The Family Grave-Yard [pp. 371-372]

THE FAMILY GRAVE-YARD.
grasp of a moral hyena. Miserable victim of decep tion! She had repelled the application of honest in dustry, purity of love, and moral integrity. These
lacked the embellishments of popular refinement,
and the tinsel of artificial acquirements, and she
shuddered at the idea of wedding such apparent de ficiencies. But the splendor of wealth, the magnifi cence of name, and the potency of smiling, mechan ical politeness, won her trembling hand-grasping
a pure and unsuspecting heart, the token of her sin cere but misplaced love. In short, she wedded the
mockery of grand appearances; and where is she
now? See that wretched haunt of poverty and woe!
But visit the inside scene. See, gaunt and care-worn,
that wreck of former beauty and innocence! This
is she, who chose wealth before merit, beauty before
piety, and outside accomplishments before honesthearted industry. She now feels the consequences
of her unwise choice. Youthful sister, pledge not
thy heart and hand to shadows, but hold them sacred
to the claims of real merit.
Miss M was a beautiful girl of sixteen. She
had a brilliant and laughing eye. Her beautiful
face smiled daily in the bright sunshine of innocence
and health. Her elastic walk indicated the activity
of her mind and the vigor of her body. She measured out to herself a long span of pleasurable and
fashionable life, and only thought of death as the
welcome visitant of old age, coming on a friendly
errand to release her from the worn-out scenes and
insipid pleasures of a tiresome and gloomy decrepitulde. She danced gayly along the mirthful path of
popular life, thoughtless of God, of holiness, of
heaven, and of eternity. Her parents, dotingly
fond of their picture of beauty and health, put far
away the day of evil. Little did they think that
those sparkling eyes, so laughing and sweet, were
but streaming out the expiring flame of life-that
those cheeks of rosy hue exhibited the luxuriant
blossoms of an early death, and that that elastic
step was the premonitory vigor of unseen, approaching decay. Yet so it was. The greedy consumption worm lay coiled at the root of that flourishing
plant. It silently performed its death-dealing work.
Every one was shocked at her unexpected fall. They
were deceived by appearances. Thus, amidst the
gayeties of innocent yet irreligious youth, living
chiefly in the alluring prospective, she suddenly fell,
an unprepared victim to insidious disease. She was
not ready, because she was deceived by appearances.
Thoughtless reader! be not deceived by the empty
show of terrestrial shadows, but seek, in pure religion, the unfailing substance of life and true happiness.
Observing a young gentleman of fine appearance,
and smiling innocence, as we walked up street,
in a certain city, I said to my friend, "That's a noble-looking young man; I have no doubt he is intelligent and pious, and an example worthy the imitation of all his associates." My friend, struck with
the unexpected observation, looked at me in surprise, and replied, "I am sorry to say, sir, that truth
compels me to break the spell of deception from your
mind. Judging from appearances, you are greatly
deceived. I regret to say it, but that same young
man is a slave to his passions, a plague-spot in society, and on the rapid way to some dreadful end."
Musing awhile, I thought how true that real worth
and merit dwell not in the folds of gaudy apparel,
stately carriage, or beauty of face; and how true,
likewise, that vice and pollution often assume these
deceptious appearances to conceal their repulsive
deformity. Often, by this means, poisoned by the
contaminations of popular sin, and by the unsuspected insinuations of bad example, are the unwary
led far astray from the path of innocence and virtue. Certainly these influences would not be so
overwhelmingly destructive, were there not a serious
wrong in the community relative to the standard of
character. Concealed by imposing externals, crime
is often palliated, and corruption excused; while
splendid deeds and heavenly virtue are passed unnoticed and unrewarded, because unaccompanied by
the showy imagery of popular accomplishments.
"Away, then, with all but moral in the name,
And let what then remains constitute the man."
THE FAMILY GRAVE-YARD.
> B~~~~~~Y AIOBXRTA.
THE sun, in all his glory, has sunk beneath
the western horizon, and gentle twilight, to me
the sweetest hour of the day, finds me lonely and
quietly seated ill the family grave-yard. Here lie
the bodies of a fond father, two affectionate brothers, and a nephew. Of my eldest brother, I can say
nothing from personal knowledge, as he died when
I was but a child. My father, my fond father, he
whose voice had so often fallen, in sweet accents, on
my ear, whose smiles had often cheered me, and
whose arms had often embraced me, was the next to
be laid within these pales. He lived to be an old
man; yes, the winds of seventy-four winters had
blown over him. For several years previous to
his last affliction, he was partially blind and deaf.
This he bore without a murmur. During his last
hours, for the space of three days, he was deprived
of the power of speech, and of hearing, and seeing. O, what affliction! Doubtless this was for the
accomplishment of some wise purpose, which will be
unknown to us until the day when all hidden mysteries shall be revealed. It surely would have been
one of the greatest comforts at that time just to
have heard from his lips one word; but it was all the
"Lord's doings." He was mercifully spared to see
his children fully grown, and all in pursuit of that
rest which he is now sweetly enjoying. This was,
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