Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-05-14

n 800 o''Sh siShcu, I'm bitterness OF
sSuh over the wreck Of things that had been.
gladly have paid the price of al INV f;,ture
lie to redeem and cancel the past. for I al.
ready shrunk, with prophetic fears. from
what. was TO come Nor could the intoxi.
caung anticipations of that ample wealth
wnich awaited me, when another year should
ciapse, make me forget that was doomed
to enjoy Il atone. felt too, that I should
enter upon my inheritance with a tainted
name; a feeling which the falsehoods and
fawnings OF the parasites who surrounded
me could not obliterate.
Iime, however, rolled on; and I grew
caiious, 1t not reconciled. I could not dis.
gu'se from myself that the more select cir.
Giles OF society were closed against me; or. if
4 found my way into them, some blushing
Whisper was quickly circulated, which crea,
ted solitude around me. For several years
1 suove to bear down this ostracism of fash.
ION, as considered it, rather than of morals
oy the imposing influence Of money. There
was no equipage--no establishment in the
capital which surpassed my own; there was
no patron of the arts, Of literature, or of
science, so munificent; there was no bene.
factor to public charities so liberal; there
was no dispenser Of private bencvolence.
whose aims were so ostentatiously blazoned
iorth. My name was on every tongue; my
movements, and my actions, were the daily
theme OF the newspapers; / lived in the ne
neral eye; but could not level the barrier
which excluded me from the region sought.
at was during this period, and while was
thus squandering thousands to achieve the
conquest of shadows, that succeeded in
!. liking an intimacy with family equal to nv
own IN station, and superior to il in fortune.
The eldest daughter was an heiress of large
Expectations, and my proposals of marriage
we're favorably received. / might almost
SAY that Matilda was mine; when one day
received letter from her father, perempto-
rIly iorbldding my visits. | was thunder
struck. FASTENED to the house, and de-
manded an explanation. 1t was given in
few words. I ,ous referred 10 nly uncle for
any Information Irsquircd.
! This blow struck me down. had run
, through my patrimonial estate; but hoped,
by my marriage with Matilda, TO repair m,
shattered fortune. Three weeks after it was
known that the match was broken off, was
prisoner for debt in the Kings Bench RI
oreathed no curses upon the cause of this
sudden reverse of fortune, but-I swore re-
venge, in silence; and kept my oath. RI
ianguished away six months, q captive
debtor; and then taking the benefit of the
act, | walked forth beggar to prev unon
the world at largel had studied, during that
time, IN an admirable school, where found
professors in every art by which fools are
quilted, aud knavcs foiled with their own
weapons. was an apt scholar, and return
ed 10 the bosom OF society, an adept in the
science of polished depreciation Translate
tins INTO the language Of the Old Bailey, and
became a swindler by profession. Like
the eagle, however, was bird of prev that
scared into the higher regions, and rarely
stopped TO strike the meaner tribes of my
species. bad not lost, with the trappinGs
of my birth, the manners and address Of the
sphere in which had moved; and these were
now my stock in trade for CARRYING on INV
new vocation.
Among the children Of misfortune with
whom | associated in prison, was Charles
fnzroy; bankrupt in every thing but ex-
haustlesS invention, and uncomfortable per-
severance. Give him the free use Of his
limbs, and with matchless dexterity he would
make the contributions of the morning fur
nish out the rIotous expenses of the evening.
1t was his boast, that he would breakfast with
an empty pocket, and dine with purse that
should defray the carouse Of dozen friends
And have known him fulfil bis boast. with
a heart as light, too, as became a man who
thus made the crcdulous fools Of the world
his bankers.
Il was needy, desperate, and an outcast;
and linked my destiny with Fitzroy's. He
had my confidence; such confidence as
confederates in knavcry can bcstow. When
nc obtained his liberty, which he did shortly
after my own was accomplished, he intro
duced INC to bis companions; men who, like
himself, lived by plundering the unwary, and
who looked up to him as their Magnus ApoUo.
was soon initiated in all their mysteries;
and played my part TO admiration Mt the
ganing-table, on the racc-coursc, and in the
| ring.
"titzroy was master Of the secret that Ecs.
Icred near my heart; the Increased and in
creasi1g hatred towards my uncle. re-
gardcd him as my evil genius; for not ONLY