The Portland gazette., 1822-10-08
COMMUNICATIONS.
TIE OLD SOLDIER.


Nh. SHTRLEf--T ravelling lately into one of
the back counties Of ncighboring state, my at
tentioG was arrested by a number of people
round grave, who appeared to be conversing
of him whom they had just consigned to the
eart On enquiry who he was, they told me lie
was pensioner," and one of the oldest of that
now small band of heroes who had served their
country in the hour of peril. went to his eld-
est sons house (which was pointed out to me BY
one Of the villlaeers,) and with freedom that
would not be pardoned in a more populous town,
comnsserated his sufferings, and III discoursing
Of his deceased father he gave me an account Of
his former life, which have epitomised as fol-
lows -
In the year 1774, Ronald Davidson, then a
young man Of twenty. possessed of small conf
potency, and of the most respectable and even
distinguished connections, became acquainted
with daughter of one of his neighbours, who
united with the utmost simplicity ofmanners, that
enchanting grace, that dignihed noiesty, which
is often found in the most secluded spots il our
country. He lovedher with the utmost fondness !;
he wooed her, not with the dull formality of the
present lay, but in the most simple manner he
told his love; he did not breathe into her ear
the soft sound Of iattery, nor The honied nothings
which are now in use he told her Of the delights
of country life, Of his willingness and ability
to support her, and she with that propriety
which frequently belongs to the lower class, ac-
klowledgcd that his esteem was reCipTocated
and that it should be her most earnest endeavor
TO make him the fon6est and truest wife. In
few months they were married and Just realizing
the pleasures of married life, he was drafted as
a soldier, and obliged to tear himself from his
happy home. He repaired to the army, then in
PerBisylvania, and in several skirnishes with the
erenIy he gained himself great honor. AT the
end Of the campaign ne obtained leave to return
home, apd travelling on foot through what was
then wilderness, in the month of November he
reached his home. The meeting with his wife,
as may naturally be supposed, was truly tender.
He found his connections had fled to the mother
country, on the first breaking out Of the war at
Lexington. Forseeing the horrors Of war about
to fall upon the country, they embarked with the
utmost precipitat ton, stgnatized with the appel
lation of Tories. He returned to the army again
in the spring Of IT'S, and continued in it till the
happy termination of the war made US free and
independent."-He was now again at liberty t.
return hoIne-not with the feelings Of him who
is paid for fghting-but with the inward salts
faction of having secured TO himself the right Of
n citizen, and that partly by his own means.
Here, in the bosom Of his family, which was now
enlarged BY haxen-headed boy, Just creeping
on the sanded floor he lived in quiet and con-
tented manner for seven years, at the end OF
which time he had the misfortune to lose his wife,
having family Of four children (of which my
narrator was the eldcst to support with the slen-
der means of tenancy of land, and few head of
cattle. With them, and by attending diligently
to bis business offarnng, he acquired some prop
erty TO support his old age, which came on apace,
after the death of his wife. His boys were those
simple sons of the forest, whose wants are few
and easily supplied, and they soon grew up an
abundant source of happiness to their father, re-
ieving his wants and lniuistering 10 his necesSi-
ties assisted BY small pension from Tie gov
ernment, which of late has been nobly granted
10 those, who served their country IN the time