The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-08-12
From the New Monthly Magazine tor jane.
BEGINNING LIFE At FORTY.

" Five feet eight, broad shoulders, hazel eyes
forid compl lexion. good nose, white teeth, high fore
head, curly dark brown hair" Had been los
or mislaid at the age of Nineteen such description
my affcctonate parents might have circulated in
the fond hope of recovering their youngest treasure
NoW alas but | will not anticipate
| had good health and good spirits, and thought
myself good looking and that is sufficient to insure
happiness at nineteen. | was, however younger
on,-the youngest indeed, of five children.-and it
was therefore my doom to dig out my own path
through the world. My father had it not in his
power to do more than give me a sufficient to
buy me the spade with which / was to dig it lin
other words, to pay for my outfit. Away | went to
earn my bread by the sweat of my brow, IN climate
where European brows are peculiarly addicted TO
the moisture which in genteel society is rarely
named.
An uncle of mine had an estate in West India
island, and it being considered prudent to send out
somebody to look after it, was offered an allowance,
and at the same time line of conduct was pointed
out which could not fail, if diligently followed, to
lead to competence, and indeed to wealth, in the
comparatively short period of twenty years
/ acceded to the proposal with delight. The eli
mate was unhealthy no matter, relied confiden-
tly on the strength OF my constitution, and talked of
my return at the end of twenty years. with pockets
full of money as gaily as if had been speaking of
events which were expected to take place in twelve
month
How indefatgably will toll " said ~" and
how rapidly will the time pass In twenty years
still shall be on this side forty, still in the very
prime and vigour of life; young enough to enjoy
wealth and all its advantages, and yet old enough
avoid the shoals and quicksand which would proba-
bly, destroy me were now unfortunately in posses
sion of the expected treasure. How | long to be
forty would that could oyerleap the intermediate
years, and myself reflected in yonder mirror,
erect and robust in the full maturity of good looks
forty years Of age with forty thousand pounds in the
funds 7"
viii not trouble the reader with the name of tie
island to which was to be voluntarily transported,
nor will point out the precise path in which | was
to grub my way to independence Whether my
exertions to be mercantile or legal, whether
was perched for twenty years on high stool be-
fore higher desk,-or experimenting slavery (lor
am speaking of the pas0 in the open air, in a
nankeen suit of ditt0s, with an immense straw hat.
shall be matters left to the diligent research of the
curious. at once overleap the laborious interval,
and come to the period when found myself, as had
been predicted, thiry.pine, and very rich BE it
most particularly remembered that my life during
these twenty years had been Of anticipation. l
left England for the purpose of enjoying life on nv
return Enjoyment during my absence not
thought of. | had object to gain, and every
nerve strained, every thought was devoted to its
attainment.
The boy who leaves the play ground to 90 into
school and get through hard task, when the job is
finished rusies back to the of his sports, pre-
clsely spirited, capable of exercise aud as alive
to enjoyment as when he left them; and | thought
myself the prototype of the boy | felt no change
within me,-in the glass which had reflected me
daily for twenty years, it was not probable that
should detect an alteration. No; | would 90 and
m old Mt hmm inst bol
never quilted it
And home went, with my bags ofmoney and all
my golden dreams of enjoyment
had left my family residing in a country town
but digniied with the name of a watering place :
for some medical gentleman most fortunately for the
inhabitants had discovered that the well in his gar
den produced water that tasted particularly nasty.
Being therefore, unavailable for culinary PURPOSES.
he declared 1t to be eminenty medicinal, anayzed
1t and clearly pointed out how mu n salt there was
In it, and how much carbonate of soda aud other
nasty things; and the end of it was that people
came there in crowds of morning to make wrv
faces, swallow gobets of the physical stream, and
listen to the necessary accompaniment of a band of
wind instruments.
The only change that the lapse Of twenty years
had produced IN my native town was q consdera-
BILE increase of buildings. There nv family still
resided, all but my poor father; he was an invalid
when left home, and he had long since been num-
bered with the dead.
1t is high time that | should announce the men,
bers of my family. Ny mother, when left home
was fat, fair, and probably for,y,not that she own
ed to any thing like that age. have said that |
was the youngest of five children my three sisters
were the first born, and my brother was one year
Older than myself.
How impatient was / during the voyage the
night, too that was forced to sleep at the iun at
Bristol and then the next day, what weather how
1t rained and blew No inside place in the coach
but what cared my heart IN its teens, and |
never gave thought to my constitution off went,
and arrived at my mothers house late in the even
ing
snail ever forget our first meeting,-,he happy
meeting that had so long anticipated No, never
Was II happy how could it be otherwise.