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she was determined in the depths of her loving,
yet ambitious heart, to make herself worthy of her
future husband.
Charles Leonard, carrying letters of introduc
tion to persons of some consideration, and having
good credit at his bankers, soon found himself ad
mitted into circles of the elite in England, France
and Italy, but every where did he carry about
with him, his vivid remembrance of Edith, the
youngand the loving. Unlike most others, he
met with no stirring adventures —no accidents by
“ flood or field,” no titled dames won by his hand
some face, sued him to love them. He traversed
England, noting its cities, its lions, its gems. —
Dwelt long enough in Paris to speak intelligible
French ; sailed down the broad Rhine ; crossed
the Simplon, and after spending some months at
Florence, Naples, Venice, at last settled down in
Rome To spend the second winter of his probation
in Europe. And constant had he been all this
time; thinking on Edith by day, dreaming of her
by night, and repeatedly sending his missives of
love o’er the broad Atlantic, laden with sighs, suf
ficient to waft the bark of itself, had not steam
deigned to assist him.
It was in the month of March, when Charles
Leonard fell ill at Rome. Alone, recluse, and
dreamy still in his habits, he had made but few
friends, and would, I am afraid, have fared but
badly had it not been for the attentions of an
American family, like himst If, sojourning in the
“Imperial City.”
Mr. Ashton, wife and daughter, were unremit
ting in their kindness to the invalid. The former
watching him with a parent’s care through his
tedious and dangerous illness ; and the daughter
cheering, and amusing him during the listless and
languid weeks of his slow convalescence. Isabel,
or rather Bel Ashton, was not strikingly beautiful,
but there was a nameless charm about her that
was sometimes more powerful than mere beauty.
She had passed much of her time in France, and
otb?r parts of the continent, and possessed, as
ev ry one who saw her said, that
“Grace of motion and of look, the smooth
And swimming majesty of step and tread,
The symmetry of form, which set
The soul alloat, even like delicious airs
Os flute and harp.’’
How swiftly and agreeably speeded on his
days. Every morning saw Charles in the parlour
of the suite of rooms occupied by the Ashtons. —
When he gained strength, their escort in their
rides and promenades. Yet, though he admired
Bel Ashton, his betrothed Edith was not forgot
ten, but be often caught himselfcontrasting them;
wondering had she changed from her spiritnclle ,
radiant, girlish beauiy, into anything of more
earthly mould. With a pang, would sometimes
come the recollection that Edith’s mother had a
resemblance to herself, though she was now grown
“ fat ,” and then a haunting vision would cross his
now fastidious mind, of his worshipped Edith be
coming like her mother, a Turkish beauty as to
size. Bel with her tact, her undulating, graceful
motion, her mannerism, would come in compari
son to this bug-bear, we may almost call it, of his
imagination, and though when he remembered
Edith as standing by the moonlit spring, with her
graceful, girlish embarrassment, her rare, and
dazzling beauty, her pure young love, Bel would
yield instant precedence to her; yet was he con
stantly tormented by these ever recurring compar
risons, until he began to feel his chain, and almost,
the ingrate ! to sigh for freedom.
“1 am now strong enough,” said Charles one
day, “to think of my preperations for my return
to America. ’Tis now May, and I wish to reach
Virginia sometime in June or July. When do
you think of returning Mr. Ashton ? ”
“ I too have been debating the question with
my wife, and we have come to the same conclu
sion that we have been absent from home too long
Wh at say you my two Bels to our becoming com
panion's du voyage to our good friend Leonard ? ”
“ With all my heart,” said Mrs. Ashton, whilst
Bel seated herself at the piano, ran over with her
jewelled fingers a brilliant symphony, and joined
to it, in her rich, mellow voice, the words,
“ There is no home like my own.”
And so ’twas decided; and Charles Lennard
carried his unconscious tempter from his alle
giance along with him. The intimacy, the effect
always of being “ alone on the wide, wide sea,”
did much to render him still more satisfied with
bis engagement, and though he erred not in the
word , yet I am afraid the spirit suffered in his
vows of fealty to our darling Edith. Alas, for
man’s love ! it is in truth
“ Os man’s life, a thing apart ! ”
And yet, one would not have it otherwise for it
would Mew be most unnatural. Man has a thous
and and one things to call his thoughts to events
passing around, glowing and changing as rapidly
as the hues of the dying dolphin, tinging his
thoughts, his feelings, chameleon-like, with the
tints and variety of change, and calling forth his
utmost energies and thoughts to battle with the
rough necessities of life. All this calls him from
his dream of love, and weakens, necessarily, the
first passionate ardor which he feels when under
the influence of the smile’s bright-glances, and
loving, devoted words. Yes, as Miss Landon
beautitully observes, “he may turn sometimes to
the flowers, on the way-side ; but the great busi
ness of life is still before him. The heart which
a woman could utterly fill were unworthy to be her
shrine. His power over her is despotic and un
modified, but her power over him must be shared
with a thousand other influences.”
