American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-03-29

BY GRANDMOTHER.

My dear young friends, I feel that my
heart is "indting a good matter" while
l am trying to write these lille sketches
for your benefit, hope.
never see your bright and happy
faces look 50 full of hope and PleasurabIe
anticipation Of life's JOY, but / think how
near, oh. how near the hour may be when
you too will feel
That it's not all of life to live"
Oh! if only had the open of ready
writer" that I might teach you that
Life is real. Life is earnest"
and aid you in acquiring such knowledge
from the sad experience of others, as
would enable you to avoid the shoals
and quicksauds Of life, upon which Their
happiness was wrecked.
will not draw upon my imagination
for one single character, but these sketch
es will give the experience of real hu-
man beings who have lived and suffered
Annie Brown was sweet, pleasant
girl, possessing that attractive appearance
which the peculiar contrast of fair com
plexion and faxen hair, with dark hazel
eyes always gives. The eyes expressed IN,
lelligence, and Annie's face, in early girl
hood, was very fine to look upon. But
alas. disease soon disfggred it, and OILY
the eyes retained their beauty. Yet An.
ME possessed cheerful, happy temper
which delighted in forgetting self and
rendering others happy around
How much more desirable such dis
position and such a mind as hers than
beauty and wealth.
As Annie grew up into womanhood
Size had many triends and some few low
ers. One suior a gentleman in mind,
manners and position, who had gained
her esteem il not affection, was rejected
by the advice Of friends Oh, how un
wise friends sometimes are.
Years passed on, and Annie met one
whom she deemed worthy of woman'i
love. His quiet, gentlemanly atten ions
were such as pleased but gave rise tohope'
which were doomed to disappointment
Some one says, "talk not of wastec
affection. Affection, disinterested anc
+ blameless was never wasted, never be
slowed 10 vain"
Alas, experience teaches differently
affection once bestowed never returns Il
enrich the heart Of the giyer.
know nothing of Annie's inner life a
this period, that she suffered | have nc
doubt, but had she sought the confidence
of her true friends at that time, we woull
not now fee that her life was a sacrifice
She was good and pure and her e~istenc
may not have been in vain, but it wouIt
have been better to have struggled will
her grief, not fearing the cold or scrutin
izing ewes Of friends and strangers.
The best balm for a wounded hear
NAV be the love of its kind-but let tha
love be sincere and disinterested. An
vet Annie herself was not now dsi4terest
ed; an offer from a gentleman with
; large family of children was accepted
Had she thought that in performing be
duties to her husband and bis children
she would be allowed no time for sadness
She was noble and honorable, and mean
to do right-she suffered quietly; falt
I and patience made her work almost pei
feet. She carried her sorrows to non
but Him who has promised to hear an
accept all hum bic petitions.
She was good, faithful wife-just an
kind to her husbands children, earnestl
endeavoring to supply the place OF tb
: lost mother, trying 10 teach and gIadde
d the H.,e hearts around her, opening
q them the gospel Of life and nature, an
d cheering them on the path Of eternal goo'
Her husband was kind, but there We
=, no congenislity, and the constant effort
appear a happy wife soon told upoa ma
urally delicate constitution, and after
lev years she passed away from earth
ind rest, appreciation and affection
heaven.
= Dear Annie's error was in permi;tn
y the morbid sensitiveness of wounde
+" and disappointed spirit to control her ia
j. ture life, to hope to forget her sorrow b.
i marrying one who had not thought i
T. unison with hers, and who, therefore, Wa
T. no companion. Better struggle on alon
With sorrow. Time, intercourse with tru
and sympa,hizing frends-commanio
y with nature. and confidence IN God, Eyu.
=. have restored confidence in man. B,
,o with rus, and faith in mankind shaker
H. was morally VT ong to give ber ban
ch 10 another.
m Beware, dear giris, and wreck no; yo'
lives thus-bet,er
Learn io IahSr and TO wait