Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-07

II ia necessary she should know it, that you
NAV take the steps properto the alteration
| ~ xxnnr circumstances. Youmust change
yo,sr styie Of iving@-nayp observing q
nano m mass across his countenance, "don't
| let that afiiict you. am sure you have
never placed your happiness in outward
sbow-you have yet friends, warm friends,
| who viii not think the worse Of you for
being less splendidly lodged; and surely IL
does not reduire palace to be happy with
Mary"
al could be happy with her." cried he,
sonyuisiyeiy, s'lh howell could 60 down
with her into poverty and the dust
could-I could-God bless heri-God bless
her p' cried be, bursting into transport Of
grief and tenderness.
dAnd believe me, my friend,n said step
ping up, and grasping him warmly by the
hand, "believe me she can be the same with
you. Ay, more; it will be. source OF pride
ard triumph TO her-it viii call forth all the
latent energies and fervent sympathies OF
her nature; for she viii rejoice 30 prove that
she loves you for yourself. There is IN
every true woman's heart spark of heav-
enly fire. which lies dormant in the broad
daylight of prosperity; but which klndles
up, and beams and blazes in the dark hour
of adversely. No enc knows what the " fe
of his bosom is-no man knows what q
ministering angel she is-uHtil he has gone
with her through the fiery trials of this
world" a sE
There was something In the earnestness
of nv manner, and the 6gllrative style Of
nv language that caught the excited i'm
agination Of Leslie. l knew the auditor /
had to deal with; and followed, up the inn
preston Ihad maGs. finished by Rersuad-
ing him to 90 home and unburden bis sad
heart to his wife.
/ must confess, notwithstanding all had
said, felt some little solicitude for the re-
suit. Who can calculate on the fortitude
of one whose whole life has been a round
of pleasure? Her gay spirit might revolt
at the dark downward path of low humility
suddenly pointed out before her, and might
cling to the sunny regions in which they
had hitherto reVeled. Besides, ruin in
fashionable life is accompanied by SO many
CALLING notifications, to which in other
ranks 1t is a stranger. In short, l could
not meet Leslie the next morning without
trepidation, He had made the disclosure.
aAnd how did she bear it2"
Al u
a relief to her mind, for she threw her arms
around my neck, and asked il this was all
that had lately made me unhappy. But,
poor gEl," added he, "she cannot realize the
change we must undergo. She has no idea
of poverty but in the abstract; she has only
read of it in poetry, where 1t IS allied to
love-. She feels as yet no privation; she
suffers no loss of accustomed conVeniences
nor elegancies. When we come practically
to experience its sordid cares, its pal ry
wants, its petty humiliations-then VIII be
the real trial"
:But,n said l, "now that you have got
over the severest task, that of breaking it to
her, the sooner you let the world into the
secret the better. The disclosure may be
notifying; but then it is single misery
and soon over: whereas you otherwise sut-
fer it in anticipation every hour in the day.
1t is not poverty so much as pretence, that
harasses a ruined man--he struggles be-
tween proud mind and an empty purse
the keeping up a hollow show that must
soon come to an end. Have the courage to
appear Door, and you disarm poverty Of its
sharpest sting" On this point found
Leslie perfectly prepared. He had no false
pride himself, and as to his wife, she was
only anxious to conform to their altered
fortunes.
Some days after he called upon me in the
evening, He had disposed of his dwelling
house, and taken small cottage in the
country a few miles from town. He had
been busted all day in sending out furni-
ture. The new establishment required few
articles, and those of the simplest kind
All the splendid furniture of his late resi-
dence had been sold excepting his wife's
harp. That, he said, was too closely as
ISOLATED with the idea of herself; it be-
longed to the little story of their loves; toI
some of the sweetest moments OF then
courtship were those when he had leaned
over that instrument and listened to the
melting tones of her voice. l could not
but smile at this instance OF romantic gal
lantry in dotiDg husband.
He was now going out to the cottage
where his wife had been all day superln.
tending its arrangement. My feelings had
become strongly interested in the progress
of this family story, and, as it was fine
evening, offered to accompany him.
He was wearied with the fatigues of the
day. and. as he walked out, fell into fit OF
gloomy musing.
'1OOT az lCAl5SA4 b4OAAS3 "ASA-
heavy sigh, from bis lips.
sAnd what of her?" l asked; "has any
thing happened to her?"
"What!'' said he, darting an impatient
glance, sis it nothing to be reduced to Thu
| paltry situation-to be Gagged in miserable
cottage-to be obliged TO tell almost in thu
| mental concerns of her wretched habita
! tion?"
"Has she then repined at the changer"
"Repined! She has been nothing bu
sweetness and good humor. Indeed, sh
seems in better spirits than l have eve
| known her; she has been to me all love
and tenderness and comfort"
admirable girl 70 exclaimed l. "YOl
| call yourself poor, my friend; you neve
were so rich-you never knew the bound
less treasures of excellence you possess il
that woman"
"Oh! but, my friend, if this first meetin
at the cottage were over, think coul
then be comfortable. But this the first da
of real experience; she has been introduce
into a humble dwelling--she has, for th
first time, known the fatigues of domesti
ernployment-she has, for the first tint
looked around her on a home destitute ;
everything elegant-almost of everythin
convenient; and may now be sitting dow
exhausted and spiritless, brooding over
prospect of future poverty"
There was a degree Of probability in thi
picture that l could not gainsay, so W
walked on in silence.
After turning from the main road up
narrow lane, SO thickly shaded with fore:
trees as 10 give it a complete air Of seclu
sion, We came in sight of the cottage.
was humble enough in its appearance fC
the most pastoral poet; and yet it had
pleasing rural look. a wild vine had oVel
run one end with aprofusion of foliage
few trees threw their branches grace
fully over it; and observed several pots {
flowers tastefully disposed about tha doc
and on the grasspiat in front. A sma
wicket gate opened upon footpat
that wound through some shrubbery
the door. Just as we approached "
heard the sound of music-Leslie graspe
my arm; we paused and listened. Ii Wa
Mary's voice singing, in style of the mo:
touching simplicity, little air Of which b,
husband was peculiarly fond.
l felt Lesle's hand tremble on my arm
He stepped forward to hear more distinct
His step made noise on the gravel wal
A bright, beautiful face glanced out at Il
window and vanished-a light footstep W;
heard-and Mary came tripping forth
meet us: she was in pretty rural dress
| r On A,rrs1t oI