The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-04-02 00:00:00, page 1

THE,
WHEELING REPOSITORY..
(No. 5.) THURSDAY, April a, 1 807.. (Vol. I.)
rm^M— . . - , ■ ■ - - -
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FRCM THE PORT FOR JO.
EMILY IIAMMOND.
An American N.cel.
^ i'O convcv useful instruction with
out giving offerc , is y tad, attended
i. i.h peculiar difTic.il*;*. When our
j jults are set b lore us, < v n though
fri ndship itself assume the inW c.f cor
rection, the inh *i\nt pri le oj our hi arts
f els wounded at the fancied reproof,
and too often totally weakens every
effort for r* iormtion.
Well-drawn sketches of rca1 !if»\how
ever, furnish a means of instruction
which nothing but confirmed baseness
of character car. render ineft -ctu.il.—
Wlvu we see a course ol vicious con
duct succeeded by disgrace, misfortune,
and repentance ; and remark the honour,
diel ippiners, and pen'*'- of mind which,
ecu in this life, active Virtue confers
on her votaries ; we rec< ive instruction
without suspecting it. Imagination and
Passion are interested, and leave an im
pression on the understanding, which
formal advice and abstract reasoning
could never have produced,
If the following “ unvarnished little
tale” shall speak Virtue’s call to one er
ring heart, or beguile a single hour from
the dulness of ennui, or the pursuit of
trifles ; the relator will think Ids trouble
amply repaid. To correct the passions,
to soften and amend the heart, has bc*en
Ids object: applause is not expected, and
apology will not be attempted.
In the earl) part of my life, I con
tracted an intimacy with a Mr. Drev,
a young gentleman from the eastern
part of Massachusetts. Youthful at
tachments are frequently less permanent
than their early warmth would lead us
to expect: new connexions are formed,
and new interests arise, as our years in
crease; and leave to iriendship little be
yo:ul an empty name. To Mr. Drey
and myself, however, these remarks by
no means apply. Although engaged in
the most active of all employments, while
my life presented little more than a
scen^of p*. actable idleness, he welcom
ed mv frequent visits ;o his family, with
a’l the ardour of youthful friendship.
When I ft It the warm grasp of his hand,
I forynt thru I was growing grey, while
“ the joys of other times1’ rose to my
memory in colours almost too vivid to
permit the reflection that they were ne
ver to r< turn/
Mr. Drey married when young. Ilis
lady was an accomplish! d woman, and
in her disposition amiable in a high de
gree. Unlike too many of our fashion
able wives, she found her chief happi
ness in increasing that of her husband ;
to lighten the pressure of his cares, raid
rmdtiplv the courses of his enjoyment,
seemed less her duty than her delight :
and in that affectionate interchange of
kind offices arising from a reciprocal
desire to please, my friends enjoyed a
degree of domestick felicity which I
shall look in vain to see excelled.
- - -;—■ ."v... -— u =gawfei
They had two children, one of whom
died in early infancy ; and on the other,
a promising boy, was lavished all the
fond attention which should have been
divided among a more numerous fami
ly. Ife received an early education ;
and, at the age of seventeen, was placed,
in a course of professional study, under
the care of a relation at Philadelphia.
Such was the family of Mr. Drey
three years since : my friend now rests
in his kindred earth ; his amiable wife
tenants the clay by bis side ; while their
a on, their only and darling child,44 the
child of many prayers,” in whom cen
tered all the fond hopes and expectations
which the parental bosom alone can
leel: this son, if yet alive, is a wander
er in foreign climes, friendless and des
titute, and tortured with tire 44 gnawings
of that worm which never dies.”
luy readers will pardon this short
characteristick sketch; it is a tribute
due to the memory of'my friends.
In the autumn of 1802, I received in
telligence that Mr. Drey was danger
ously ill. Wishing to see him, with as
little delay as possible, I took a seat in
the mail-stage, as offering the most cer
tain and expeditious manner of travel
ling. Tiie first day I rode quite alone:
the carriage reached New-Iiav^n about
midnight; and after a lew hours repose,
I was summoned to continue my jour
ney toward Boston. As I entered the
coach, I observed, by the light of the
waiter’s lantern, a young lady who had
entered before me, and placed herself on
die back-seat. She was of a delicate
form, and apparently in ill health : but
the circumstance which most powerfully
excited my feelings was, that she carri
ed a very young infant, who appealed,
like its unfriended protectress, to he ill
prepared for the fatigues of such a .jour
ney. The coachman’s customary in
quiry, u all in?” was answered by a
hoarse “ yes” from the door, anti I
found myself on the road, w ith no other
travelling companion than a woman,
who seemed, at best, friendless, unpro
tected, and unknown.