Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-04
VD5a W
Fan, TIE Nev England Gaiary.

no
IN most admirable book. Excepting the
Ills. l story, and episode about Gustavus
,oInbns the men of Delacarlia, &c, it is
'l =. r,tr and the story of his apprentice,
,r'oso Glen, is one of the most pathetic and
s",,f,l narratives ever written. The fol-
-li extract is dialogue between MansIe
his wife Nansie, about the trade to which
/ -. - .Eopld nut their little son Benjie, who,
.,orIing to the prediction ofan old vagrant
40 fortune teller, was one day to be an
.inirl. -, -.
nllanyand long were the debates between
! food mother and me, what trade we would
.,oJ him Nd to, for the matter now became
c,;ops. Benije being in his thirteenth year;
Il though a wee bowed in the -ieg, from
.,oIeness about his nce1ioint, nevertheless
/. ,rtiyc a, halter, and fit for any calling
rb,,<oever under the sun One thing | had
,Is,ermined in my own mind, and that was,
|mt he should never, with my will, so abroad.
The gentry are no doubt philosophers enough
n briing up their BARNS like sheep to the
|,5rgh,er. and despatch them as cadies to Ben
al and the cape of Good Hope, as soon as
Soy re crown up; when 10 and behold, the
ri news thew heard Of them was in letter,
g,le5 with a black wax telling howthey died
or,hc liver complaint, and were buried by
SIX blacks, two hours after
That was one thing settled and sealed, so
/ % more need be said about it; yet notwlth-
sanding of Nansie's being satisfied. that the
p,cwiic was a deecitlul gypsy, perfectly I'M
trustworthy, she would aye have finger IN
ne pie. and try to persuade me in coaxing
gay Pm sure, she would say, Sane with
|nlf an &c may see that our son Benjie has
us the physog OF an admiral. It's great
shame cOntradicting nature"
"Po, DO, answered |, woman, ye dinna
ken what we're saying. Do We imagine that,
i he were made sea admiral, we could ever
i've to have any comfort in the son OF our bo-
Om? Would he not think yc, be obhsed,
sith his ship to sail the salt seas, through foul
weather AMI fair, and when he met the French
10 fight, hack and hew them down, hth and
limb, with grape shot and cutlass; till some
unfortunate day or other, alter having lost a
leg anda arm in the service, he is tclied as
dead as door nail, wi q cut and thrust over
the crown by some furious rascal that saw
he was of his guard, glowring wi his blind
&C another way: fe speak haivcrs, Nansc
what drc a the hOnorS Of this world worth
No worth this pinch of snuff have between
my huger and thumb-nO worth 4 bodle, il
we never saw our Benjie again, but he was
aye ranging and rlmpagins far abroad, she'd
ding human blood; and when we could only
ave dream about him in our sleep, as one that
was wandering night and day blindfold,
down the long, dark, lamplcss avenue of des-
iqcton, and destined never more to visit
Dalkeith again, except with wooden stump
and brass vrl, or to have his head blown off
ms shoulders, mast high. like ingan Feelings,
with some exploding earthquake of combus-
uOe gunpOwder.- in the laddie, | say,
and see what he wad like to be himself
Nanse rac about the house, and straight
way oroug Benjie who was playing at the
oooIs, ben by the lug and horn, i had got a
SlSS, and 50 my spirit was up. Stand there,
'Ad 'BenJie, look me in the face, and tell
@eWhat traid We would like to be.
Trade : answered Benjie, Il would like
BE gentleman
Dog on it, it was more than | could thole,
''G saw that his mother had spoiled him ;
=" though aye liked to give him wholesome
'eprOot rather than lift up my hand, broke
through this rule in couple of hurries, and
gave INN such ayerk in the cheek with the
o0I otmy hand, as made, I'm sure, his Tugs
ing, and sent him doing to the door like q
Peerie
And, mansic havingby this and other vigor'
Jus proceedings, reduced his spouse and his
non 10 reason and obedience, executed his pur'
pose OF binding out Bcnjic apprentice to the
oarber's business.