Whilst on the other hand woman goes steadily
on —I mean true woman —with their domestic, mo
notonous duties, till they call for no exertion of
thought, becoming purely mechanical, and the
imagination, having no drain upon it, runs riot in
its indulgence of day dreams. Aye, many and
many the maiden who sits sewing so industriously,
with the bright smile wreathing unconsciously
her lip, ask her the subject of her thoughts? her
bl ush will tell you, plainer than words. Yes she
feeds upon her imagination till her love, by con
stant thought, constant association, with her daily
routine of duties and pleasures, becomes part
and parcelof her very existence.
They have all landed in New York, the home of
the Ashtons ; and still Charles Lennard lingers.
Day after day finds him among the groups who
crowd Mrs. Ashton’s drawing rooms, to welcome
their return. At length Bel Ashton and her pa
rents, decide to spend the summer at Old Point
Comfort; and Charles finds it essentially neces
sary for his health also to enjoy the sea air and
bathing, that he may recover his strength. So he
must needs answer Edith’s last letter, received in
Europe, and announce his arrival in America,
and excuse himself- —forsooth ! for not flying at
once to her presence.
[To be concluded in our ncxt.~\
In Favor of Marriage. —Powers, the sculptor,
writing to a friend on what people call the folly
of marrying without the means to support a fam
ily, expresses frankly his own fears when lie found
himself in this very position. “To tell the truth
however, family and poverty have done more to
support me than I have to support them. They
have compelled me to make exertions that I hardly
thought myself capable of; and often, when on
the eve of despairing, they have forced me, like
a coward in the corner, to fight like a hero, not
for myself, but for my wife and little ones. I have
now as much work to do as 1 can execute, unless
lean find some more assistance in lb e. marble, and
l have a prospect of further commissions.”
The truth, as expressed above by the gifted
sculptor, is like a similar remark we heard not
long since, by a gentleman from Boston, who tried
matrimony in the same way, and found after
wards that the loose change in his pocket, which
lie had before squandered in “ foolish notions” —
young men’s whims as he called them—was
enough to support a prudent wife, who, by well
regulated economy, has proved a fortune in her-
O ’ l _ /'•i
self, and h is saved a snug sum of money for her
once careless husband. “ A wife, to direct a man
towards a proper ambition, and to a general econ
omy,” be said, “ was like timely succor at sea, to
save him from destruction on a perilous voyage.”
How to get a Wife. —Those gentlemen who have
difficulty in procuring wives, and have recourse
to the advertising columns of the daily papers to
make their wants known, had better follow the ex
ample of the Frenchman who came from the
West to procure some person to go with him to
take charge of his household work. Instead ol
advertising for a ivifc, he, (iike a sensible man,)
went to the office of the Commissioners of Emi
gration, where there are at all times a number of
good looking girls awaiting employment, and se
lected one to whom he made proposals ol mar
riage. She did not refuse, and a messenger was
dispatched after someone who bad authority to
“ make the twain one flesh.” During the absence
of the messenger, Justice James M. T. Bleakly
happened in, who united the two in the bonds ot
marriage, when the gallant Frenchman, and his
happy bride left, rejoicing at the success of their
impromptu wedding. — Sunday Dispatch .
“ Oh, Doctor dear,” sighed Mrs. Partington, as
she suspended her troublesome cough for a few
moments, while musing over her physician’s new
prescription, “I am afraid you are going to give
me a lively—(ugh, ugh) —a very lively time of it;
and I am quite too old and dilapidated to show
my agility now, even if I. had not so bad a cold as
Eve got.”
“ What do you mean, ma’am ? ” asked the doc
tor with something of alarm.
“ Why, doctor dear, haven’t you given me here
the tincture of squirrels and the syrup of ram
cats, 1 should like to know ? ”
The good old lady had mistaken squills for
squirrels, and the abbreviated term for the tech
nical name of buckthorn rhammus catharticus,
(rhatn. eath.,) for ram-cats ! So the kind old soul
escaped an exhibition of her agility that time.
Franklin's Birth-Day. —The Printer’s Banquet
for 1850, will be given in celebration of Franklin’s
Birth-Day, at Niblo’s Saloon, on Thursday even
ing, the 17th of January next. The success of
the celebration last year is a guarantee that this
festival will bean elegant affair. The prominent
members of the profession throughout the coun
try will be invited guests ol the Typographical
Society.
In aseason of great drought in Persia, a school
master, at the head of his pupils, marched out of
Schiraz in procession to pray for rain. A stran
ger asked whither they were going. The Tutor
told him, and added, “He doubted not but God
would listen to the prayers of innocent children.”
