Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-09-15

unhappy wretch I AMI left my home
where i was happy, too happy, seduced
BY ran, who has deceived me. NY
poor husband--my dear children-oh!
! If they would even let my little William
live with NE, it would be some consola-
ton to nay broken Heart"
6 Alas nor children more can she be-
hold,
Nor friendsnor sacred home"
Well might she lament over her fallen
fortunes well might she mourn over the
memory Of the days when the sun of Hea-
ven iseemed to rise, but for her happiness:
well might she recall tie house she had
endeared, the children she had nursed,
the hapIess husband, Of whose life she
was the pulse. But one short week BE-
fore, this earth could moi reveal a love-
lier vision--yirtue blessed, affection fol-.
lowed, beauty beamed on her. the light
of every eye, tire charm OF every heart,
she moved along in cloudless chastity,
cheered by the song of love, and circled
by the splendors she created! Behold
her now, the loathsome refuse of an a.
Idulerous bed fostering in the very in
lection of her crimes; The scoff & scorn
of theirunmanly, merciless, iHharlan au-
thor! But thus it everis with the yota-
ries of guilt-the birth Of their crime is
the death Of their enjoyment, and the
wretch who filings his Offering on its altar,
falls an immediate victim to the fame OF
his devotion. am glad it IS SOFT is q
wise, retributive disFcnsation-it bears
the stamp Of a preventive Providence. |
rejoice it is 50 IN the present instance !;
first, because This premature infection
must ensure repentance IN the wretcIed
sufferer; and next, because, as this a.
dulterous iiead hes rather acted on the
suggestions of his nature than his shape.
by rebeIliag against the finest impulse of
man, he has made himself an outlaw
from the sympatlies of humanity. Why
should he expect that charity from you.
which he would not spare even to the
misfortunes he had inflicted For the
honor of the form 10 which he is disguis-
ed, am willing to hope he was so blind
ed by his vice, that he did not see the
fall extent of those misfcrtunes. Il he
had feelings capable of being touched, it
is not to the faded victim OF her own
weakness and of his wickedness that |
would direct them. There is nothing in
her crime which aEfights charity from its
commisseration. But; gent emen, there
is one over whom pity may mourn, for
he is wretched-and mourn without a
blush, Tor he is guiitiess.
How shall depict to YOU the desert
ed husband ? To every other object in
this catalogue of calamity, there is some
crime attached which checks compassion.
But here. OIL if ever there was man
amiable, it was that man: if ever there
was husband fond, it was That husband:
his hope, hi, JOY. his ambition, was do
mestic-his tolls were forgotten ia the
affections OF his home, and. amid every
adverse variety Of fortune, Hope pointed
to his children, and he was cauiorted.
BY this vic act. that hope IS blasted
that house is desart. those children are
parentiess. In vain Go they look to their
surviving parent. his heart is broken, his
mind is IL ruins, his very fern is fading
from the earth. He had one consolation,
he had an aged mother, on whose life the
remnant of his fortunes hung. & on whose
protection of his children his remaining
prospects rested even that is over, she
could not survive bis SHAME, she never
raised her head. she became hearsed in
his misfortune, he has followed her funs-
raj. IF this be not the climax of human
misery, tell me in what human misery
consist Wife, parent, fortune, pros
poets. happiness, all gone forever! For
nv part when | contemplate this, do
not wonder at the impression it has pro-
duced on him: | do not wonder at the
faded form, the detected air, the enact
ated countenaDce, and the ruinous and
Wondering trophies by which misery has
marked its triumph over youth, & health,
and happiness knew that in the hordes
of what is called fashionable life, there is
sect Of philosophers wonderfully patient
Of their fellow creatures suferings, men
too insensible to feel for any one, or too
selfish 10 feel for others-l trust there is
not one amongst you professor Of those
principles. trust there is not one a..
mongst you who can even hear OF such
I 4, H. n