Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-10-08

Long before the morning sun peeped
above the horizon Peter was at his
work, and continued it with unceasing
industry through the day; and every
one said when they saw HIM rising with
the lark, 'if he want Thompson,
guess he'd make considerable of man.
While bathing one day in the river
which ran quietly through the town, he
had the good fortune to save the life OF
young man by the name Of Howard,
who was studying law in S.: from
him, during ihe remainder Of his appren-
ticcshp, he obtained many books, and
learned their value; and in hours stolen
from sleep, he derived from them much
useful knowledge, and his ambition was
awakened TO rise above the degraded
s. ate Of his family.
AT the aye OF twenty-one he COM
menced his business in his native vii
Iiage, aud through the exortions Of How
ard at first obtained some CUSTOM; but
notwithstanding all his industry and
exertions,, notwithstanding he did his
work well and never broke his promise,
Peter found that he could get scarcely
sufficient to support himself, although
he made his own clothes, and lived in
the most economical manner possible.
Thu: he Continued for six months;
at the end Of that time he was missing,
and although no particular partali'y
was felt for him, yet curiosity TO asccr-
tain what had befalcn him soon reused
the neighborhood.
The river was dragged, but nothing
brought up except the smooth pebbles
| Oh the bottom; the woods for several
miles round were searched, but no tra-
ces Of him discovered, and it was a: las,
settled that he came 10 his death in some
secret place which had eluded their Wig
lance. The wise heads among the men
now remembered that he had been mel
ancholy for some time, and that he had
avoided associa,ing with other persons
of his age: and all the old women ex-
claimed, Il told you so | know'd no
good would come Of a Thompson; you
can't get.a silk purse out Of sow's
ear
Six years afterwards, Howard estab-
lished himself in furnishing city in
York State which owed its rise, almost
its existence, to the grand canal.
A person Of gentecl appearance came
into his Office short time after his ar
rival to transact some business, whose
features appeared to him familiar, but
all attempts to call to mind where he
had before seen them were unavailing.
lie however soon guessed from the
shrewdness of his clients remarks upon
the affair before them, that he was
native Of the land Of Jehny-cakes.
As the stranger was about to depart,
addressing himself to the young lawyer,
he said | expect you don't know that |
am Peter Thompson, Of s., Mas
sachusetts.'
The meeting was cordial in the extreme.
Howard eagerly inquired what had be-
fallen him since the time he had made 50
unceremonious exit from his native town,
and Peter, or as we must now call him
Mr.. Thompson, gave him the following
recital Of his adventures:
Il became pretty well satisfied that as
long as stayed in s. | should re-
main poor, and as to obtaining respect,
it was entirely out of the question, for
Notwithstanding all my endeavors to con-
vince folks to the contrary, every one
who knew my relations, concluded with
out trial, that no flourishing twig could
spring from SO rotten a stem.
sI therefore determined to settle in
some place where my connexions were
not known, and accordingly on the night
Of my decampment, after waiting until
the silence of the hour convinced me
that all were asleep, set off with a pack
upon MY back, containing my tools and
all the stock had remaining, with but
fifty cents in my pockets, without any
definite route in view, to seek my for
tune among strangers.
| made shift to get along by stop
ping at farm-houses, and mendlng shoes
for my meals, and often received some
thing over When the weather was
pleasant preferred sleeping in the open
air, when otherwise, if | could not pay
for my lodging by my work, | retired to
some barn (asI had determined to spend
no money until absolutely obliged to)
and always slept quietly and soundly,
thanking God that had SO good shell
ter. In this manner travelled about for
nearly two months in different directions,
withou! parting with a cent of money,
and putting what little l received care
fully by as hoard for the future. At
length | arrived here; and liking the
looks Of the place, concluded to settle
down. In counting over my treasure l
found i: had increased to four dollars and
ninetyone cents, part of which laid out
in leather, &c. and put the rest by as