The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-05-24
CHOICE LITERATURE.
LONELINESS.

LONELINESS.
What constitutes true loneliness ?
Not the polished brow, nor the show
and parade of fashionable life. A wo-
man may have all the outward marks
of beauty, and yet not possess lovely
character. 1t is the benevolent dispO-
sition, the kind acts, and the Christian
department. 1t is the heart, where
meekness, truth, affection, humility are
found, where we look for loneliness, nor
do we look in vain. The woman who
can soothe the aching heart, smooth the
wrinkIed brow, alleviate the anguish of
the mind, and pour the balm of cOnsO-
lation in the wounded breast, possesses
in an eminent degree, true lOveliness of
character. 1t is such character that
blesses with warmth and sunshine, and
maketh earth to resemble the paradise
of God.
UNKINDNESS.
The sweetest, the most clinging af-
lection, is often shaken by the slightest
breath of unkindness, as the delicate
rings and tendrilsOf the vine are aei-
tated by the faintest air that blows in
summer. An unkind word from one
beloved often draws blood from many
heart which would defy the battle axe
of hatred, or the keen edge of vindic-
tive satire. Nay, the shade, the gloom
of the face familiar and dear, awakens
pain. These are the little thorns;
which though men of a rougher form
may make their way through them
without feeling, extremely incommOde
persons of a more refined turn in their
journey through life, and make their
travelling irksome and unpreasant.
THE WIFE.
The following beautiful and touching
lines are said to have been deposited by
loving wife, some months before her
death, between the leaves of her scrap
book, where she knew her husband
would find them when she was gone.
They are full of sadness, and a loving
woman's nature blooms i'm every line.
Her heart breathes forth its sad requiem
on her own grave, as she lays herself
down to sleep all alone, and parts for
ever from him who should he all to her
in this world and the next. Wife!
wife, How ineXpressibly holy the
name of of wife! She is all that is left
TO man of the beautiful paradise from
which he has wandered, and to which
he must return. She is all that holds
man up from the brute world and
stamps him with the pale resemblance
of a. God, She is all of Heaven, of
Earth and of mans Future, which is
left him. In this world, she is his God.
and the power which elevates and
guides, and leads him on 10 the natural
and rational contamination of his Gre
alton and mission. OF all the joys of
earth, its wealth, its ambitions, its tin
seled glOries and serted pleasures, there
is nothing so ineXpressibly dear to the
heart of a true man, as the companion
ship of his wife! Take from us o
God! all thou has given-blot out from
our sight forever the beautiful world =
darken our path to midnight gloom
Curse us with Affections mountains
high take from us every flOweret of
the hearth !-despOil us of manhood,
feature and form! Do all this, if i'm Thy
Providence, Thou wilt, but, o! God,
preserve To us from all the wreck of life
that one dearest being of earth, a loving
and true wife!
Bat here is the poem:
ADYING WIFE TO HER HUSBAND.
Come near me, lay my hand
Once more upon thy brow,
And let me whisper in thine ear
Loves last and fondest vow.
The lips that breathe these trembling words,
When they lie cold in death,
And thy dear cheek IN feel no more
Their warm and loving breath.
go from thee God only knows
How have longed to stay
How have shuddered thus t. tread
The long and shadOwy way.
Faith tells me that soon must know
rhe love the blessed find.
And yet falter. while cast
a lingering look behind.
see thee bowed before mo here.
In bitterness and tears;
But can leave thee something still,
10 light thy weary years;
Young tender forms will cling to thee;
Perhaps will miss my tone,
And though they may not share thy grief.
hOu wilt not feel alone.
F,ld them still closer to thy breast,
And soothe their ch ildish woe,
And cheer the many lonely hours
The motherless must know.
The world, with all its hopes and joys,
Will sometimes make thee glad;
But they must linger round the hearth
still desOate and sad.
And o, when time shall calm thy grief.
Perchance the hour may come
When thou will win another form
TO share thy heart and home
When thou wilt welcome to thy board
younger, fairer face,
And bid thy children smile on her.
II ho takes their mothers place.
But think not, Could / speak to thee.
THAI would frOwn or blame,
Thou. h they should love the stranger one,
And call her by my name;
For they will speak to thee Of me,
NJ memory is their Ir-st,
A word, n smile, look like mine
Will call me from the dust.
Yet make my grave no Place of tears,
Bot let the dear ones bling
To cheer their mothers home,
The blossoms of the spring,
And there thou may st kneel.
And softly press the earth
That covers her, whose lace once gave
A brightness to thy hearth.
Then will the forms ofearIy years
Steal softly 10 thy side,
And for an hour hcu can st forget
Thou hast another bride.
She may be all thy heart can ask,
So dear. SO true to thee;
But y, the spring time of thy love,
its freshness was for me.
May he he blest who comforts thee,
And with a gentle hand
Still guide our tie trembling ones,
Who IN AXE our household band.
She cannot know the tenderness
That fills their mothers breast.
But she can love tn I'm for thy sake,
And make thee more thanbiest!