The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1827-08-23
A remarkable instance Of Dirine Providence Il,
the family Of Mr.. Hastings.

ANS hadu was EeputdDle merchant ~
-, country town in England. He mar
RED young, and had a numerous family, over
whom, as his temper was hasty and ungov-
ernable, ne exercised the parental authority
with harshness and severity. His wife, who
was pattern of female mildness and gentle
ness, made it her study, by every softening
and conciliatOry art, to keep her husband in
good humOr with herself & children,but often
failed in both. .
Charles, their eldest son, had one of those
dispositions which, though easily managed
by gentle methods. always revolted against
the exertiOn of passionate and VIGOROUS au-
thority. 1t was therefore impossible that he
should avoid frequent and angry disputes
with his father, whose sterness and severity
he returned with unyiclding obstinacy. These
unhappy contests acquired such additional
force with increasing years, that when the
youth had reached the age of fifteen, bis
father in fit Of anger turned him out of
doors, with an injunction to depart and never
see his face again.
The lads spirit was too high to render
REPETITION of the command necessary. I'm
provided as he was, he set out inn
medately on foot for London where, after
much hardship and fatigue, he arrived, and
hndng an East India captain with whom his
father had some acquaintance, obtained leave
to accompany him in voyage which COM
menced 10 few days. i.
Exasperated as Mr.. Hastings was, he could
not help regretting that his son had SO well
obeyed the command which his passion had
dictated; and the mother for whom the youth
had always testified the greatest affection,was
long incOnsolable. From their repeated in
quiries, they were only able to learn that their
son had gone to sea but to what part,
and in what situation they could not discov-
er. 4
To this cause of distress was soon added al
decline in their circumstances, owing to res
peated losses in trade. After an Intellectual
struggle Of few years, they were obliged to
retire to small house in neighbouring vii
lage, where almost consumed by grief, with
health and spirits broken, they lived in indi-
gence and Obscurity. One advantage how
ever, occurred to Mr.. Hastings from his mis-
fortune his temper was gradually softened,
his passion subsidized, and he attempted to al
leviate by kindness the suffering of his part
ners in affection, behaving with the greatest
tenderness to his wife, Of whose amiable
qualities he became every day more and more
sensible.
Charles, in the mean time, was passing
through various scenes Of fortune. Hs@frst
setting out was unfavourable. The captain,
to whom he had greatly recommended him
self by his assiduties, died on the passage
and he was set on shore at Madras. without
money, patron or friend.--He was almost
ready to perish from want, when an opulent
merchant of the factory took compassion on
him, and carried him to his house.--After
his diligence and fidelity in very
low employment, the gentleman advanced
him to his counting house, and initiated
him into the commercial business of the set
tlement.
youth exhibited such tokens of capacity that
he was thought proper person to be sent
distance up the country, to trading post of
some consequence. He here managed some
difficult and important concerns with so much
address, and acted on some critical emerg-
encies with such propriety and resolution,
that he acquired the confidence Of the whole
factory. He was soon promoted to lucra-
tive and honorable station and began to make
a fortune with rapidity peculiar TO that coun-I
try.
The impression of injury with which he
had left his fathers house, and the subse-
quent hardships he underwent, for some time
his filial affection. He thought of
home as the scene of severe and unmerited
chastisement. By degrees, however, as bet
ter prospects opened upon him, his feelings
became changed; he melted at the recollec-
ton of the uniform kindness Of his mother,
and the playful endearments of his brothers
and sisters. He even formed excuses for his
fathers severity. and condemned his own OBJ
stinacy, as at least, equally blamable. He
grew so uneasy under these impressions, that
not all the fattering prospects before him
could induce him to delay any longer an in
terview, which he SO ardently desired. He
collected all his property and took passage
for England where he arrived after an absence
of 0 years.
On landing he met with townsman, who
informed him Of the melancholy change
in his fathers situation. With heart agita-
ted by every tender emotion, he instantly set
off for the place of their abode. It was to-
wards the approach Of evening, when the I'M
happy couple. in melancholy dependence.
sat by their gloomy FIRE. A letter which
Mr.. Hastings had that day received from the
landlord of his little habitation, to whom hel
was somewhat in arrears, threw more than
usual detection over the family. Holding a
letter in bis hand, "wliat shall we do 7" said
man But how am / TO expect
more mercy from stranger than showed
to my own son :" The reflection was too
much for Mrs. Hastings TO bear she wrung
her hands {; sobbed and wept bitterly. Not