The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-30

by words When his parOxySm had sub
sided, and he had relnpsed into moody
silence, resumed the subject gently, and
urged him to break his situation at once
to his wife. lie shook his head mourn
fully, but positively.
"But how are you to keep ii from her?
1t is necessary that she should know it,
that you may take the steps proper for the
alteration of your circumstances. You
must change your style Of living-nay,"
observing pang to pass over his cOunte-
nance, "don't let that aiIlict you. ] am
sure you have never placed your happiness
in outward show-you have yet friends,
warm friends, who will not think the
Wbrsc of you for being less splcndi1ly
lodged; and surely it does not require a
palace to be happy with Mary"
Il could be happy with her." he cried,
convulsiyely, "in we'll could go
down with her into poverty and the dust
i could could-tOd bless hcr!-God
bless her !" cried he, bursting into a
transport of grief and tenderness.
"And believe me, my friend" said ],
stepping up and grasping him warmly by
the hand, "bclicve me she can be the same
with you. Ay, more; it will be source
Of pride and triumph to her-it will call
forth all the latent energies and fcrvcnt
sympathies of her nature; for she will re-
joice to prove that she loves you for your
self There is in every true woman's heart
spark Of heavenly fire which lies dor
mant in the broad daylight Of prosperity;
but which kindles up and beams and
blaZes in the dark hour Of adversely. No
man knows what the wife Of his bosom is
no man knows what ministering an
gel she is-until he has gone with her
through the fiery trials of this world"
There was something in the earneStness
of my manner and the figurative style OF
my language, that caught the excited i'm
agination Of Leslie. | knew the auditor
| had to deal with; and following mp the
impression had made, finished by per-
suadng him to go home and unburden his
sad heart to his wife.
must confess, notwithstanding all !
had said, | felt some little solicitude Tor
the result Who can calculate on the
fortitude Of one whose whole life has been
round Of pleasure? Her gay spirits
might revolt at the dark downward path
Of low humility suddenly pointed out be-
fore her, and might cling to the sunny
regions in which she had hitherto re.
yelled. Besides, ruin in fashionable life
is accompanied by so many Calling NOR
tifications, to which other ranks it is a
stranger. In short, | could not meet Les
lie the next morning without trepidation.
He had made the disclosure.
" nd how did she bear it!"
Like an angel? 1t seemed rather to
he relief to her mind, for she threw her
arms round my neck and asked if this
was all that had made me so unhappy
lately. But, poor girl, added he, she
cannot realize the change We must under
go. She has no idea Of poverty, but in
the abstract; she has only read of it in
poetry, where it is allied to love. She
feels as yet no privation; she suffers no
loss of accustomed cOnvenienccS nor Gle
gancies. When we come practically ia
experience its sorlid cares, its petty wants,
its petty humiliations--then will be the
real trial.
"Tlut," said | "now that you have
got over the scvercst task, that Of break
ing it to her, the sooner you let the world
into the secret the better. The disclosure
may be Notifying; but then it is sin.
gle misery, and soon over; whereas you
otherwise suffer it, in anticipation, every
hour in the day. 1t is not poverty SO
much as pretence that harnesses ruined
man-the struggle between proud mind
aud an empty purse-the keeping up
hollow show that must soon come to an
end. Have the courage to appear poor,
and you disarm poverty of its sharpcsl
sting On this point found Leslie per
fectly prepared lie had no false pride
himself, and as to his wife, she was only
anxious to conform to their altered for.
tunes
Some days altcrward he called upon
me in the evening. lie had disposed ot
his dwelling-housc, and taken a small
cottage in the country, few miles from
town. He had been busted oil day in
sending out furniture. The new >cstab
lishment required few articles, and those
of the simplest kind. All the splendid
furniture of his late residence had been
sold, except his wifc's harp. That, ht
said, was too closely associated with The
idea of herself; it belonged to the little
story Sf their loves: for some Of thu
sweetest moments of their courtship were
those when he had leaned over that in
Strumcnt, and could not but smile at this
instance Of romantic gallantry in doting
husband.
lie was now going out to the cottage
where his wife had been all day superin
tending the arrangements. My feelings
had become strongly interested in the pro
gress Of this family story, and, as it was
a fine evening, / offered to accompany
him.
lie was wcaricd with the fatigucs of thu
day, and, as we walked out, fell into q iii
of gloomy musing.
"Poor Mary!" at length broke with q
heavy sigh from his lips.
"And what of her?" asked | !; has
anything happened to her?"
"What," said he, darting an impatient
glance, ais it nothing to be reduced to this
paltry sltuation-to be Gagged in misera
bic cottage-to be obliged to toll almost
in the menial concerns Of her wretchcd
habitation !"
Has she then rcpincd at the change p
"Repined! she has been nothing but
sweetness and good humor. Indeed, sht
seems in better spirits than have ever
known her; she hNs been to me all love
and tenderness, and comfort |"
"Admirable girl" oxclaimCdI. "You
call yourself poor, my friend; you never
were so rich-yOu never knew the bound
loss treasure Of excellence you possessed
in that woman"
ooh but, my friend. il this first meet
ing at the cottage were over, think
could then be comfortable. But this il
her first day of real experience; she hn'
been introduced into an humble dwelling
she has been employed all dav in ar