“ My honest friend,” said the traveler, “ If that
were the case, I fear there would be no school
master left alive.”
THINGS IN NEW YORK
I. O. of O. F. —Anew Lodge of Odd Fellows
was instituted in New York on the 7th instant, at
Military Hall, Bowery, by the Grand Officers of
Southern New York. It is to be known as Worth
LocKe —we suppose in honor of the late General
Worth. At the last session of the Grand Lodge
of Southern New York a charter was granted for
Lawrence Lodge, No. 399, to be located at Ros
endale, Ulster Cos. At the next meeting of the
Grand Lodge, application will be made to it for a
charter for a Lodge in Williamsburgh, L. 1., to lx?
called “Paumanock,” the original name of Long
Island. Huguenot Lodge, No. 395, under theju
risdiction ot the Southern Grand Lodge, was in
stalled at Fort Richmond, on Saturday evening,
Nov. 24.
The richest humbug of the age is embraced in
the custom of awarding set praises to captains ol
steamboats who do not blow their passengers into
another world, and* to policemen tor sagacity in
making arrests. A couple ol policemen receive
a warrant from the ptoper authorities and serve
it. Forthwith the papers teem with compliment
arv allusions to the aforesaid policemen, and give
them any undue quantity ot praise for “ immense
sagacity,” “wonderful foresight,” and “ remark
able talent.” It is all nonsense. A policeman’s
talent, as a general thing, is no greater than any
body else’s. Arresting small thieves and great
murderers, amounts to the simple serving ot a
warrant, —nothing more, —exactly as the written
pull of a performance, never seen by the writer,
reaches the acme of correct laudation.
TV, H Bestowed Charity. —Mary Ann Huffy, a poor
woman with two children, sought lodging at the
Sixth Ward Station House, and one of the chil
dren having died during the night, it was buried
by the policemen, who contributed $34 tor the re
lief of the mother, and placed her in charge ol
the matron ot the City Prison.
Phe proper state. — A chaplain at one of oui
State Prisons was asked by a friend how his par
ishioners were. “All under conviction ! ” was the
answer.
Genius like the sun upon the dial, gives to the
human heart both its tight and shade.
Virtue is the sweetest charm ot woman.
More Railroads. — We perceive that our neigh
bors in Kings County are discussing the propriety
and practicability of constructing railroads from
Fulton Ferry to Fort Hamilton and Flushing—for
the purpose, we suppose, ot drawing our citizens
in that direction. They’ll succeed in doing it,
too, unless our Common Council grant the Hud
son River Railroad the privilege of running city
trains.
A F RIE ND OF Til EF A MIL Y.
SAVANNAH, SATURDAY. DKC. 22. 1849.
SSP We commence the publication of a beautiful Christmas
story, by the gifted Miss Stuart; it would have afforded us
much pleasure to have given it entire, but its length precluded
our so doing.
The Cracker Planter’s celebration of the 4th of July,
1808, is racy.
The Letter of onr Macon correspondent will be found in
teresting t > all friends of the cause of Temperance.
We wish all our subscribers a merry Christmas, even
those who have read our paper for the past ten months with
out paying for it ; but if they wish us to have a merry one
ourselves, let them call round and settle.
AMUSEMENTS.
Wyman is here, everybody knows Wyman, all the little
folks know Wyman and will go to see him.
Iler Downey proposes to take a walk across the Savannah
river on Christmas day on a tight wire. As the charge is
what each may please to give, every body will go to see that
ho don’t tumble into the river.
Mr. C. Guilmette proposes giving a concert on Thursday
evening at Armory Hall; will everybody be there? “aye,
there’s the rub.” Come good folks turn out and gladden his
heart with a real Christmas bumper.
!GP The keels of the two new steamships to take the places
of the Cherokee and Tennessee, have been laid in New York,
and their construction will be pushed forward with avidity.—
One it is expected will be ready on the first of June, the other
on the first of July.
WHELER’S MAGAZINE
For December is received. Its contents are : The Winter
Hearth, Twilight Songs, The Tide of Time, &c. <3cc. If any
of our subscribers wish it, they can have Wheler’s Magazine
and the Friend of the Family for 1850, at $2 50 for the two,
if paid in advance.
TRIAL TRIP OF THE OREGON.
In company with a number of gentlemen we had the pleas
ure of witnessing the trial of this excellent boat, and we are
pleased to state that it was entirely satisfactory, not only to
ourselves, but to her builders and owners. The Oregon was
built in Savannah, by Messrs. Jones and Paport, (except the
engine which was built in Kentucky,) for the Union Steam
boat Company, and is intended to ply between this city and
Augusta. Her length is 135 feet, breadth of beam 26 feet,
depth of hold 5£ feet, and draws but 20 inches of water.—
She is the lightest draught boat on the river.
