The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-08-12

ION, ana WITH inc same unfortunate excess |
that had dictated my ruined education,
warned me to cross their threshold no more. |.
Under these unfortunate auspices | set up
for myself. My father partially relented,
and furnished me with small sum ofmoney,
which might with prudent management
have started me in business, but in such
hands as mine did little more than prolong
my ve&ation. My wife had some knowl-
edge of domestic matters, had some pru-
dence and forecast, and much industry,
but she experienced hardships which eX-
hausted her patience and impaired her
health. She was united to me under the
impression thatI was rich, and was wofully
disappointed when she found herself the
wife, not only of poor cottager, but of
man destitute of the means of acquiring a
livelihood, and of whimsical and dissatis-
fed mind.
"After enduring several years Of misery,
during which had adopted and abandon
ed an innumerable number Of schemes for
bettering my pecuniary condition, my pa
rents died, and became the heir of their
property. We now, for moment, con-
sdered our anxiety at'an end. moved to
my fathers mansion, determined to follow
his steps. In a short time found under
stood nothing about farming, and that no
competent farmer would remain long in my
service, because las now know | was too
self-suflicent to let him do business his own
way, and | was too whimsical TO perfect
any operation my way. Unsuccessful in
every attempt grew more dissatisfied with
myself and more arbitrary with those about
me, till my house was rendered scene of
discord and alteration. To crown my
misery, l ascertained that my expenses con-
siderably exceeded my income. Piece al-
ter piece ofmy fathers beautiful property
was sold to raise funds to discharge the most
pressing demands, and each succeeding
sale diminished my means of raising live
lihood in future: At last, having an oppor-
tunity, sold the residue of my property,
paid my debts, and determined to emigrate
to some more favoured land with the bal
ance.
81 now supposed I had found the true
cause of all my anxiety and misfortunes.
grew quite sanguine of passing happy
old age in some other region. | attributed
all my disquetdde to my locality, 81 build
ed splendid fabricks of happiness in every
place remote from my own. My wife join
ed in the PROJECT heartily. | therefore con.
with the wagon and horses, and the family
you now see, and one more. But alas!
the phantom Of discomfort which had perse.
cuted me hitherto, followed me in my jour
ney, and made every place present, the mo-
ment arrived at it. No matter how green
= how smooth, how fertile, or how delightful
my imagination had painted particular
: place, while at a distance, and the moment
2 saw it, discovered its blghts and incon
! veniences. Thus | followed the igaiSfa
/ tuuS of my folly from New Hampshire t.
t Georgia. have traversed Virginia, Ken
Y lucky, and Tennessee, and visited the re
y gions of the Mississippi and Missouri
: | have worn out my wagon, my horses, my
n furniture, together with my health, and tina
l of my family. | have buried my younges
g son during my interminable journey, IL an
/ now dragging my weary way back to m,
O native land, in the miserable plight in whicl
It you see me. l have been three years al
d most continually on the road, my funds ar
c exhausted, my spirits are detected, and | ex
It pect no solid comfort except that which
l may find after shall have passed to tha
land where 'Ghe wicked cease from trout
o ling and the weary at rest" You see befor
l you a man, wretched beyond description
J. a. man who has been useless to society;
d burden to himself, and a torment to thos
l. about him. have arrived at this state {
l. degradation without the commission Q
crir,a | have hpen neither intau nprat