Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-09-21

.u,;S;nrs had been l0ss. II was
whom 81 - any that he had died be-
'hoas .sas: and mono doubted, that. u,
& yono - I'D dead. he had been d,s'hherited
aps stern and unrelenting parent. On
by h after the funeral, the old man
sns sa Nc his brother's will, by which
PE0c ssssme heir to all his proper
no . sseso. an annuity to be paid to
4 " a,nra, heir, should he ever return.
s ne nitisd the proligal son, who had
s ~ s;,inherited--some blamed the Ia
O'sa .ome enviea the good fortune of
' s.. wbo had so ill borne adversely.
Nv. - short time the death, the Wlli,
s,1e disinherited, we're all forgot
SUI .nd the lost lands being redeemed,
" 49, comfort, and happiness were sup
p.sd again to be restored to the dwell
Iar fyom which they had so long been
baaished.
aR6t il was not go. If the burrows
:, che old mans face were deep before,
~ he had to toll from morning to
.;ab, thew seemed to have sunk into
more chastity trenches, now that the
~oo1nsss of Providence had restored a
sootls shelter to his declining years.
Gben seen wandering through his fields
u even tide, lie looked not like the Pa
triarch musing TRANQUILITY on the works
"a pavs of God and when my eyes
mat his during divine service, which he
now again attended with scrupulous re-
oulsrity, sometimes thought they
We're suddenly averted in conscious
guilt, or closed in hypocritical devo-
hon. scarcely know if | had any sus-
melons against him in my mind or not;
but his high bald head, thin silver hair,
and countenanee with it's fine features
60 intelligent, had no longer the same
solemn expression which they once pos
s.ssed, aud something dark and hidden
sesmed now to belong to them, which
withstood his forced and unnatural
ImiIe. The son. who in the days OF
their formsr prosperity, had been stain
ed by no vice, and who, during their
harder lot, had kept himself aloof from
all his former companions, now became
dissoute & profligate, nor did he meet
with any reproof from father whose
heart would once have burst asunder at
enc act of wickedness in his beloved
child"
"About three years after the death
Of his father, the disinherited son re
turned to his native parish. He had
been sailor on board various ships on
foreign stations, bat hearing by chance
Of his tather's death, he came to claim
bis inheritance. Having heard, on his
arrival, that his uncle had succeeded to
the property, he came to me and told
me, that the night before he left his
home, his father stood by his bedside,
kissed him, and said that never more
would he own such an undutiful SON.
but that he forgave him all his sins-at
death would not defraud him Of the
pleasant fields that had so long belong
ed to his humble ancestors-and hoped
to meet reconciled in heaven. My
uncleisa villain. said he, ferce!y, "and
Twill cast anchor on the green bank
where | played when boy, even if l
must first bring his grey head to the
seadoldg'
II accompanied him to the house OF bis
uncle. Il was dreadful visit. The ia
Inily had just sat down to their frugal mid
day meal; and the old man, though for
some years be could have had little heart
70 pray. had just lifted up his hand TO ask
aolessing. Our shadows, as we entered
iine door, tell upon the lable--and turning
meyes, be beheld before him on the floor
the man whom he feariully hoped had
been buried in the sea. His face was in
deed, at that moment, most unlike that OF
prayer, but he still held up his lean, shriv-
elleA, trembling hand. Accused hypo-
erits," cried the fierce mariner, "dost
'hou call down the blessing of God on a
meat won basely from the orphan? But 10!
1oo, whom thou hast blasphemed, has
sent me from the distant isles of the ocean,
@orlng Thy white head Into the hangman's
hands!"
For moment all was siIent--then a
,o9d stlHed gasping was heard, and she
wnom you saw little while ago, rose
saneklng fFom her seat, aud tel down Oh
ner knees at the sailors feet. The terror
:" mat uclorglyen crime, now first reveal
"a 70 her knowledge, struck her down 10
,oe uoor. She liked her hioodess face on
us before whom she knelt-sbe spoke not
single word There was a sound in her
oonVolsed throat like he destn.lattle. i
ofsed the Will SAID the son, advancing
awards awards bis cousin with a firm step, my
iau could not! alone am guilty a.
,olie must die The vile soon recovered
Tue power of sneech hut i, " az go unlike