The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-04-26
Loneliness.
BY BEVERLEY.

Woe to him who ia forced" to say.
alone, all alone, in the world. That
short sentence tells of loved ones laid
away in the gloomy grave; it brings
before MS the mufiled bell, the husled
tread, the darkened chamber, the pail
and the bier ;. and we Lear again the
stitled sobs and the wailing cry that
slnites the heart with an echoing res
ponse of intense, ineffablc pity. 1t
tells of weary longings for sympathy
and fellow-interest; it tells Of II heart
faint and sick with sense of lonely
isolation; but we have little commits.
Grafton for one who complains of
loneliness simply from the sameness of
home, or the lack of gossip or excite
ment. Or, rather, we do commiserate.
but the feeling dwindlcs to a small
pity, closely allied to contempt.
If a man, ten chances to one but he
turns to the street, or to cards and
wine, to hush his discomfort. What
art thou lord of creation, and no re-
sources in thyself or in books, OF in the
great world of human characters and
actions, to interest leisure lIOur7 If
your mood does not tend to mental
exercise that calls forth creations of
your own, there are productions of
! others to be found in books suited to
every temperament and mood but if
all these fall upon vitiated taste,
then there is the inexhaustible, ever
varied, ever-varying theme of human
characteristics and actions, of human
hopes, fears expectations, realizatiOns
and disappointmcnts with which to
employ and improve an otherwise idle
hour. If you wish relaxation from
care and serious thought, then there is
q word of humOr, fun and wit in books,
and in the great mass of moving life
we call the world. Surely, it is hu-
initiating admission to acknowledge
that. with such endless resources for q
sentiment, reasoning creature, the hot,
feverish excitement of cards and the
bowl must be resorted to, to- give in
terest to an idle hour, to entertain
powers that were born to immortality.
Lords of creation, God made We, but
ye have fallen from your high estate,
| through debasipg passions and weak
indulgences, and now ye have no re-
sources for leisure hour save cards,
and the bowl, and street Walking
Purer things have you, and are dashed
aside.
Pitiable indeed is it to see this
noble structure of mind, heart and
soul descend to the puerile litt!epess
of loneliness amid world full of re-
sources adapted to his immortal pow
ers; culpably must he have neglected
these immortal parts to have arrived
at so low an ebb Of intellectually and
spirituality.
We can far better understand NO.
man icing subject to loneliness than
man, for she is not put up upon SC
broad and grand scale; yet exper-
fence sustains us in asserting that, ex-
cept in the case of young girls, she
rarely suffers from it; not because she
is mentally above it, but because She
is spiritually SO. AS wife, mother
friend and Christian, her spirit finds
it's true element, and thoughts an(
] feelings blending with these provinces
keep the mind occupied; and an en-
gagged mind rarely, if ever, descend'
to loneliness. Remember, girls; tha
this condition, to say the least Of it
indicates weakness, mentally an
morally; and your surest way of avoid
ing it is to be nationally and useful!
occupied, and to cultivate eternal as
pirations. Think not that We place ,
low estimate upon the social relation
of human beings. Not 80, but Their
are higher motives to call them to
. getller than mere lOneliness-tlla
weak pinning for change and for ex
element; an exchange Of ideas-a de
lightful, congeniality of mind, and {
sweet sympathy OF heart are purer
higher incentives to social intercourse
and may appropriately draw us occa
sionally from the duties of even wife
and mother.
/ Human nature is diversified in it,
wants and demands, and there are
hours when it Graves social intercourse
and if this want be founded upon ap
precautions and sympathies of pure
refining and exalting character. j
should be supplied even at considera'
BILE sacrifice Of other duties if needs
must be; for this is according to ma.
ture, and no vitiated taste for excite
ment and change, brought on by idle
ness and uselessness. The word lone
illness would soon become obsolete j
. man would seek pleasure in useful &C
ton, earnest thought and great coDcep
tions. Use not the word SO readily
for remember that each time you utte
the complaint you are admitting t.
weakness which often runs int,
criminal sins and always shows 20,
descending in the scale of intellectual
ty and spirituality. Rise above it
; girls, and be earnest, working, nobI
Woman.-CNew Orleans SUNDAY Times