The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-05-29

and received their character from il. y
This species of character, of course, in
that sober and virluous period of-our
history, made him the hatred and terror
OF all the parents of the community !:
they feared, and justly too, the effect
which the influence Of so daring char
acter and oyerbearlng a Disposition would
have on their children, and they bid them
shun him as the destroyer of their moral
principles an corrupter of their manners.
Driven, in this manner, out of the pale
of society, his mind became soured at
the world. dissatisfied with his condition,
with those around, and particularly with
the state of society in which he lived.
To no person was Samuel SO obnox-
ious as to cur neare st neighhor: he had
large family Of children which he had
brought up with all the strictness of the
puritans he was a man OF rigid, severe
and morose temper, aud saw,wilh pain,
every attempt at any alteration of the
manners of his ancestors. At the age
of twelve Samuel was forbidden all COM
munication with neighbor Hopkins
house, with such contempt and contume-
ly, that he swore vengeance against him
and his. For five years, during the un-
lucky period Of boyhood did he contrive
every means in his power TO annoy his
enemy, and almost weekly for five years
did my uncle Joel have complaints
against his reprobate son, and discipline,
and exhortation, and advice, were lost
upon him. Ever little plan that juve-
nile malice could suggest was put in re-
QUESTION to injure the Deacon. His fruit
was stolen, his vines were cut up, the
cattle admitted to his corn, the palng
from his garden fence torn off, with a
thousand such trifling insults, which kept
Deacon Hopkinsin constant irritation,
and, when discovered and traced to Sam
uel, my uncle Joel despaired at the un-
towardness and stubbornness of his eld-
est born. Affairs went on this way until
one day. when Samuel was about IL
years old, he was rambling around the
precincts Of the two farms with his gun,
and listlessly following the course of a
brawling stream that raved. anaong the
rocks Of bushy dell. Samuel though
waywnrd and Aeadstrong possessed tai
ents Of no inferior order, and rude nat
ural taste, uncuItivated, it is true, by the
refinements of civilized life, but high and
elevated from the solitary rambles his
proud unsocial disposition led him to
take, amid the grandeur of the native
scenery of his country
1t was a mild morning in June, the air
had an elasticity in it that bouyed up the
spirits in spite of themselves-th ro-
mantle dell, the willows just bathing in
the foam of the stream, and the rivuet
in its strength fretting over the rough and
sheltered hole, all gave him-a softness Of
feeling he had seldom experienced, and
led him, as he flung himself from rock to
rock, to reflect on his waste of time, of
talents, and of usefulness. Suddenly, as
the stream became less noisy ia its course,
he heard the ngled shouts and laughter
of female voices; turning at the sound
he saw he had penetrated into the CEN
tre of. Deacon Hopkins possessions.
He Immediately concealed himself from
view behind a jutting rock, and soon
perceived that the noise proceeded from
whole bevy Of girls and domestics be-
longing to the Deacon's family, coming,
as was the custom in those simple times,
to the brook to perform their weekly
washing. After observing, rather list
lessIy, their operations for few mo
ments, he was about retrucing his steps,
when, hearing noise beneath him, he
looked down from the corner of the high
and rugged rock on which he lay and
saw that one female had separated her.
self from the group and was reclining on
the rocks, following, with her eyes the
light foam as the current swept in its
petty fury by her. Samuel was entran-
ced. he had heard the neighbors speak
Of Sarah Hopkins, but his own exclusion
from the house, his hatred of the family
that would not allow him even to join "A
circle that had one of its hated members
in it, and above all the exceedingly deli.
cate health of the girl herself, had all
prevented his ever seeing her. Judge
then of his surprise, his admiration at
the object before him, judge of its effect
on youth of IL, susceptible, self willed
as he. Sarah was now about sixteen
her form was slight and delicate, and the
feebleness Of her constitution had pre-
vented her from sharing in those domes-
t,s duties which might have taken from
the expression of extreme iragility and
delicacy in her person. Her bonnet
was flung off and her dark auburn locks
escaped over her bright neck and bosom
in negligent though graceful profusion.
Her forehead was high, and her nose
slightly Grecian, with an expression of
firmness joined with the most delicate
reserve abouth her mouth and pale