The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1827-03-08

they are all it is in my power to offer. -
With these words he hid aside his burden,
and Invested himself of his outer garments,
kindied light, and sat down by the fire.
l had now an opportunity of studying
his appearance more narrowly; it was re-
markable and interesting. His form was
tall and graceful, though bent with years r;
his forehead high and bold, and his tenn
pies partially covered with locks that RE
vailed winter in wilderness. His clear
gray eye had military quickness in its mo-
ton, and it seemed as if itshould belong to
one who had watched the movements of
armed bands rather than the flight of the
forest bird, or the bounds of the forest
deer. His face had that educated express
sion which invariably cllaracterizes the
cultivated man, and that well-bred aspect
which can only be attained by habitual in
tercourse with polished society. Struck
by the incongruity between such man
and such IA babitation, determined to
learn, if possible, the cause Of his situation
and the history of his life.
With this design, after the frugal repast
was ended, and conversation had inspired
mutual confidence, 1 ventured to touch
the string. 7 he character of his mind as
it became developed, and the style of his
remarks, had awakened an intense interest,
which l had neither the power nor the de-
sign to conceal. / was confident that I
was in tie presence of no ordinary man.
How happens it, said /, g that you have
chosen this solitude, so bare and SO COM
fortress, for the asylum of your age? Me-
thinks that splendid mansions and courtly
society might claim, and proudly too, a
form and mind like yours for an inmate
and ornament. What can have driven you
across the circle that encloses social life, to
this solitary abode? p /" Young man." the
stranger replied, sit is tut common tale,
and why should | obscure the fair light Of
youthful feeling with the shadow of aged
suffering? My tale is one which, when
told, will leave dark remembrance, that
will hang like a cloud on your brightest
and happiest hours. 1t is one which j
shall tell in sadness, not in wrath, but which
you will hear with feelings swelled by
both. Listen to my words, and if while
speak, your voice should break forth in
curses upon injury and ingratitude, re-
member that curse not, but forgive. You
ask me what has made me an exile for life,
and a tenant of this wild spot; my answer
is, the ingrattude Of others and my own
Just pride. Could have tanned my own
high spirit to bear insulting pity and scorn-
full charity, / would never have forsaken
the haunts of men, but I prefer the savage
independence of a mountain hunter to the
polished servitude of courtly parasite
You will understand the reason of my ex-
lie from the events of my life.
"Young stranger, you see before you
one whose name once sounded far and
wide across the fields of America; one.
whose banner your fathers followed to bat
tie forty years ago one who afterwards
presided in the councils of your nation,
and whose head was raised high among the
great ones of the land. In the teLant of
this wretched hut, you behold a man of lofty
ancestry and once princely fortune the
last of time-honoured family, on whom
the cloud of misfortune has settled darkly
and forever. What boots it that I should
tell you, that years and years ago, long ere
the freedom of America wasyet in embryo,
the name which bear was made famous
by my gallant ancestors on fields where the
British Lion waved bloodily and triumph
antly-that the war-cry of our family was
loudest in the conflict, and it's flag foremost
in the charge Of the brave? To the young
and uctamed spirit, such recollectons are
like the rays of the morning which herald
glorious and shining day but on the old
and withered heart they fall like sunset
beams, fraught with memory, but not with
expectation. But to my story; my father
left his European home for America, when
America was yet an appendage to Britain.
His wealth and his influence descended to
me. was in the prime of my days when
the aggressions and tyrannies of the Eng
lish ministry gave birth to the revolution
of the colonies. Although my Inheritance
placed me high in the aristocracy of Brit
ain, and my fortune pleaded strongly a
gainst the perils and chances Of such
struggle, did not hesitate for moment.
embraced the righteous cause ardently
and firmly; and from that instant, ancient
ties were severed, and America was the
land of my allegiance. / became one of
the leaders of her armies. My country
was then poor, and I was rich-the brave
men whom commanded were suffering
for the neceSsaries of life; the treasury