American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-06-16
Broken Hearts.

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ambition. His nature leads him
forth into the struggle and hustle OF
the world. Love is but the embel.
lishment of his early life, or a song
piped in the intervals Of the acts.
He seeks for fame, for fortune, for
space in the worlds thought, and do.
minion over his fellow men. But a
woman's whole lite is history of the
affections. The heart is her world ;
it is there her ambition strives for
empire it is there her ayarice seeks
for hidden treasures. She sends
forth her sympathies on adventure /;
she embarks her whole soul in the
traffic of affection and if shipwreck-
ed, her case is hopeless-tor it is a
bankruptcy of the heart.
To a man the disappointment of
love may occasion some bitter pangs .
it wounds some feelings Of tender
ness it blasts some prospects of fe-
licity but he is All active being he
may dissipate his thoughts in
the whirl Of varied occupation, or
may plunge into the tide of pleasure !;
or, if the scene Of disappointment be
too full of painful associations, he
can shift his abode at will, and tax
ing as it were the wings of the morn
ing, can "hy to the uttermost parts
of the earth"
But woman's is comparatively a
fixed, a secluded, and a meditative
life. She is more the companion of
her own thoughts and feelings; and
if they are turned to ministers of sor-
row, where shall she look for conso-
lation? Her lot is, to be woed and
won and if unhappy in her love, her
heart is like some fortress that has
been captured, and abandoned, and
left desoiate.
How many bright eyes grow dim
how many soft cheeks grow pale
how many lovely forms fade away
into the tomb, and none can tell the
cause that blighted their lovelincss
AS the dove will clasp its wings to
its side, and cover ard conceal the
arrow that is preying on its vitals, SO
it is the nature of woman to hide
from the world the pangs of wound
ed affection. The love of a delicate |
female is always sly and silent. Even
when fortunate, she scarcely breathes
it to herself; but when otherwise,
she buries it in the receSSes of her
bosom, and there let's it cover and
brood among the ruins Of her peace.
With her the desire of the heart has
failed. The great charm of existence
is at an end. She neglects all the
cheerful exercises which gladden. the
spirits, quicken the pulses, and send
the tide of life i'll healthtul currents
through the veins. Her rest is brok-
en--the sweet retreshment of sleep
is poisoned by melancholy dreams
"dry sorrow drinks her blood" until .
her enteehled frame shrinkS under
the slightest external injury. Look
for her, after little while, and you
will find friendship weeping over her
grave, and wondering that
one who but lately glowed with all
the radiance of health and beauty,
should so speedily be brought down
to darkness and the worm" You
will be told of some wintry chill,
some casual indisposition that laid
her low ;G-but no one knows Of the
mental malady that previously sap
ped her strength, and made her so
easy prey to the spOiler.
She is like some tender tree, the
pride and beauty of the grove;
graceful in its form, bright in its To- (
liage, but with the worm preying at '
its heart. We find it suddenly with j
ering when it should be most fresh I
and luXuriant. We see it dropping I
its branches to the earth and she'd {
ding leaf by leaf; until, wasted and s
perished away, it falls even in the
of the forest; and as We {
muse over the beautiful ruin, we I
strive in vain to recOllect the blast {
Dr. thunderbOlt that could have smit- {
ten it with decay.-[W. Irving. {
II" Not for ourselves, but for
others, is the grand law of nature,
nv thp hand ot Cod IN 1