Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-04-23

ry-it was the harbinger Of those sorrows anu
sufferngs, which we shall undertake to deiins'
ate.
The new wife, was scarcely introduced 10 the
dwelling Of her husband, when she began 10 e@-
ercise that arbitrary authority, which steP.mo-
theirs not unfreuuently assume; and Adeiaide
was compelled to perform the whole OF the me-
NAL labors of the family-she was literally the
slave Of her tyrannical step-mother Jealous
of the attachment her husband manifested Tor
his daughter, and being of opinion that all his
afIec ton belonged to herself alone, she began
10 poison his mind with unfoupded tales, I'M
peaching the fidelity Of Adelaide, and resented
TO every art and stratagem, to withdraw his al
lection from his daughter. In this she was too
successful, for the husband, willing to listen 10
the tales Of the wife Of his second choice, soon
| conceived i'll feelings for his daughter, and com.
menced treating her in manner, which but
too plainly told, that the step.mother had gain
ed com lete mastery over him, and Withdrawn
/ from his bosom, those emotions OF affection,
which he once m anifested for his innocent, and
much injured offspring. .
Adelaide, had already reached that period OF
life when the heart bee ONES susceptible OF those
refined feelings, which an intercourse with the
stcrner sex, never fails to engender. A young
/
| the holy estate Of wedloek, and il was accepted
by the too conhding and much injured girl; who
10 relieve herself from state OF tyrannicaI
thraldom, rejoced a, the prospect Of happy
freedom, and sighed for the blessed hour. when
her bosom's lord and master, would claim her
as his wife, and relieve her Of load OF cares
and sorrows, which had SO long oppressed her.
Little dreampt she, that the chosen one, was to
be the destroyer Of her future happiness, OF
that he upon whom she TOO fondly hung, and
! for whom she weDt, and whom she worshipPcd,
was to be the beTayer Of her virgin innocence.
But alas! our future des:inies are not reveal
ed to US; the ways Of chance, are dark, uncertain,
and myste Cjous, and ere we are aware Of our
danger, we plunge down that frighltul abyss,
| from which "there's no return"
Adelaide, too soon found herself betrayed,
and when she thought she WAS approaching the
haven Of domestic bliss, she awoke from the
delightful dreams Of fancy, TO behold her own
disgrace, and weep over her own ruin.
! In this sad hour Of calani:y, when the mis-
guided and deceived girl needed the succour
and support Of all who loved her, and when ru-
in rreparable stalked before her, she found
herself abandoned by all, and left to the mercy
Of an unkind and unfeeling world. Her grow
ing disgrace, escaped not the sCrutinizlng eye
Of her unteeling step-mo,her, and her more I'M.
natural father;-and they reioiced that they
mad now something TO plead in mitigation Of
their conduct and abandonment Of every chris
tian feeling, and their every ebnobling princi-
pie.
No longer entertaining the least regard for
his offspring, and lost 20 all the sensibities OF
our species, the unnatural father, pushed from
his doors The helpless Adelaide, and babe her
SO, and find ar asylum among the abandoned
Of her sex, and seek succour at the hands Of
the libertine and The licentious rake. Covered
with shame and disgrace, sorrowful and heart
broken, without friend upon the wide world
10 whose friendly bosom she could conGde the
story Of her misfortunes, the wretched Adelaide
commenced her wandsrings; and hoped for
happier days, as she wept over her untimely
fail and disgrace. Friendless, unnoticed and
unknown, she wandered she knew not whittier,
and listed not the winds as they blew, or the
tempest as it roared aroSnd her.
Feeble, emaeialed anu half furnished, the
luckess girl al last attracted the attention Of a
povcrty.stricken matron, who took her to her
abode Of misery; noarished her-administered
the balm of Gilead 10 her wounded heart, and
cheered her dropping spirits, whilst she watch.
ed over her with maternal solicitude, and strove
to restore her to the paths Of duty and Of virtue.
But the tale can be quickly told, "and il were
we'll" if truth and sense Of justice did not re-
ouire US to tell tiff the situation of the unfor-
tunate victim did not require, that her hapless
lot be known. Denied the protecting care Of a
father, thrown upon the world without the
means OF procuring subsistence for herself &
helpless offspring; those, who "for PHYS sweet
sake" protected her during the interesting Pc
Rod of domestic solicitude, at last, from ne
costly. not being enabled to support themselves
by their labor, turned her upon the world again,
to contend with its rebuffs, and war with her
enemies.-And now she wanders, she knows
not whittier, and though the bleak north winds,
assail her with chilling blasts, and the SCOTS Of
the world are cast upon her, she feels nothing
so poignant as the inhumanity and severity Of
an unnatural father. His home is not her home,
his friends are not her friends, and though pit
led, she receives not the aid ofthose who should
protect her; and up 10 whom she has right 10
look for comfort and suppor'.-ln vain does she
implore the aid ofher unfeeling ?srent;-to her
in,reaties he turns deaf ear,-or If he hears
her applications, TELLS her to ego, like the mid
night wolf, howl TO the moon, and curse thy
life in bitterness ofmisery."
II 10 not ea;d that tbe hanIess o,irl has vet