and cold, and
piercing as steel poignard yet. But il
was So ~ There we're moments when bis
thoughts wandered at their own will-wber
he remembered. The face of his mother
shone on him sometimes; and then would
come a fash Of memory-of the old child.
ish days And alb, so strange! the child
ish feelings of those days. And his two
children. The boy he often pictured te
himself as born to continue the greatness
of his 2family-as enjoying, like prince
the wealth and luxury he had labpred te
acquire. And the fair, gentle girl, whose
progress to womanhood he had followed
in his thoughts; whose birth softened hi:
h ,rsh heart to absolute tenderr ess. She
il was who would cling to him lovingly il
after years--whose soft lips would press
upon the wrinkles of his wora fsee-whose
gentle voice would always have she power
to win him out Of his harder, sternsr self
If either of his children had lived, Lau'
renee Carr might have been a differen
man; but both these blessings which ht
had prayed for-dreamed of as the solacs
and delight of his old age--were onl,
granted to him for a brief space, and ther
left his sight forever
The blow rent his heart solely 1t wa
80 deep g:ief, even, that at Frs, he fer
got tho check to his ambition it involved
No son of his would carry his maine int
future ages-Ho descendants Of his wer
destined to make illnstrious the plebia>
family he had first raised from obscarity
When this remembrance came, it added t
his afilictisn something that was cold
stoBy, aud almost defiant. Bereaved Low
nourns; but blighted ambition erects it
head in very impotence of pride agains
the hand that chastises. Laurence
s heart grew hardened. He buried himse
anew in his grim pursuits; they SCENE
the be all and end of his eXistenc
now. He said to himself that it wa
enough; he would make 1t enough.
Yet, spite of all his inward protests
tions, be looked enviously, and sometime
e with feeling less selfish than envy, at th
happy parents of blooming children. II
D would have given well nigh all his hare
t won wealth for one such boon as was 8
). freely granfd to many. Against h
. will, he often found himself musing thu
q sorrowfully, yearningly. He ewouid awst
himself with stern resolve; the one.half
J bis nature would shrink into itself, viii
the other looked on with sardonic kin
: of p:eiy. !.
/. Yet sgain and again came these so
l. tening reveries. 1t was in the midst
is one of them, in the twilight of a Decen
ber evening. that he was reused by recei
II ing letter from William
n Itswas the first time since many year
n during which the stern elder brother he
suspended all intercourse, and had new
:, sought to know what had become of Il
If other. He had known somewhat, howe
Or er; for William had come to London, ar
le had commenced the new life of ahtho
70 ship, and Laurence had occasionally m
70 his name in passing periodicals. But
n. rect communication between the two hs
it altogether ceased. He frowned as
'G recognized the hand.
10 Perhaps, had this letter come at al
l. other time. he might have returned it q
a opened. Oh, menl ye who pray, pray f
le your fellay-men. ,ghoss hearts are harde
% % ed. Oh, segels plead for them, stri
n, for them; for verify if there be place
es all His works where God does not dive
We and where no saving spark of divinity C.
III IL linger, it must be in the sterile heart OF
ee world hardened man.
10. Laurence frowned; but he tore the Il
ne ter open, so soon as the servant had /