The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-11-15

which fortune casts into our paths and
how dlsregardfuI are we OF the means
which wise Providence, for the same be
inefficient purpose, has placed in our hands !.
" lis strange lis passing strange
I" lis wonderful most wonderful g.
Blessed with wealth which he knew how
10 nse-wiah friends, whom he loved, and
Who loved him---with parents, whose repn-
iaiions were rs pure from stain as the silver
locks which wlntry age bad scattered on
| llIelr bfuRs--wiih a wife, who lived on
his smiles, aud who gave him life by her
own-with children, lovely even rs our fan
| cies represent the son Of Venus--aDd inno-
| cent ~ eherubs-what had he 10 wish for !!
What needed he Ia consummate his happi-
ness lie wanted nothing-he wished Tor
nothing. He ,oas happy The lark, whose
lively carols, rs II hops from bongh To
bough, gives pleasure to The lonely traveller
| M his solitude, was not more devoid oil
| care. lie arose in the morning-transaci-
cd, with cheerful mind, the occupations
OF the day-and returned TO his family with
a heart throbbing with emotions of the pu-
rest delight. Anticipation lent her magic
aid Ia reality, aud aud he saw nothing be-
fore him but a gay parterre of flowers, in
which no env nous thorn protruded TO sting
the hand that pnckcd them. Such would
have been the ease, whilst he lived, had not
one bdnclul passion iurkcd in his heart, and
been called into exercise by an inlatuation,
| AS understandable in lis nature as II Is dan
gerons ia It's consequences. He had always
been fond Of games of chance hut had Sc
dnlously avoided risking large sums on
thedoubtfu hazard Of the die" lie
would have continued To act thus pru
IDENTITY, had his business permitted him to
remain with his family. But engaged
largely in dealings with the southern mer-
chants, he was called to C, and was
detained on that place for several months.
Whilst there, the attractions of home were
OF course lost and he became acquainted
with a nest Of sharpers; who, by degrees,
induced him to forcgo his caution, and TO
enter largely into the pursuit of that preea-
rlous business which has wrecked the for
| tunes of many who would have been other
wise, ornaments of their country and pill
| lars of the moral fabric on which the ark of
her liberties rests. At first he won but,
| at length, the superior skill, or the dlshoncs-
| ~ of his antagonists, " turned the tables
and the little he had won, together with an
immense sum besides, was lost, and he was
only reused from his dcrium to fad him
| self robbed not only Of the amount gained
! by his commercial spcculations, but also of
a large portion of his patrmony. He re-
ceiyed news, about this time that his ago
father, had gone down to the graye.-At ~
| ny other time, he would have m0nrned
deeply incurred But nov, strange as it
| may seem, the infatuated man actually re-
Joiced He became, by his death, posses
sed of large stock ready monty, in adj
dItion TO the remainder of the estate which
.ad descended through several Successive
gcncratlons, from father lo.o1. liz Immc-
diately drew on his correspondent for the
ready money and only left G, when
he had lost the Whole OF it, When he re-
turned home, he was not known by his fam
lily, so much had dissipation and excessive
anxiety of mind altered his appearance
fliscycs, sunk deep in his head, had lost
all their FIRE and animation--his cheeks,
blnchcd and hollow, no longer retained the
freshness Of the rose, but hHrned with the
r hectic glow of disease. His aIlectionatc
wife hung around his neck and his little
children climbed upon his knees,ns t'ey bad
ioNT done bnt the same afectIsnatc ca
rcsscs no longer soothed them in their am
guish, nor made them gay in their more
; cheerful hours. Yet. notwithstanding this
| change, not more evident nor more painful
! TO others than to himself, he continued to
venture his frall bark on the tempestuous
ocean which had we'll nigh swallowed up
| his health his fortune and his happiness.--
As long AZ dollar remained, or his credit
could procure one, he rskcd ii. At length
every resource failed, aud the proud fabric
(which had but la,ely rrared It's head to the
| skies, was seen To tumble To the dust. drag
] ging IN is fall, not only the hopes aud the
happiness of himself aud his family; but
teprvIng many a poor tradcsman of the
pitiance earned in Ashley's days ofprosper-
| lty, and which their confidence in his integ-
rity as well as in his ability TO pay, permit
| ted him to retain in his hands. His wife
had been kept in ignorance of the state of
his concerns until things had proceeded tn
| the last extremity and she was only ava
kened 10 a sense OF her real situation, by
the Imprisonment of her husband, and the
sale of his effects. She was immediately
| taken home by her friends, but she did not
! long survive the stroke which had destroy
ed all her happiness. A few weeks Illness,
| with which she was attacked day or two
after her removal, hurried her sainted spirit
from its abode of clay, into the presence OF
the Being, who, having chasten'd her with
his rod, held out, IN her dying hour, his staff
/ to support her, =" thro' the dark valley and
shadow of death. Ashley lived several
years after the decease ofhis wfe--a vaga-
bond and MI Outcast.-The last that was
heard of him, was, that he had gone to sea
and it is supposed that he must have pc
rishcd as the ship in which he embarked
was never heard ofalter she left port.
| In the life and death Of young Ashley, we
| have an admoni;ory lesson, to beware of