Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-04-27

A writer in the Baltimore visiter tells
the following Interesting story, under the
head Of"The Fireside."
"Aias. misfortunes travel in tram,
And oft in life form one perpetual chaaa'
Fear buries fear, and ills on ills attend
Till life and sorrow meet one common
end" Young.
The individual mentioned in my
last humber came at the time apposnt-
ed, and as his story may be efistcsesf
to the reader, lay it before him with
out further preliminaries.
.My name is William Thompson"
said he, II was born in Virginia, IN the
city Of Petersburg, and am now thirty
eight years Of age. My father was a
flourishing merchan; ofthat city. and
had gathered together a considera-
bic portion Of the worlds goo1s. He
intended that l should be a lawyer,
and accordingly at the age Of fourteen,
l was placed in the Office Of an emi-
nent Counsellor. But being Of a
warm and lively Imagination, the dry
details and close study required, were
far too irksome for me, and consequent
ly used every opportunity which Of
lered, for my own qualification, and
cared nothing for my profession, vainly
trusting that should receive from
my fathers property more than sum
cient for all my wants and pleasures.
But in this have been sadly mistaken.
Time wore away, and ] gradually
emerged into manhood. ! had passed
my twentieth year, and became re-
leased from my engagement with Mr..
-thc aforementioned counsellor;
and as | possessed some little knowi-
edge Of law, opened an Office, and sat
down 10 the most tedious of all occu-
Pations, that Of waiting for clients.
But law was not the only thing
which occupied my mind. ] had an
other, and more intensely absorbing
subject for reflection. In the same
neighborhood in which my father re-
sided the wealthy and proud Gen. l.
-s had taken a superb mansion;
and as our family was one which moved
in the first circle, l was Of course fire.
queDt vIsiter at his house. There was
buto,se attraction, however which drew
me to make frequent calls. and that
was his only daughter, then about Sc
venteen. ] will not torture language
for the sake Of describing her, for
language never can convey a 1.-THE of
the beauty Of human perfection to the
imagination--it must be seen to be
rightly appreciated. Hers was not
only visible lovcliness, bat an intel
lectual one. felt that she VAS tool
pure, too exalted for me, yet neverthe-
less / loved her-a!n,ost adored her. |
Much Of my time was spent in her
to the utter neglect Of a busi-
ness which might, if had rightly i'm
proved my chances, been n source Of
wealth, independent Of any expccta-
tions from other quarters. l was ac-
cepted by her on the offer Of my hand,
heartily by her friends and
mine. l was then a happy man-but
it was bewildering happiness. The
day was fixed when we were to be uni
ted in the presence of heaven and
earth; and as counted each moment
that passed, l felt as though every bou,
was doubly heightened. There was
!. constant sense Of oppression about
my heart for the last three or four days,
made more burdening by vague feel
ING Of doubt and uncertainty regardIngI
The future-I cannot tell why It was
70, but cloud was upon my bosom,
winch subsequent events tell me was
prophetic Of the swift sorrow which
was following in my footsteps. had
a rival 10 her affections; a man whose
revenge ] have since felt to be wither-
ing. Hc never forgave me the crime
of being accepted by Caroline LIS,
and has since pursued his helpless vic
tim with milicioysness absolutely re-
The day appointed for our nuptials
was in the latter part Of July 1913.
The evening previous I had parted
from her reluctantly at late hour,
and asl wandered slowly homeward,
This same understandable sense Of op-I
preston came over nse; and notwith-
] struggled hard to osereome
il, wrapt me in . bewilderine cone1ious-
hess 6 approaching misery. On ar
irving ut my dwelling ! FASTENED to my
chamber, and throwing myself on the
bed was soon lost in a troubled and I'M
slumber. Horrible dreams
my imagination, and as ! a
woke. reused hH INV fancy painting a