The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1830-09-04

Thers lived in the village of z
bue Zacharias johnson, godly man anc
rich, moreover saint ofthe same chap
ter as Ebenzer Ephraim Warner; hrs
svoice was the most nasal, his holding iorth
the most unctuous, his aspect the most
sinister. and his vestments the most thread
bare ofthe whole ofthat sacred tribe. To
the ewes of this man there was something
comedy in the person of Mary Warner:
he liked her benuty for he was sensual
ist; her gentlencss, for he was coward;
and her money, for he was merchant. =
He proposed both to the father and to the
son; the daughter he looked upon as a con
-clud;ng blessing sure to follow the Prec-
ious assent of the two relations. To the
father he spoke Of godliness and Scrip
Of the delightfulness ofliving in unity, and
the receipts Of his fourishing counting
house; to the son he spoke the language
of kindness and the world-he knew that
young men had expenses-he should feel
too happy to furnish Mr.. James with some
thing for his innocent amusemcnts, II he
might hope for his (Mr Ja,nes') Unfit
ence over hA wolshy father: the sun, was
specified, aud the consent was sold. A
inong those domestic phenomena, which
the inquirer seldom takes the trouble to
solve, is the magical power possessed by
n junior branch of the family over the
main tree, in spite Of the conti iary and per
verse direction taken by the aforesaid
branch. James had acquired and exer-
cised q most undue authority over the pa
ternal patriarch, although in the habits
and sentiments of each there was not one
single trait in common between them.-
But james possessed vigorous and un-
shackled, his father weak and priest rid
den mind. In domestic life, it is the mind
which is the master. Mr.. Zacharias John
son had once or twice, evenbefore Mary's
acquaintance with Rupert, urged his suit
to Ebenezer; but as the least hint Of such
circumstance to Mary seemed to occa-
sion her pang which went to the really
kind heart Of the old man, as he WINS fond
Of her society and had no wish to lose l.,
and as, above ali, MIR. James had not yet
held these conferences with Zacharias,
which ended ia the alliance oftheir inter-
ests--the proposal seemed to Mr.. Warnef
like a lawsuit to the Lord Chancellor,
something rather to be talked about than
TO be decided. Unfortunately, about the
very same time in which Mary's proposed
escape had drawn upon her the paternal
indignation, Zacharias had made con-
vert Of the son; James took advantage Of
his opportunity, worked upon his fathers
anger, grief, mercantile love Of oflucre, and
saint like affection to sect, and obtained
from Ebenezer a pfoinise to enforce the
marriage--backed up his recoiling scru-
pies, preserved his courage through the
scenes with his weeping and wrotched
daughter, and in spite OF every lingering
sentiment oftenderness and pity, saw the
very day fixed which wus to leave his SIS
ter helpless forever.
1t is painful to go through the series of
inhuman prosecutions, SO common in do
mestic records; that system, which like all
grounded upon injustice, is az foolish as
tyiannical, and which always ends in mis-
cry, as it begins in oppression. Mary
was too gentle to resist; her prayers be-
came stilied; her tears ceased to flow;
she sat alone in her "helpless, hopeless
brokenness of fheart," in that deep despair
which, like the incubus Of an evil dream,
weighs upon the bosom, burden and q
torture from which there is no escape noi
relief She managed at last, within three
days of that fixed tor her union, to write "a
Rupert, and get her letter conveyed t.
the post.
"Save me" ".it said in conclusion, -"
ask not by what means, care not for what
I enc, save me, l implore you, my guard
ian angel. shall not trouble you long
] write to you no romantic appeal:-God
knows that have little Thought for ro-
nance, feel that / shall coon die, only
let me die unscparated from you-you
who first taught me to live, be near me,
teach me to die, take away from me the
bitterness Of death. Of all the terrors o.
the fate to which they compel me, nothing
appears so dreadful as the idea that ma,
then no longer think OF you. My hand i
80 cold that can scarcely hold my pen
but my head is on FIRE. l think could o.
mad, If would-but / will not, Tor iher
you could no longer love inc. hear m,
fathers stop-oh, Hyperion Frida,
next--remember-save me, save me.
But the day, the fatal Friday arrived
and Rupert came not. They arraycd he