Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-06-22

THE IDIOT ROY.
BI l.. J.. L.

There is little Vale, made beautiful
by its blue gliding river, and It's fields
vi 'aii green grass, wherein the lark has bull:
LEI little ones nest; i,s orchards hung
With CO uls1n fruit, cherries like Beau,ys lip,
And apples like her cheek; and more than all
It's lowiy cottages, with their matched roofs
No higher than the wding rose can reach;
There seems so much ofquiet ha ppincss
IN the white walls o'or which the honey S;ichlc
las wandered IN ITS sweetness, and above
ihe door has formed porch. mixing its white
And pink vcined punches with the scarlet flowers
Aud broad leaves Of the beau. a little raised
yrom lie ascending ground, is one that stands
Close to the rest, yet different from them ALL
FOR II is desolate!--,hc honey s,irke
DarkAns the broken lattices with bou.lIs,
Heavy with uppruned leaves; the summer stock
In the small! garden OF flowers ard fruit
is trodden down and wasted, aud the weeds
Arc many like the evils of this world;
The STOOL where yet the straw hive stand, is left.
deserted by the bees, for the biuewced
iias checked the entrance with its matted leaves
AND cold pale blossoms II is autumn now,
And oil trees are loaded saving one,
Which stands with neither foliage, fruit nor flowers
Leaiess and lfcless. And beside its trunk
There sits pad Boy, With Thin white Ii;,s,
And, spectre-liko, his hand is Dog
rs neagre as himself, the only thug
That he will lei TO share his solitude.
This was not always so;-when The last Spring
Gave her first kiss 10 Summer, iIe,c were none
More happy than his Father and that Boy
lie had Il Father them and there was not
"A neaier cottage, garden where
Were fruit or flowers plenty. in the vale
They were not poor;-can that be poverty
Where each day brings its oivn? There is faod
Like that ourselves have gained, sleep that
Which is the rest OF labour. Ii was worth
day of tot! 20 sit, MS they wc:ld sill
Through the long winter evenings. by a hc
Less bright than the glad face OF the fair Chill
who sat beside his Father, listening
With eager eyes to the strange tales which he,
a sailor in his youth, could tell; or else,
IN gentle tones heard how his Mother died
3he very day that first lie lispcd her name.
pleasant on 4 ~rvr
To sit in the cool shade OF their own doa..
while Edward quite orgot.ul Of how ted
lie had been in the morning, would star, ~
aud JOIN aud win his young cumra Mons race,
Ills father watching proud of ca CHI feet step.
Qhey revcr seemed apart, for Edward was
Ills own dear parents shadow-labour Was
y pleasure by his side; and ofteM,imes
He would leave all his spolfs, aud fonrlv steal
i" his most happy father, whose whole life
~ as centred but i'll his. There is no tie
Like that last hottest link of love, " hich binds
The lonely child to its more lonely parei,
One day young Edward souch, the ncis15oIine town,
With charge and promise of swift return;
And when the sunshine of Il July noon
Fell hot upon the earth, his father .e:t
His solitary labuur; the blue sky
Vas tarkcned with shadow, and the air
Weighed heavy The brow, and made byca IN l,,;pr
lie entered the low cottage to prepare
Their meal for his tired boy, w!eu suddenly
lie heard sound Of thunder from the hills
Roll DER the valley; locking he saw
a black cloud on the sun. While We, he Uo2sB
Like an Imprisoned spirit bursting forth,
swept blue flood oflghtnng o'cr the sly
Ills Edward-where was Edward? ont nc rushed
Looked ".sttuy 20 the low gardens gatc,-
ahouted-them iistened-tiil the heavy peal
t.choed him as III mocNery. OH n rise,
The limit OF his little gardens stretch,
i acre stood cherry-tree, thea rich with fruit
1t overlooked the land for miles around,
ana from as branches he could see the path
Down which his ciid must lie climbed the rre
but never looked around; the bolt came down
And struck him IN his angcr-Ic lay dead
The storm sank into silence, and the Boz
Drenched but unframed, it one lia IL iour
Youth health and happiness step on the wind,
ne sprang beneath the porch. Was il surprise,
VI tear, or augury, that made him tu!n
fae unto sickness as lie looked abound:
Inc cottage was quite empty,yet the door
vas open wide, the rain had washed the floor
Inc dinner lay untouched, and on the hearth
ihe enlbers had burnt out; aud, stranger still
Ills fathers hat hung up. And Edward cried
Aloud III agony, and a long howl
Answered him from the garden, and he ran,
Led by the souuf,--it was his dog had f,ui'
Ills masters corpse, ami Edward knew his father:
Dim night tell round the Boy--hopr, 10y love fear.
And every other sense but memory, fed,
Nnd that chained, like prisoner, to- one bourht
lie spoke not and knew no one,--tnnk no food
TIL natural hunger mnde him rayenGus
end then he ate un,ba nkfuliy, aud shovel
TO sign OF notice to the Ina nj which fed
re staid beueah that ilro' heat thro cold.
Fog from tina hour he saw his "a lhcr dead
lie was idiot!