Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-08-09
alsran1rta DaiIp 6asetts.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3.
For the Alexandria Gazette.
II FRAGMENT.

GO HE is LOSI!,-WaS an exclamation
which came from me as was dining 1t was
caused by an enquiry about the absence OF a
brother. The sister asked, where he was 8
And the family around the table seemed very
indifferent about his fate / could not help
the exclamation. What pity, said l, that
youth like he should be so much neg iected !;
one who is so well calculated to be bent into
any shape, whose mind is susceptible OF
almost any impression IF he. lives much
longer, thought I,-if no means are used
to correct his ignorance and bad habits, he
must go to the Devil. have seen him ne
elected by all His father particularly ne
elects him-and, if he pursued the prudent
course of father, his unfortunate son, in
stead of being mere ignorarnus, and the
companion of Negroes and blackguards, might
be an ornament to society This may seem
strange language for brother to use, but
are there not times when the dearest friends
deserve our censure &c don't care what
has become of him. was an answer from the
other end of the table--so lost did they all
seem to his misfortune. ~--Thev don't hate
him-but still his conduct is so strange and
disgusting, that the most generous heart
would be almost inclined to spurn my interest
forhim. To encourage him in his silly con-
duct is to approve it. " Disgust" thought
l, concealed is sign o. wisdom, when the
fault is obstinate and cure beyono our reach.
But then, can the mind be Indifferent to, the
hated object that is always before 1t Can
the eve ever be accustomed to look with COM
Dlacency on the speckied snake 81 was
Just retiring out Of the room, when Instant
ly he stepped in. Thought to myself
here is the miserable youth whose appearance
bespeaks distressed and unhappy mind
In whose countcnance you may discover the
wanderinrs of q virtuous soul and whose
external appearance and conversation, argue
that he associates with the vilest Instead
ofreceiving our tender look, or pleasant word
from his parents, he passes by unnotlced as
the " idle winds"
He cast up.a look OF melancholy towards
me; in so pitious manner, that it Instantly
struck me to the soul. Intimating that l
should not curse him-but blame his father as
the cause Of his unhapplness. His whole ap-
pearance and demcanor suggested TO me the
idea of man in whose disorlered counte-
nance you always perceive want and cares.
/" Happy would be- did | think to myself
S if Heaven would in the tullness ofits mer-
CIV, take him to itself-save him the panss OF
being an outcast and waniercr on the earth
Man, in his state Of na.ure, is a vagrant:
81 imagined" Education and good treatment
make him social: Overcome by his feelings
he sat himself down to eat, when discover
ed hia heart was full, and his appetite gone
I Immediately found out the cause--that he
observed the eyes of all turned towards him,
lamenting his unhappy lot. What pity,
said I, that so generous youth should be
lost! What an easy exertion for the parent
to take him by the hand, and bind him to an
honest trade What source OF happiness
TO himscH-what consolation to his mo-
Their! Hope, ever on the wing, seems TO
have fed, and, alas despair begins to per-
wade my soul, that if the noble and innocent
youth is not quickly reformed that l may
shed tear over his misfortunes and l.ment
that nature ever gave him birth. With these
reflections Istepped into the next room, and