The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-07-23
Too Affecti0nafe.

Somehow as ! take mp my pen to write
tonight those two words keep ringing
through my brain. Aye, and burning
through my heart. Tao afeetionafe. All
me- there is nothing like living and learn
ing Scarce twentyfour hours since
never had such Il thought; did you. that one
could be toe afectiondte? | knew. or had
rather felt the lack of affection: thought
there were thousands of people who hardly
knew the meaning OF the word. as their
many heartlcss acts and unkind words
testified. but ii was a revelation when |
recently overheard one say in speaking of
another, that she was too dBtetionate. 1t
went clear through my heart like IL stab
and to the day ofmy death the wound will
remain gaping. In my dumb misery for
the one vino has been, or was loo dtectj0H-
ate. ! wondered if there were others in the
world who had ever experienced such a
pain. | mean the misery o fbeing loved o
we'll. oh, life is so hard for many of us;
nothing but husks, husks, dry husks when
the day is done, though the cventide come
on ever so gently, it is brooding with woe.
That looking forward to the coming of
one we loved hath much of the Joy of
heaven in it. What is there in life What
would there be worth living for, il there
was no affection? 1t seems to me there
is something lacking in ones make mp
when he expresses Il wish that those who
are nearest and should be dearest to him,
were less affcctionatc. A feeling of pity
crecps along the outer edge of my heart
Tor that one, the interior is too full of
brooding pain to hold else. | pictured to
myself the one OF whom it was spoken. 1t
came To me i'll my dreams; haunts me still,
and sadly. All, it's Il mistake. No one
can love too well, if wisely.
Not long since, | heard a gentleman
friend say that his salvation lay in the love
his wife bore him, her never wearying affcc-
ton, her carcssing tender ways, and the
affection of his friends, who never deserted
him. II was a terrible drlmkard," he
said, and tried often to make myself be-
licvc that this love and affection was all
bosll. \ little of it was well enough, but
something's | fancied it pallel upon me but,
thank God it proved my salvation" He
grew eloquent when he spoke OF if, bidding
Que and all be "morf affectionate, more
loving.
And so, as | said, it was a revelation to
me and a sad one, that one could be too
aftcctionatc. For the love of our Creator,
friends, if you ever feel this way, never cx-
press it. There may be some proud heart
somewhere, tiougli warm and true, to
whom you would never have it to say but
oncC. Such things sink deep. And one
may forgive, yes but mere, forget. 1t is a
terrible thing to carry a sore heart all your
days. How such things do ranklc, to be
sure. a constant ''thorn in the flesh
Don't have it SO. felt after hearing that
one could be tee aifcctionate, and perhaps
weary another, that the opportunity must
not pass. Here perhaps a word of mine
might by Il bare possibility fall under the
gaze OF the one who uttered the words,
and, perhaps rcbukc Kim. Away with the
old iconoclastic saws. We will not be de-
prived Of the one jewel we possess, richer
by far than the gems of the sea. Break
our images, cast Them to the four-winds, if
you will-aflcction stands paramount
EmefttaS.