, 1862-06-12
A Little Stimulant.


Rosa Lindsay, when first knew her, was a
beautiful and elegant girl, the pride and almost
the support-of her mother and sisters, whom
she assisted greatly by her exertions as an artist
and drawing mistress, and the aifianced bride Of
Walter Gardner, young merchant, then abroad
in one Of Of our colonies. Their marriage had
been delayed on account Of the uncertainty Of
Walters plans; he could not tell for some time
whether he would settle in England, or be
obliged to remain with the branch house abroad
Rosa was devotedly attached to him, and their
separation weighed heavily on her spirits. Nor
was this her only trial, poor thingi The Lind.
says had first lost much property, and then their
troubles were aggravated by the long and severe
illness Of one Of the girls, who was seized with
an incurable internal complaint which confined
her entirely to her bed; and also by far worse
blow, the death Of their fond, indulgent father,
who sank beneath these varied sorrOws. Man
cannot bear as woman does; he will fight hard
with the world, and if be cannot conquer it, be
perishes in the effort to submit. A fallen man
can seldom raise himself; he dies and makes no
sign; q woman strives On-enduTes all to the
last.
This was the Lindsays' fate, lsft almost desti.
tute by the fathers death. Women who, till but
q short time since, had never known a care
whose path through life seemed to have been on
velvet-now came forward prepared for the
struggle for daily bread casting aside the silken
habits Of luxurious ease, relinquishng the cher
ished appliances Of refined opulence almost with
out sigh; confronting the world almost cheer
fully, it. bV so doing, they could shield that dear
fathers name from reproach neIving themselves
for all the thousand undreamt.of stings that fall
10 the lot Of those once rich when reduced to
poverty, supported only by the hope Of paying
Of some portion Of his. liabilities. How often
might we see this l-how little do we suspect Il I!
Should such conduct be revealed to US, as It oc-
casIonally is, al did not think It was in them !"
we would exclaim. Not one in ten thousand
knows the heroism which lies hidden in the heart
Of true woman.
But this is a depression; to return to my
story. Rosa had one solace left, the best Of ALL
Walter remained true to her. he did not turn
from her now that she was poor; he did not look
less kindly on her because the elegant talents he
had been SO proud Of were now exerted for her
maintenance; nor was be less anxious to call
her his wife now that her helpless family were In
degree dependent on her-hr from that; he
but cherished her the more iOndly now that she
bad SO little left. He was true to her and to
himself He would gladly have taken her abroad
| with him; but this could not be, for she had her
duties to fulfil Her sisters were too young to
support themselves; and as her exertiOns were
so necessary to the family, she decided on not
marrying till she had put them all forward.
Walter could not combat so praiseworthy . reso-
luton he could only sigh and acquiesce in it /;
and indeed Rosa did ot keep it without severe
selE.sacriice. Say, is it nothing, when love,
worth, and competence, are offered to our gras !,
to put them by-to toll on day by day, year
after Year-tO feel that he We love better than
life itself better than all the world holds (save
luty) is alone, uncheered in his task, far from
IL ~
to minister to him, while We might be his all, his
wileH-to doubt even his truth, as the year drags
wearily on, and friends fall off in turn, and the
world turns harsh and dreary, and we feel our
Once-lOved charms decreased, aid We compare
ourselves with bitter regret to what we were
when first he knew us and yet word would
unite US never more to part-wOuld solve each
dreading doubt, would set our trembling alarms
at rest is it nothing to feel and fear all this and
yet pursue the path which still keeps US from
the haven't No, no; this indeed is the Battle
Of Life, when hopes and affections are opposed
to duty. When duties themselves jar, then
comes our bitter, bitter trial.
Rosa and Walter bore their burden nobly !;
but her mind was torn, worn out in the strife.
The excitement Of the heart was wearing in it.
SELL When the fancy paints what the unprae-
ticed hand cannot yet realize; when the unerring
DEGREES Of q cultivated taste condemn the
sketches which poverty forces before the world |;
when the exhausted soul and body would gladly
renovate themselves by complete inactiOn; but
the demon Of want cries work, work, and the
cry must DO obeyed, and then the drudgery Of
teaching, when the clumsy attempts Of q taste
less, often unwilling pupil, seem like dissertation
Of the art we worship-Oh, this indeed is tor
ture 1t needed not the sickening misery Of
hope deferred, the blight Of early hopes in add
ton, to pale the poor girls cheek, and break
her spirits Her appetite grew uncertain, her
eye and step were heavy; her art became task !;
her temper even was rendered variable. Mrs.
Lindsay was alarmed, aud called in physician.
"Miss Landsay is merely nervous, my dear
madam, (merely nervous, ndeedl-people never
say, "her life is merely q curse to heT;'O her
system is too low we must throw in q little
stimulant. She wants bracing, that is all"
So spake DR.. -; he was right, doubtless !;
but those few words sealed his patients dOom ::
The glass Of wine, warm, spicy wine, when she
returned from her wearying lessons, was so in
vigorating! The world grew brighter as she
drank; she had fresh hope, fresh strength.
Again she slipped, again shO worked-ttle
dreaming that she was laying the foundation Of
a fearful habit Do not blame her too severely,
Maiam. Wait till your whole frame is over
tasked either in action or endurance, till the
world seems blank before you; or worse, q
cold, dreary, stagnant Pond-you need not be
poor to feel Oh fthis-theu, when the cup is sane.
toned By u mother, nay, ordered by your ply.
sician; when you quaff il and find your chilled
energies renewed, your blood dancing in your
veins, happy thoughts, glramS Of sunshine crowd
ing on your mnd-then, if you can refuse a Sc
cond draught you are most happy. Be best
even in your admirable firmness; but oh, pity,
be mercilul even to the drunkard!
She did not become that d,spicabie thing at
once the path is slow, though sure; il was
long ere she reached its inevitable termination.
The glass of wine gave so much stimulus, that,
instead Of taking il sparingly, she few to Il on