Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-05-14

say No. TO the poor creatures WHO -.
on a Saturday right, TO seek bread LOT 'nsir
children, however deep they nigh' ARRAY &c
in her debt, or howe YER certain IL was 'ha '"e'r
husbands were al that moment, sPe"h,"s a.
the Checker; OF the Four Horse Shoes, the mo
ney that should have supported taelr Wives anu
families. for, in this village, as IN olners' '".e
were two 6ourishing ale houses, ai.hous" ou'
one iil-docus,omed shop-"but one ha" penny
worth Of bread to this intolerable deai OF sach'
She could no, say no! as a prudent woman
might, have said; and accordingly, nan inc
poor people in the parish might be iouho on
her books; whilst herself was gradua'iV ge",,
ing in arrears with her baker, her grocer, anu
her landlord.
Her family consisted of two children; Mary
a prettv, Gair-haired, smiling lass. OF tweIvo or
,hirreen-and Robert, a fine youth, nearly zen
years older, who worked in the gardens OF a
neiehbouring gentleman. Robert. conscious
thai his mothers was no gaIniul trade, oilen
pre- ssed her to give up business, sell o" ner
stock, reIinquish her house, and depend on,nis
labor for her support, bu, Of this she wo"'o MOI
hear. Many motives mingled IN her detfr"h'-
nation; a generous reluctance IN ourtht" h,
dutlful son with her maintenance-a ha'"Ia'
fear of losing Caste among her neighbours, a
strong lover Of the house which, Tor hve ana
twenty wears, had been her home-a 'a5ue
hope that times would mend, and all GONE
right again, wiser persons than MIS- hen'
have lulled reason TO sleep with s1ch ah oP,,
atel-and, above all, a want Of courage 70 LOOK
her difficulties fairly in the face. Besides, she
liked her ocoupation-lts pretty consequence
its hustle, and its gossipry; and she mao d sense
of gain in the small ~peddiing barga'ns-'he
penny wor,hs Of needles, and balls al cotton, x
rows of pins. and yards Of tape, which she was
accustomed TO vend for ready money, that over
balanced, for the moment, her losses and her
debts: so that in spite of her sons presages and
warnings. the shop continued in full activity.
In addition 10 his fore bolings respecting his
mother. Robert had another misfortune-thr
poor youth was in love. About a quarter OF a
mile down The shady lane, which ran oy one
side Of Mrs Kcnl's dwelling, was the pretty
farmhouse, and homestead oil Farmer Bell,
whose eldest daughter, Susan-the beauty OF
the parish-was The object Ola passion a'mosl
amounting TO idolatry. AMI, IN good SOON
Susan Bell was well fitted 10 inspire such d
passion. Besides a light graceful figure, moui-
dered with the exac,cst symmetry, she hao d
smiling coun,enance, a complexion coiored
like the brilliant blossoms of the balsam, and
hair Of a shining, golden brown, like the irul'
of the horse-chesnut. Her speech was at once
modest. and playful, her temper sweet, and her
heart tender. She loved Robert dearl%, al'ho
he often gave her cause to wish that she ioVea
him no,-for Robert was subject TO the inter-
hitting fever, called jealousy, causeless'y' as
he himself would declare, when a remission oil
the disease gave room for his natural sense 70
act, causelessly and penitently, but pertinaclouS
". Jealous. have said, that he was a hne
youngman, tall, dark, and slender, | should ada
that he was a good son, a kind brother, a pat
tern of sobriety and industry, and possessed OF
,aIcn, and requirement far beyond his station.
Blu, there was about him an ardor, a vlSor,
fiery resllessness, commonly held proper 10 the
natives Of the south Of Europe, bur which may
sometimes, be found amongst our own peaSa"-
try. All his pursuits, whether oil sport OF Id
Dor, took the form of passion. At ten years
old, he had gone far beyond all his fellow po,,
nil, a. the Foundation School, TO which thro
The Kindness of the squire Of The parish, MS
mother had been enabled 10 send hun, ana mac
even nosed the master himselt-at eighteen ne
was the best crickeler, the best flute player, 'he
best bsl-ringer, and the best gardener IN Inc
country. and some old volumes of Shakespeare
having come into his possession, there was
some danger a, twenty, of his turning out a
dramatic poet; had not the kind discourage
ment Of his master; TO whom some OF ms ear
" scenes were shewn by his patron and acnil-
rer, the head gardner, acted as u salutary checS
Indeed, so strong, at one time, was the poeuca'
Juror, that such a catastrophe as an ehure pray
might probably have ensued, notwithstanding
Mr.. Lescombe's judicious warning, haa moi
love, the master passion, fallen, about ,his 'ime
in poor Roberts way, and engrossed all the at
dor of his ardent temperament. he oeaut!
and pla~yfulness of his mistress, whilst !hey en-
chanled his fancy, KEEP, the jealous irri'aoili'!
Of his nature in perpetual alarm. he suspect
ed a lover in every mar who approached her;
and the refusal of her father to sanction ,ne,r
union, till her i impatient wooer were a 'i.!e
more forward in the world, completed MS o's-
quiet.
Affairs were in this posture when ahe" per
sonage arrived atHilton Cross.
In addition TO her other ways ana means
Mrs. Kent tried 10 lessen her rent, by te''ing
lodgings; and the neat, quiet, elderly gen'lewo-
man, The widow Of long deceased rector, VINO
had occupied her rooms ever since Robert was
born. being a, las, gathered TO her fathers, an