Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-11-28

ten wears: 1t was at their fathers iune-
raj. The old gentleman had died in the !
presence Of his eldest son only, reitera-
ling with his latest breath those inlunc-
tions SD often before employed in vain,
that his two sons might be restored to
brotherly friendship, AN object he said,
which engrossed his thoughts so much ir
life, that he felt he could not rest easy in
bis grave unless it were accomplished.
] he two brothers met, but without taking
the least notice Of each other, when re-
spectively mounting their carriages, in
order to follow the corpse Of their father
to the f.mily burying ground in Aber-
deem. Their hearts were flied with
aercc and indignant feelings towards
each other, though II is not improbable
that the elder had been oniewhat touch
ed, almost imperceptibly to himself, by
The dying entreatics of his father.
The procession, consisting of II hearse
and the carriages Of the two brothers,
set out on its long and dreary journey,
which was rendered additionally melan-
choly by the gloom of u December day.
1t was originally determined that there
should be no stoppage, exceptto exchange
horses, till they reached their destination,
but this arrangement was destined to be
strangely Disconnected. A fall Of snow
which had begun only that morning in the
low country, was found when they reach
ed the hilly region, to have been Of two
days continuance; and it was with the
greatest difficulty that they reached a
lonely inn, about half way towards the
capital, beyond which it was declared by
the postillions, there was no possibility Of
proce eding that day. This humble place
! Of ente tertainment was accustomed TO lodge
only such guests as carriers, and as it as
partly occupied on the present occasion
by various wayfarers, the host with all
! anxiety TO accommodate such distinguish
ed guests as those who had Just arrived
! found he could not offer them more than
two rooms. 1t was his expectation, that
while one Of these was devoted as de-
cency required to the reception Of the
corpse, the other would serve for the two
mourncrs, and he accordingly proposed
to make up an additional bed in the room
! which he had marked as that which
should receive his living guests. What
was his astonishment, and what was the
astonishment Of the host, when he was
informed by servant that one of the
gentlemen would sleep in one of the
rooms, while the other had no blection
to that in which he had placed the corpse
1t was not, however, for him to make
any resistance to such an arrangement,
and he accordingly caused the rooms to
be prepared as bcftted the taste Of the
guests.
| 1t must communicate a strange feeling
! to know that two brothcrs--men OF culti-
waited understandings, and each respe cite d
in his sphere for public and private worth
ACTUALLY carried This dreadful arrange
msnt into effect, in order to avoid what
they must have contemplated as a more
painful thing, the spending of single
night in each others company. 1t was
the younger who proposed, as a solution
Of the dilemma in which he found they
were, to take up his quarters in the same
chamber with the corpse; objectionable
as the elder was for his share of the dis
sension, it was but justice to him to
state that he could not after the dying
request Of his father, have encountered
the sensations which might be expected
to rise in so dreadful situation, During
the evening the storm prevented them
from going out Of doors, each kept his
own room, and was severally served with
the refreshments which he required.
Night came, and each went to rest.
Morning returned and still the storm was
unabated. 1t was therefore necessary to
spend another day in the same extraor-
binary circumstances. Slowly, slowly
waned the hours Of twilight day; aud
still the snow continued to fall in its broad
and lazy flakes, seeming to the two bro
Tiers as each surveyed it listlessly from
the window, the very personifcation of
monotony. AS the rooms were close to
each other, ard only divided by thin
partition through which there was door
of communication, each Of the unhappy
gentlemen could overhear every thing
that his neighbor did, almost so to his We
ry breathing. 1t at length became the a
musement of each, unknown to his fellow
to watch the proceedings of the other
to note every football, to register every
sigh. George in particular became in
terested, in spite Of himself, in the situa-
ton of his brother, which, in considera.
ton Of what he had heard from the lips
of his dying father, bore to him an as
pect more repulsive and painful than per-
haps to the actual sufferer.
AT length, when after a weary day the
time Of rest again drew nigh, and the
house became more than usually still, he
heard groan--a groan partly suppress
sed hut sill hearing distinctly the inn