The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-04

Mrs. Goldsmith Al, Eor+v

one. L did not see the remedy. She was
forty and not so happy as at thirty.fve AT
tnlrty' her face, though beginning to look at
times dreamy and discontented, was for the
most part bright with antici patton. Her
three children, all daughters, were UNFOLDING
from bud to fragrant blossom, and her life
rested in their lives.
Since the completion Of her thirty.ffth
year one of her children had died the
youngest, and most tenderly loved because
the youngest. Alb for woman like Mrs,
Goldsmith, who had built only upon an
earthly foundation, who had loved herself in.
tense y in her children, this was indeed an
affictlon. She bowed her head, and refused
to be comfortod The unreieved black that
gathered IN funeral gloom around her person
was fitting emblem Of the darkness that
enshrouded her spirit. But troubles and
sorrows do not always come alone. Her
oldest daughter formed an attachment that
ana d not meet her parents appreciation; and
falling to gain their consent, or even the
smallest approval Of her choice, took the des-
Iperate and almost always unwise course of
marrying against their remonstrances, threats
and commands. From the day she left her
fathers house she had been an alien there
from /; and two long years had passed with.
out reconciliation.
So at forty Mrs. Goldsmith had cause of
mental suffering and heart-dsquietude but
the suffering and disquietude were in excess
of Legitimate causes. The home of Mrs.
Goldsmith was luxurious So far as her ex-
ternal life was concerned or rather, SO far as
IN the use OF money she could arrange the
externals of her life, she had all the means of
happiness but these, in her case, were Who'll
Iy inadequate. Nay, instead of giving that
reposc Of mind which freedom from worldly
anxieties is supposed to confer, they only
added to her dissatisfaction. Their possession
brought no sense of responsibility, but in
duccd d feeling Of superiority to others. She
must always be ministered to, never minis
ter. Her comforts. feelings, tastes, habits,
desires, and conycniences must be regarded
by her domestics and by all from whom she
required service in any thing; while to their
feelings, tastes, habits, and conveniences no
regard was ever paid Her positions of lux
urious ease had made her as it does sa many
in like situations, intensely sefeh-and this
very selGshness was the cause of her miscra-
BILE disquietude,
Mortified pride was another source of nm
happiness in the case Of Mrs. Goldsmith
To think that Aer daughter should humiliate
the family by marrying beneath their condi-
ton Death, fearful as the visitation had
been, was light afiction compared with
this, and disturbed not halt SO profoundly.
Poor Mrs. Goldsmith ! At forty, as [
have said, her case was sad one, and | did
not see the remedy. Human efforts to bring
her mind back into the sunshine were Of no
avail. She brooded over her sorrow and her
humiliation, admitting no cheerful guests in
to her heart, Modification at her daughters
dscreditable marriage, added to morbid
grief-half affected, half real-that succeed
ed the first strong outgush of maternal an
euish, caused an entire withdrawal OF herself
from society, and shut her up in the shadowy
retirement of her own chamber for a greater
portion of the time.
No interest for others could be awakened
in the mind of Mrs. Goldsmith What was
the outside world to her? Human sympa-
thv was barred from her heart, She felt
herself to be Of finer quality than the mass
OF people around her; and in her sorrow and
stricken pride she held herself coldly aloof.
If Mrs. Goldsmith had taken interest in
any employment---ha gone down, with
true woman's care and thought, into her
household, and wrought out therein the high
est possible comfort for its inmates, then
would she have found seasons of calmness
and peace. But instead of this, neglect and
indifference produced constant irregularities
and sharp, angry, Or injudicious reproof and
complaininc alienated domestics, and made
the home Of Mrs. Goldsmith so unlike true
home that it scarcely deserved the name.
And 50 life at forty was proving a failure
to one whose promise at twenty appeared
bright as a cioudless day in June. L called
ono evening to sec hcr husband man or
large business operations, whose sober, ab.
stracted face did not indicate a peaceful
mind. Care drew tightly on the muscles
about his lids, wrinkled his forehead, and ilx-
ed his ewes in an absent kind of gaze, as if he
were looking away from the present into some
far beyond. 1t was not often that visitors
saw Mrs. Goldsmith. was privileged
Che did not retire from the family circle on
INV ep.rence. A aeoting emile lit mp her
male face ss came ia; but it faded quickly
leaving O weary, desoIate look in her eyes
and about her mouth. Her conversation was