Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-10-19
HOME SKETCHES.
Early Friendship; or. Personal Vanity


1t is a sad, humiliating thought
that the immortal intellect, given
us by Divine power, and for Divine
purposes. should ever become ensaved
by the clay by which it is enshrouded;
that our vain love for that clay, and
the beauteous formin which tits mould
ed, should ever so entirely absorb our
faculties that we should have no time,
no thought for the Improvement OF
the godlke gift within us, that which
has, or should have power to bring
joy to the heart of the sorrowing, com
fort to the bed of afiiiction, happiness
to the lone orphan or childless widow,
and light and cheerfulness TO all by
whom we are surrounded.
What matters il, in either of these
relations, il the features be plain, II
beauty dwell not on the brow, or il
age and sorrow have dimmed the
brightness Of the eyer We cannot
remember one who ever bestowed pure,
heartfelt happiness upon MS who has
not an angelic countonance the heart
i0H speak through the "human face
divine" And what but the soul
makes it divinel We know that
bright features must decay and there
is also an instinct within us which tells,
in language stronger than all the writ.
ings handed down through pages, that
this mind icW exist and expand, long
after It's frail earthly caslIet shall have
crumbled away, and mingled with its
sister dust.
How wrong, then, to fling such a
priceless treasure away upon the
sands of this life's sea A few mo.
ments will fit noiselessly by; then
the dark waves of death will sweep
recklcssly over it, and swallow up for.
ever mind which, il properly valued
and cultivated, might have shed beams
of Heavens own light upon its less
favored fellows.
had Il friend in my girlhood's day s
who was very beautiful but it was
n0t her beauty that won my love -
There was a deep well of affection in
that heart, longing to love and be
lo,ed, such as is not often found in
thu heart of a beautiful girl, whose
daily food is vanity she was fattered,
coirted, caressed by all. Father
m5ther, brothers, and friends, all idol
izd their own lovely Emma, not for
her sweetness Of disposition, or her
unbounjed love for them, but because
shd was so beautiful. The pure, fresh
airof heaven was scarcely suffered Ia
far her cheek, lest its rough breath
might sully her delicate complexion
| An what folly ! Do not the rose, and
tho lily, and carnation breath such
airY And who will say it is not quite
as necessary to the life, health-ay,
anC beauty, of our own fair human
flowers
idmirers and lovers flock round her
and one, her equal in all save personal
attrictons, loved her deeply, ardently
and loved her, too, for her warm, lov
ing heart more than for her beauty
Did his noble love meet its reward
| No Aud yet she gave him all the
, deep wealth of affection of which that
heart of hers was full; love which
had teon smethering there for year,
J unhc,dcd gushed forth at the sweet
touclof sympathy and happiness, such
as sic bad never known-filled hei
purdheart to overlooking.
! md yet this deep, yearning love
9 the hearts only life, must be sacrificed
I n the shrine Of vanity. Their boauti
nl Emma must not be thrown away
hosc lovely features, their pride anC
b telight, must raise her to a far higher
: ,osilion in society than he could Civ,
/. Ter.
Z Gentle, yielding ,confding, though
b { disobcdienco never crossed he
mind; and thus was he dismissed, bu
yell Iknew at what a sacrifice. Deep
lrartrending sobs Of anguish burs
ION her heart but they were onl,
heard by her God, and by me, her sol
cmfdant. And hcnccforth she wa
e Cllm as tho waters OF lake unrufileD
j, b the breeze, and perfectly passive il
{ teir hands. She did not pine an
( de, dear reader, as you are no doub
n C.pccting; but she went with he
B iicnds wherever they wished, ming
D llg in all the amusoments of the sea
b sn But you could have seen, ha
e y,u observed closely, that her smile
! we're not as Of yore, gushing warn
Z aid free from q joyous heart, but ratt
orartidcial lights, placed there TO d,
/. tdve her friends into the belief tha
u sic was happy.
a year or two aflorward. a youn
Gentleman Of superior intellect an
= pcasing address became her suitor
% uid, at the urgent solicitation Of he
!, friends, she entered into an engage
Il mint with him. But, ere the tim
'r appointed for the marriage role
p round, the dreaded cholera king can
I. % a mission OF death to the village
which she resided and one war;
nght in July, when the mild moo
(, eemed gazing down in pity on u
= Grih TO think her beauty was so fee
u ag, the dark visitor breathod light
ia passing upon our fragile lowol