The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-02-06
MISCELLANY.
From the Vermont Journal
THE MICROSCOPIC

Robs me Of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed" SHAKs.
Having business TO transact lately,
with some persons, / went to their hous-
es for the purpose. At the FIRST house,
when | had finished my business, and
was engaged in a desultory kind Of chat,
says the owner, Have you heard of the
death of Mr.. -'s~child 7 I replied
had. Welh what do you think Of it's
it not surprising told him it was truly
accuse forrefection to consider how frail
and transient was the life of man. Hesaid
| did not understand him, and had prob
ably not heard the story No, have
not heard any, | answered, dreading to
be plagued with some improbable and
scandalous report against my neighbour
Indeed. says he, cannot say as to the
truth ofit, as am not much acquainted
with Mr.. -; but it is pretty current
iy reported that he never entertained
much affection for the child, and felt
but little interest for it; that he neg
lected to obtain suitable assistance and
in short, if he had been a little more
tender and anxious, it might have been
alive yet. The good dame of the house.
who had been employed in her domes-
tick concerns, now left her employment,
and corroborating the story, related the
various circumstances with which she
was acquainted; and with features ex-
pTessive of the emotions she felt. e1-
claimed, "Ah well-a-day what world
VIC live IN! Who would have thought
it? Such pretty child SO young and
innocent; and then to be so barbarous
and cruel TO it I! | never was SO much
affected as when I heard of it. And
then his wife too, how he used and
abused her-"-Here I interrupted her
by suggesting the possibility that the
story might be false-that much truth is
seldom found in these flying and malic-
ious reports. and that little dependence
could be placed on their certainty or
coFrectness--that every one Not
true p yociferated the good woman,
who had gradually rehnquished the rue
full eountenaace she had assumed at first,
and exchanged it for one in which was
portrayed an eagerness to vindicate her
veracity-" not true that's more than
yon know, and more than dare saw or
believe either Let others say what
they will about it, think it is true, and
I had as lief tell him SO too as not.
never liked his looks. 1t is no more
than | always expected; though | did
not think he would be quite so bad
Not true? Why, Mrs. - told me of
it herself; and she is well acquainted
with him, add would know all about it.
Can you dispute her veracity? Besides,
she didn't mention it to me as if she was
pleased with the idea, or as if she wish
ed TO make it pubIick. No. | was
talking Of the child, when, moving up
to me, she began in whisper, that the
company might not hear and with
look of sorrow at what she was about to
relate would you believe it, says she,
or could you suppose that Ne. -, af-
ter all his fine sayings and pretences,
could be 50 inhuman? | would not tell
il TO any other person, and to you only,
as you are my friend. You need not
say any thing about it though | think
IFS true.' Then she went on and told
me the whcle story respecting his con-
duct and behaviour, just as was related
TO you. Can You pretend to dispute the
truth of il now or say that she exag-
gerated for if she had, she would have
spoke right out TO the company, and
would not have told me to keep It Sc
cret" Finding she belonged to that
Class of beings who, maugre reason and
argument, cling to their opinions and
prejudices with unyielding pertinacity, l
merely remarked on the fallibility Of all,
their liability to err and to be deceived,
and that could not pretend 10 cal, in
question her veracity or that Of her in
forTnant--"l see you don't believe me-
continued she, ssbut think what you
J. A5li, kaos, it's true = and receiving an
injunction to secrcsy, took my leave.
On my way home, could not forbear
rejecting on what had just seen and
heard. Mr.. -, tho object Of all this
conversation, was person with whom
Twas we'll acquainted, whose character
had always stood fair IN my estimation,
ana whom had always viewed as res
pectxble citizen. But, like all others,