The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-08-19
rrIrE NEaMITA
Dear was to them the hermitage,
Ofthis unploughed. uutrodden shore,
like birds all iovous from the cage,

like birds all Joyous from the cage,
from mans neglect they 10y 4 It more.
The first pleasure carriage that ever came
toAlcsburv, brought couple Of young adNcn-
turers from one Of the sca-bodrd towns. Ii
was when was boy, and wCli remember
running down to the old " aShinSton, then
the only tavern in the town, with my satti-
sl over nv shoulders to sec the strangers
for in those days Of peace and quietncSs, wh.a
the name Of our village Was scarcely known
beyond the circle ot ten niles ioNn,t, it was Il
rare thing for us 70 see new faces. The
yisitcrs proved 10 be a gentleman, apparent
" about twenty-five, and one who looked
several years Younger, beautiful creature,
probably not more than seventeen; Wds
then too Young TO fix my attention upon the
glance of sunncy eve, or the wave ct Eossy
ring-et; but | well remember car village
beaux said he was not handsome, AVID said il
so anxonsly that il was evident the! tct
themselves in danger Of rival; and that
the little beauty was worshipped ~ every
one of the fond mothers and rosy checked
daughters of the village.
Nothing Of their parentaSc, Their former
place Of residence, or circumstances was
known. Impertinent curiosity was, in those
davs subjected to such rigid discipline when
ever it appeared, by the common consent, of
the society of fathers, that it hid it head !:
and stranger had to conduct in rnaritoii-
GUS manner to be esteemed whatever might
have been his previous situation. Ihc ichl-
4iour ofthc young strangers was marked with
so much molcsty, their tempers appeared
TO be so amiable, and their whole dopcltmcht
SO winning, particularly that OF the younger,
shat every tongue was let loose in their praise,
even jealousy became LIBERAL and the inn
Keepers daughter was said to have had more
female visitors daring the month they rcmain
ell at the Washington, than She had ior
whole year before.
At tho end ufthc time, however, the yoEn-
gcst stranger prepared to depart aud the O.
de.t whose name WAS Gustayus, and whohad
spent mnch Of fh;stimc in travelling through
the country, announced his intention OF sctt-
ling in the ncigh6oihood. lie LEFT Alcabui'!,
however, with his companion, and was goae
three .ys, at the expiration OF which thnc H.
returned alone, and shortly alter having sa:,t
his carriage and sonc ctnCr little effects, U.
purchased small island in the river, contain
ing about sixty acres, three miles bclo" rs,
On which he erected neat cottage, and COM
menced improving it with spirit that seemed
above his years.
He wasbclovcd, and frequent parties were
SO that in three mounths he had a charming
residence in the bosom OF the waters, to
which he gave the appelldtion OF Hermitage.
Perhaps it was nos miscalled, for it was d
beautiful place. The cottage was in the
centre of the island, invisible for the trees
that surrounded it, gushing stream rose b.
the door and flowed in several channels to
the river, the land was naturally meadow,
and Gustavus at small expense possessed 4
retired but an cnviaDc home. He appeared
to enjoy it, for he was not to be seen any
more in the village, and one day his boat Was
seen gliding with him in it to the western
shore it remained there, fastened TO a tree,
three days and three nights. On the fourth
day it returned, and bore him to the rural re-
treat he had prepared, with young and love
" female. a variety of coniccturcs followed,
but there was one which seemed to bc
strengthened by a Thousand circumstances
which had not heretofore been noticcd--it
was that the beautiful boy who had been his
companion and fricnd--who had loved him
and left him, was in reality the parsonage
who now came to share his home, dressed in
her proper gqrb, aud claiming to the relation
Of fond and ici'yent friend, the character Of
a wife.
Still the custom that forbid the prying
scrutiny of culiousity, and that sought hn
further disclosures than such as were volun-
tariiy made, prevailed. The strangers saw
it and testified th"r gratitude by throwing oil,
their reserve. They lived in constant inter-
course with the villagers for MANY yea, 4.
The island became one If the best cultivated.
places in the country, and while a large and
lovely family OF children grew up around
them, and a long residence endenret; them to
an extensive circle of acquaintance, the
mysterious circumstances which took place
at the time Of their settlement, were almost
forgotten.
Gustavus might possibly, in the lapse Of ff-
teen or sixteen Years, have become rich, but
his object seemed constantly to be to attain
simply to such an independence aswould best
promote his happiness. He was industrious,
frugal and managing; keeping aloof from
every hazardous speculation he was never
thele'i, prompted to profit by every oI,por-
tunity which afforded the certainty Of profit !;
and while he denied himself none Of the de-
licacics and amusements of life, to save a tn
fling cYppnse, he, on the other hand, expcn-
cinotiing fouliShly to crafty childish pride
o.a cairicioas whm. Go 10 the Hermitage
w,,.n ot would, every thing was in the neat
est style, and YOU were sure to be entertained
in the hest manner; the most delicious fruit
and the choicest poundcake, excellent cider
and plenty of nuts, and what was better then
all, smiles, that said as. plain as smiles could