Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-07-20

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The violet beds not swCctcr .MthAeiDn.
l was once congrajulating friend,
who had around him u blooming
family, knit together in the strong-
est affection. 81 can wish You no
better lot, said he, with enthusiasm.
ethan to have II wife and children.
II you are prosperous, they are to
share your prosperity; il otherwise,
they are to comfort you And, in
deed, | lave observed that Il mar
Iied man falling into misfortune is
more apt to retrieve his situation in
the world than single one; partly
because he is moro stimulated to cN-
ton by the necessities Of tho help
less and beloved beings who depend
upon him for subsistence; but chief
| ly because his spirits are soothed
and relieved by domestic endear-
ments, and his self-respoct kept alive
by finding, That though all abroad is
darkness and humiliation, yet there
is still little world OF love ut home,
Of which he is the monarch. Where
as single man is u 1T to run to
waste and s,lf-uoglect; to fancy him
self lonely and abandoned, and his
heart to ruin like some deserted man
sion, for want of an inhlbitant,
The observations call to mind lit
tic domestic story, of which | was
once witness. My intimate friend,
Leslie, had married a beautiful and
accomplished girl, who had been
brought up in the midst OF fashion
able lite. She had, it Is true, no for
tune, but that of my friend WAS am
pie; and he delighted in the antici-
patton Of indulging her in every ele-
CANT pursuit, and administering to
those delicate tastes and Gacies that
spread q kind of witchcry about the
sex.
"Her life, said he, "sball be Ike
a fairy tale"
The very difference in their char
acterS produced an harmonious COM
binatlon; he was Of a romantic and
serious cast; she was all life and
gladness. have often noticed the
mute rapture with which he would
gaze upon her i'll company, Of which
her sprighty powers made her the
delight; and how, in the midst Of Iap-
plause, her eye would still turn to
him. as if there alone she sought IA
vor and acceptance. When leaning
on his arm, her slender form con-
trasted finely with bis tall, manly
p rson. The fond, confdingair with
which she looked up to him seemed
to call forth a flush Of triumphant
pride and chcrishing tenderness, as
if he dotted on his lovely burden for
its very hclplcssncss. Never did II
couple set forward on the Aowery
path Of well-suited marriage with a
fairrr prospect OF felicity.
1t was the misfortune of my friend,
however, TO have embarked his prop
erty in large speculatiOns; and had
not been married many months,
when, by n sudden succession Of dis
astcrs it was swept from him, and
he found himself reduced almost to
penury For a time he kept his
situation to himself, and went about
with haggarl countenance, and q
brcaking heart. His life was but q
protmcled agony; and what render
ed it more insupportoble was the ne
ctssity of keeping up Il smile in the
presence OF his wife; for ho could not
bring himself to ovcrwhelm her
with The news. She saw, however,
with the quick eyes Of affection, tina,
all was not well with him, She
marked his altered looks and Stilled
sighs, and was not to be deceived by
his sickly and vapid attempts al
cheerTulnoss. She taskod all her
sprrhtly powers and tender ban
ishments to win the deep arrow from
hissoul. Tho more he saw cause to
love her, The more torturiog was
tho thought that he was soon to make
her wretchod. A little while,
thought he, and the smile would van
ish from that cheek the song will
dioaway from those lips tho luster
of those eyes will be quenched with
sorrow; tho bosom, will be weighed
down like mine, by the cares and
miseries of the world. y '#H
At length he came to me one day,
and related his whole situation i'll a
tone of deepest despair. When |
heard him through Inquired, "Doos
your wife know all this?' At the
question he burst into an agony OF
tears. "For Gods sake!' cried he,
"if you have any pity on me, don't
mention my wife; tits the thought OF
her that drives me almost to mad
nessl'
"And why not?" said |. "Sho
must know it sooner or later; you
cannot keep it long from her, and
the intelligence may break i'll upon
her in u more startling manner, than
if impaired by yourself; for the ac-
cents of those we love soften the
harshish tidings. Besides, you are
dopriving yourself of the comforts
of her sympathyj and not merely
that, but also ondangering the only
bond that can keep hearts together
an unreservcd community of
thought and feeling. She will soon
perceive that something il secretly
prsying upon your mind; aud true
| love will not brook reserve; it feels
undervalued and outraged, when
even the sorrows of those it loves are
concealed from it. "
"Oh, but my friend! to think what
a blow l am to give to all her future
prospects--how / am to strike her
very soul to the earth, by telling her
that her husband is beggar! that
she is TO forego all the elegances OF
life-all the pleasures Of socioty-to
shrink with mo into indigonce and