Litchfield enquirer., 1837-03-02
BEGINNING LIFE AT FORTY.
A SKETCH FROM REAL LIFE.

eyes, fOfid complexion, good nose, white teeth, high forehead, curly dark brown hair.' Had been lost or mislaid at the age of nineteen, such description my af. fectionate parents might have circulated, in the fond hopes of recovering their youngest treasure. Now alas !-but will not anti cipate.
 had good health and good spirits, and thought myself goed-looking, and ,!'a, is sufficient to insure happiness at nineteen. | was however younger sOn,-the young est, indeed, of i've 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 sum sufficient to buy me the spade of which was to dig it; in o,her words, to pay for my outfit. Away went to earn my bread by the sweat of my brow, in a climate where European brows. are peculiarly ad- dicted to the moisture which in genteel so- ciety is rarely named.
 An uncle of mine had an estate in a West India Island, and, it being consider ed 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 fol- lowed, to lead to competence. and indeed to wealth, in the comparatively short peril cd of 20 years.
 acceded to the proposal with delight. The climate was unhealthy; no matter, I relied confidently on the strength of my constitution, and talked of my return at the end of 20 years, with pockets full of money, as gaily as if had been speaking of events which were to take place in a twelve month. 'How indefatigably will l toil,' said I, and how rapidly will the time pass! in 20 years l shall be on this side of 40, still in the very prime and vigor of life; young enough to enjoy wealth and all its advan- tages, and yet old enough to avoid the shoals and the quicksands which would probably destroy me were I now anfortu- nGtely in possession of the expected treas ure. How long to be forty would that could overleap the intermediate years and see myself reflected in yonder mirror, erect and robust, in the full maturity of good looks, forty years of age, with forty thou- sand pounds in funds!'
 I will not trouble the readerswith the name of the island to which I was to be voluntarily transported, nor will point out the precise path in which was to grub my way to independence. Whether my exertions were to be mercantile or legal whether I was perched fer 20 years on a high stool before higher desk, ,-or snper- intending slavery (for I an speaking of the past) in the open air, in nankeen> suit of dittos, with an immense straw hat, shall be matters left to the diligent research of the curious. at once overlcap the laborious interval, and come to the period when found myself, as had been predicted, thirty nine, and very rich. But it must be par ticularly remembered that my life during these 20 years had been one of 0nticipG- ton. I left England for the purpose of enjoying life on my return. Enjoyment during my absence was not thought of. had an object to gain, and every nerve was strained, every thought was devoted, to its attainment. #
 The boy who leaves the play ground to go into school and get through hard task, when the job is finished rushes back to the scene of his sports precisely as spirited, as capable of exercise, and as alive to enjoy ment as when he left them and thought myself the prototype of the body; l felt no change within me,-in the glass which had reflected me daily for twenty years, it was not probable that I should detect an alter ation. No; would go and resume my old position at home, just as if had never quilted it!
 And home went with my bags of mon ey and all my golden dreams of enjoyment
 l had left my family residing in coun- try town, but dignified with the name of a watering place for some medical gentle men, most fortunately for the inhabitants. had discovered that the well in his garden produced water that tasted particularly nas- ty. Being therefore unavailable for cuina- ry purposes, he declared it to be eminent ly medicinal, analysed it, clearly pointed out how much salt there was in it, and how much carbonate of soda. and other nasty things; and the end of it was that people came there in crowds of a morning to make wry faces. swallowing goblets ol the physical stream, and listen to the ne- cessary accompaniment of band of wild instu uments.
 The only change that the lapse of 20 years had produced in my native town was a considerable increase of buildings. There my IamIy stH TeSiues dH Dut my poor 1atn- CT; he was an invalid when I left home, and he had long since been numbered with the dead.
 1t is high time that ] should announce the members of my family. My mother was fat, fair, and probably forty,-not that she owned to any thing like that age. 1 have said that was the youngest of five children: my three sisters were the first born, and my brother was one year Oldeg