The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-03-31 00:00:00, page 2

prentice with a neighbouring shoe
maker. By the same diligence and do
cility as when at school, by uncommon
gentleness of temper, by extraordinary
dutifulness to his mother, by a sagacity
mul prudence very unusual at his years,
he, m tiiis situation, greatly endeared
him sell to his master, to his relations,
and to all th ; little rural circle in which
he lived, l.re halt his apprenticeship
had passed, he was an expert workman.
II is master would often, in kindness, al
low him gratuitous wages for a piece of
work ; and all his little earnings in this
way he still faithfully delivered to his
mother. nothing cud he appear so
am'nui.<us,ns to be to her a pride, a com
fort, a support, and to act the part of a
second parent to his little brothers and
sisters. In some occasional hours of
leisure he still delighted to recollect the
lessons he had learned at school. Eve
ry cue expre ssed concern that he should
have been prevented from becoming a
scholar. But all agreed that no learn
ing could have made him a more excel
lent youth than lie actually was.
Vv hcn the term of his appren:i cesiii p
had envied, he continued to work in his
trade with increasing diligence. lie
was soon encouraged to open a little
ahop, and to do work as a master. Mis
small gains were still neither hoarded
nor laid out for himself. Whateve r he
could earn was for his mother and her
younger children. To himself he de
nied every thing, that he might give
them all.
Yet he was not a dull, spiritless lad :
he entered eagerly into such of the
sports of his fellows as were free from
the reproach of idleness or profligacy.
In their common diversions lie was
\isually the leader, as being the most
expert and dexterous. There w’ere, in
d e 1, in his conduct, on such occasions,
a ,, ieral fcarfuhu ss, a modestv, an ar
dour, a manly fairness, which could
net nut give him an entire ascendancy
over nis associates. He would see no
o.’.e wronged : would rather himself
endure any pain than even hurt a worm ;
was "Vcr the ready protector of the
Weaker and younger boys, of the beggar
th.it might be pelted or hooted at, of the
peevish and unlucky old woman, of
whatever being he saw, at any time, af
fliotiv.1v harrassed by wanton mockery
•r violence. In whatever he tried he
was ambitious to tile foremost, not hv
dragging, back bis rivals, but by fairly
outstripping them.
A sweet and beautiful maiden of the
village won his love while he was but a
stripling. Ker heart also preferred him
to a number of other peasant youths by
whom she was not less admired. Yet
he seemed to yield with great reluc
tance to the passion which he could not
help feeling for her, and with a sort of
remoise, as it there had been heinous
guilt in his indulging any affection that
might, in the end, divert his cares from
the support of his mother and her chil
dren. But his mother herself saw the
growing attachment with pleasure.—
1 be youth anil the maiden soon confided
to each other the secret of their mutual
love. For the present they were con
tent to love anti be beloved, without pro
posing to marry till the family of which
he was now the support might spare his
cares. 'I heir meetings, their walks,
their conversations, had all the charms,
with the unaffected delicacy, of in
nocent and tender village love. To his
mother his lovely sweetheart soon be
came dear, as one of her own children ;
to his little sisters, as if she had bet n
one of themselves. The mutual fond
ness of this youth and maiden was quick
ly observed to have, in a remarkable
manner, the effect of animating the in
dustry, refining the native good senst,
and exalting the virtues of them b tb.
The time when it; should he no longer(iu
convenient for them to marry, wars look
ed forward to as a day that would be par
ticularly joyful to the whole village
neighbourhood.
I stole to his mother's cottage the first
moment I could disengage myself from
the attentions of my friends. Whit an
altered appearance of every thing there
met iny eye 1 I hat neatness was no
longer to be seen, which gives an agree
able aspect even to the scanty, domestic
accommodations of poverty, and which,
formerly distinguished this good wo
man s nresicie above those ot nil her
neighbours. She met me not with that
eager cheerfulness with which she had
been ever wont to see the friend of her
son, hut shrunk from my eye, and hesi
tated to answer when I accosted her.
‘Was her son dead ? Was he ill ?’ ask
ed I, tag' rly and abruptly.—‘Would
God ! (replied she, veepinr and whh
an utterance indistinct, from shame .d
sudd' n laintness) would Go that I had
Cecn him laid cold in his grave, ratlu
*hun * .’se as he has, to kt r jmfo;
my pride!1 ‘ Impos ib! ! (cried 1
vMvh iinpatieuce) if he lives, if he till
[enjoys health and strength, he cannot
but be the most excellent of young men 1’
‘ Alas ! (answered she) I am not angry
with him ; I am inexpressibly afflicted
for him. I was ihe proudest of mo
\ thers : who is now so much to be piti-.
cd as I r
* Woulfl you have thought it, (conti
j nutd she) that hc-should become a sol
! dier ? But we were told that wicked
men were preparing to bring the French
into the country, and to murder all the
great, and the rich, and the good ; and
that all honest and worthy young im n.
must become soldiers, to prevent the
mischief. After hearing this he be
came anxious and restless ; he could n£v.
longer settle as before to his work ; he
seemed lor a time almost indifferent to
poor dear Nancy / His mind seemed
lull of agitating concern about some new
object. We heard soon alter that the
French were landing, and that the wild
Irish were rising to assist them. His
restlesness and anxiety increased.—
For two or three evenings, while he sate .
by the fire, he now leaned his head on
hi. hand, or pored or: the ashes, as one
lost in deep thought,—now gazed round,
upon us with a wild eye, a flushed coun
tenance, and writhing features,—and
then while he looked on us, we could
see the tears steal silently down his
cheeks,—upon which he would hide his
face, rise, and go hastily out. We were
alarmed and afflicted ; and supposed
that by the visitation of the hand of
God, he was going to lose his senses.
Once or twice he said, as if it were ca
sually, that now was the time lor all
truehearted young men to go to s-- ve
their king and country. But I would
not allow myself to imagine that, in his
peculiar circumstances, and with his
dutiful turn ol mind and character, he
could ever think ol deserting us and go
ing for a soldier.
‘ 'V ilhin two or three weeks after this
there was a fair at the next market town.
He was to go to sell in it a few paii of
shoe.s, and to purchase some h athtr
which he wanted. Nancy Wilson and
his eldest sister wished much to go wid*
him, but he persuaded them to stay at
home, saying, that on account of his bu
siness he could not be constantly with
m, and that it would not he proper
rUhcm to be wandering through the fair
ilone. He set out at an early hour in
the morning. We expected him in the
afternoon ; but he returned not till 1 .te
in the night, after they had all gone t®