The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-04-15

abroad to welcome the return fspring with yerdure
on its hand. We were leaning against the iron
railing of St. Paus and the gay throng was passing
in rapid, and careless, and counties currents
"As live my old flame, Miss Merrygod she
who could out talk and out dance all creation; the
/ brightest Jewel in the cap of fashion, but oh how
altered; sunken eyes, pale complexion, slender form
wrinkled brow, premature old age; she has lived
| too quick" The lady cast n cold and vacant gaze
upon HIM, and passed on. Who is that fellow in
specs, buttoned up in his great coatl he with grey
hair, shuhin gait, and air Questionable decrep-
itudel Why, it is my old friend and associate
Docter Snuflebags.-Many game of whist and
many a glass of Champagne have cracked to-
gcther. lie is gone, too, in the yellow leaf,-com-
ing down the ladder as quick as possible"
lie thus run on for some time; recognizing some
gazing with strange fancy others, and at length
said, % come let's be off; they don't remember me.
look too lorid, healthy, too well to be recog-
nzed the old rake, who, on fashionable princi-
pes ought to have run his half dozen years
ago"
We rode to the cottage and alighted at the white
washed gate The grounds were neatly laid out
and planted with vegetables; a sheep or two were
browsing a rising ground; the cows were wait
ing for admission into the barn, and the watch dog
barked his welcome as entered plainly furnished
room, where every thing useful, nothing super
nuous; where a cheerful smiI and a kind sauaton
were extended to by the far wife, in whose beau
Gfu and modest face was blended all that was sweet
and amlable, courteous and polite. Did you ever
take tea in the country2 How unlike every thing
in town. Butter Just churned; cream ust skinned
from broad zinc pans; bread of the purcst -four,
freshly baked; eggs brought from the nest by the
little rosy cheek country girl in attendance; Cdte
a Ia WOcha; smoked shad of their own curing (;
preserved peaches and ounces from their own gar
den. A hearty welcome and keen appetite, give
tuous and luxurious board spread by fashion for the
qualification of folly.
After tea, seated on the piazza with n bottle of
sparkling cider before us, he began thus You
thought me dead / was so; dead to every cOHsld-
Grafton and reflection which makes life desirable
and on the high road to ruin-my fortune almost
gone and my health seriously mpaired-gunning,
you may remember was my fayorte spor-one day
walked over bog and fen, and wadcd through fog
and quagmrc, in search of game, until the shades
Of night cncompassed me. felt jadcd and latgued
as light cleaned from the ivy encircled easements
of this very cottage, and resting my gun, with
my pointer dogs crouched at my feet, gazed with
intense interest at the scene before At ono end
Of the table, placed near a chcarul fire. sat old
man whom recognised a veteran of our revou-
tonary warsat the other end his daughter was sea-
ted, reading to him from bible, by the broad light
of an astral lamp. | never saw creature more
bcautful-hcr face bcamed with picty and inteli-
gcncc-hcr long eye lashcs were pcnsvcly closed,
and when she read from the sacred book before her,
her coral lips parting over teeth Of pearl and her
voice sweet as basam to the soul, riycttcd me to
the spot with rapture and delight must have her,
said 1-shc shall be minc--such girl should not
be permitted to " waste her sweetness the desert
air ; I'll carry her off, take her to the city, and
conceal her at one of my old haunts; the bucks and
boods of the town will envy me. She continued to
read to the old man the sublime passages from the
book of Isaiah : her voice was loud and sweet and
her face bcamed with fire and animation. Hold
hold, said to myself let us talk this matter over
what will become of her old father what will the
old soldier do when | have carried off his child :
he who has shed his blood for the very liberty which
| am enjoying. No matter; yet | cannot marry
her: nor can give her up. At that moment she
raised her head, threw aside the raven locks which
covered her high arched forehead, and cast glance
towards the easement. How like dog | looked
how like demon felt; | cannot marry her; she
is country girl and am gentleman the fash
lonablc world will only laugh at mc.-A gentleman,
a gentleman, repeated to myself; for shame, for
shame is 1t the province of Il gentleman to steal
like serpent, at night under the the easement OF
this cottage; to twnc around the innocent girl
til her destruction is complete to bring her aged
father To the grave in misery, venting curses us
hoth; ; to blast and destroy all the happiness | sec
around me If this is the act of gentleman, of a
man of fashion, | am not one no, thank heaven,
am not utterly lost to reason and to virtue no
will marry hers the of health and beauty
and not of guilt shall beam upon her face. Let the
world scott let fools dcridC let fashion trown
let proud ancestry discard she shall be my wife
my honest, my welded wife. Well sir, you hay,
seen her it is needless to recount how woocd an,
won her, honorab!y, faithfully, and how sinccrcl,
and truly happy have been ever since. | seldom
visit the city, because have more powerful attrac
tons at home | read and labor alternately, and re
alize the delight of well governed, well regulate,
marriage"
What n lesson for all fashionable fops and de
cayed rakes! How full of instruction and example
what an escape from precpce; what change from
the prospect OF an early and unhonored grave to al
the realities and blessings of wcll spent life.
: One moral-onc strong, persuasive, convincin