Her cabin is large and comfortable and neatly fitted up, has
four state rooms and twenty eight berths in her cabins and La
dies’ Saloon.
Her running was at the rate of 12 miles the hour, and when
it is taken into consideration that her machinery is stiff from
want of use, it is but reasonable to suppose that she will attain
a much greater speed after a few trips. It is computed that
she will make the run up the river in 24 hours. We wish her
success.
TEMPERANCE.
Macon, December 18th, 1849
Dear Family . —Our Grand Scribe having kind
ly given me access to his general corresp f
deuce, I thought the readers of your valuabl’
journal might he interested in learning from tiri> e
to time the progress of our cause, and the p r , K
perity of the order. 1 shall therefore comim r .
cate with you, if agreeable, such items as maybe
calculated to keep your readers advised on \\ .
subject,
At the annual meeting of the G. D. (25th Oct
there were 183 Divisions working under charter*
and 61 working under dispensations issued bv C
G. W. P., since the April meeting, making
total of subordinate Divisions in the State, 051
all of which had been instituted except No. 235
At the annual session charters were granted fur
12 new Divisions, and the G. W. P. has issueij
since that time Dispensations for 9 more, making
the present number 272.
The most cheering accounts reach us every thy
ofthe increasing importance of the Order andibe
vast good wrought in families and communities,
Opposition is giving way before the power of truth
Men of all creeds both in religion and polity
meet, and harmoniously work in accordance with
the general regulations of the Order., to forward
the great moral reformation of the day, tbe key
stone of the arch of our beautiful temple, total
abstinence from all that can intoxicate.
Gratifying indeed must be the feelings of those
who lirst planted the glorious banner of “ Love,
Purity and Fidelity ” on Georgia soil. Prouder
than the generals of a thousand battles is their
position. This little hand of eight has, in four
short years, increased to over 15,000. Go od
brethren in the good cause, conquering and tocon
quer, until the snow white Banner of Temperance
shall wave triumphantly from the sites now occu
pied by the Demon King.
Bowling Green Bis. No. 263, Bowling Green ,
Oglethorpe county, was instituted on the 24th Nov,
bv D . G. TV. P. Shackelford, C. J. Landrum,
TV. P. Sylvanous Bell, RS. Brother S. writes,
“ This Division is located in a very interesting
portion of our county, and from the character of
the members composing it I have no fear but our
glorious cause will prosper, though their places
one where the Old Princehaslong reigned whhout
a rival.”
Mclntosh Blv . 265, Indian Springs , Butts county ,
Instituted Dec. Gih by P. G. IV. P., M. Ciendon,
C. F. Newton, TV. P. W. J. Lewis, R. S.
Paulfer Div. 265, California , Floyd county, Insti
tuted Dec. 6th by D. G. TV. P. Dickinson.
B. G. TV. P. Rockwell, writes from Lowndes
county, “ our cause is prospering in this section
of the country.”
Brother Nabers of Jefferson, Jackson county,
writes, “our cause is fast gaining ground intta
county ”
Brother Hawes of Danbury, Wilkes county,
writes, “our Division is in a healthy and thrifty
condition at present, and tbe cause onward.”
The Divisions in this section ofthe State are in
a healthy and prosperous condition, and the tem
perance feeling is better in this city than it has
ever been.
I fear I am trespassing on your patience. I
will endeavor to he more brief in future. Whal
are you doing in Savannah for the cause of tem
perance'? I fear not much.
Yours fraternally,
TRIANGLE.
A friend has kindly furnished us with the following
ancient and unique celebration of the Fourth of July, by 0
planter of Liberty county, which he says has never been pub
lished, and we think it entirely too good to be lost. He as
sures us that he was personally acquainted with its author, and
vouches lor its troth.
JULY FOURTH, 1808.
This great and glorious day was celebrated’ By me atflf
plantation, in a comfortable style ; being solus, I chose irtysf
President, and will venture to assert that a more perfect un ’
of sentiment and harmony of disposition never prevail
since the existence of our National Independence.
lowing appropriate toasts were drank, accompanied withso&a 5 ’
after which I retired with decency and decorum—
-Is- The glorious day I now celebrate,
Purchased by heroes at so dear a rate,
May every rascal have a broken pater,
And his base name become obliterate,
Who would attempt through malice to create
Political dissensions in this State
At such a crisis.
Song—Firm, united let us he, dec.
2d. The sacred memory of great Washington,
His virtues shine resplendant as the sun,
The day 1 now enjoy his valor won,
I pray thee death, dost think it was well dose
To take him from us ?
Song—Faithful below he did his duty, &c.
3d- The Philosophic friend of Thomas Paine,
A lack of firmness, not a lack of brain,
But want of nerves may make a man insane,
Our crops are very much in want of rain,
But these embargo times I’ll not complaint
Because ’tis nonsense.
Song—Poor Tom’s cold, Long Metre •