Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-11-01

mas way Of thinking Mr.. Job Nope
ton has long since set at naught bis
mothers decrees: finding in his bOyhood
that bird-nesting and angling, and in
his youth that hunting and shooting
were forbidden as cruel and inhunan
sports, he very naturally took the FIRST
opportunity that offered to quit her ma
ternai protection, and is now dashing
militairs, continually drawing upon Mrs
Mopeton's purse, aud adding another
thorn to her thorny pillow.
Indeed the virtues and trials Of this
unfortunate lady are the universal theme
Of conversation in the neighbourhood OF
her residences; every body talks of them,
but nobody sympathises; for who can
have any feeling in common with such
being as Mrs. Mopeton! Alas, she
stands, like her residence, alone and
sad, her company sought for by none
but toadics aud subscription hunters,
who ever and anon report her to be "a
most excellent woman
Quite in an opposite direction to
Mount House, yet not Tar distant, nes-
ties under hill, and the shelter OF a
wood, low r0oied cottage, the picture
Of humility. What little Paradise! its
verandah front covered with gay flow
ers, its miniature shrubbery putting forth
at this time IA proiusion Of blossoms,
while the tiny garden loads the zephyr
with its perfume. In this pleasant re-
treat lives a lady, who, born to afflnence
was murried to the man Of her choice,
and became the mother Of happy and
contented family; but adversely, that
stern monitor, camo and robbed her Of
her fortune and her husband is one short
| Year. Those who have known how diff
ficult it is to learn economy at the mid
die period of life, how difficult to 'clip
habit oftheir wings, and To lorego the
| enjoyment Of their tastes and luxuries
which belong to refined society, who
know how calling it is to high indepen-
dent spirit to find itself humb.ed and i'm.
poverished, and to bow to the proud
mans COMMUNICATIVE know how sad
it is for an affectionato heart to feel IT,
81 IL alone in sorrow, can guess at the
state Of Mrs. Merriworth's mind. She
| grieved with a woman's tenderness for
her departed partner, and struggled with
masculine foritude against tho trials
which surrounded her.
Storms and sunshines are, however,
alike inconstant in this changeful world,
and the silent wing OF time has chased
away many Of her anxieties, and all her
| nln hat cfr
that her life had been an 'even tenor OF
peace and tranquility; for although she
has her private regrets, though memory
clings with fond tenacity to departed days
her conntenance is a never-ialing anti
dote to melancholy. Her charity is OF
the best kind, that (which giTeth freely
and upbraideth not;' riches are not at
her disposal, but kind and compassion-
ate disposition points out to her many
ways Of afordIng assistance to the poor
and unlortunate; while her cultivated
and discriminating taste has brought to
light many gem that would otherwise
have remained IN darkness. She makes
no figure in subscriptiOn-lsts: them she
transfers to Mrs. Mopeton-who would
believe herself far OIL the road to destruc-
tion' if she sent one Of them from her
doors;-yet she enjoys the goodwill OF
the few she has obliged, and the best al
fections Of her family. Her daughters
are quite content to remain with her till
they can be married without running
away; while her sons, engaged as they
are in active life, look back with delight
to the days Of their childhood. and an-
ticipate with school-boy eagerness every
return to their beloved home. 'Honour,
love, obedience, troops Of friends, are
hers; but we hear nothing about her be-
ing "a most excellent woman!' all the re-
mark she excites, is an occasional ex-
preston Of wonder at her unbroken spir-
Is. II, however, her rich neighbor were
obliged to change situations with A1rs.
Merriworth, we should soon see which
was the most excellent Of tho two widow
ed ladies'.