Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-11-23

Mencea At its earliest dawn remember seeing
spot called Smith6eld, designated, believe IRON
the number of people named Smith who were buried
there in the reign of Queen Mary. This scene must
have presented itself way celebrated sehooi
ia thai ighborhood, of which the Reverend cicero
Smith then the ruling power
The scholars were nsmerous, and most OF the boys,
il appeared to me- were of that name too lhey hoht
be relations of the masterI certainly was not and yet
there is vague, halfnotion sernidea, cnging TO
my memory-it may be, 10 my ina 9inauoh-uiaL Tor
years that is from 70 ten also went by The
name OF Smith. How IL l cant say with certantyi
but has always impressed itself on my mind that
went 10 bed one night answering had been asked 10
that nare and that awakened the next morning
BY somebody calling out" Clay ii you don't get up
you'll be too late for the . oat"
Upon being thus reused from sleep, and by another
name, j seemed, L somewhat puzzled but as
the master in few minutes summoned me by this new
cognomen his became satisfied that such 'eos
my name, and that idea Of my being Smith was
the Illusion Of a romantic dream. There s no account
ing for the wildness Of youthful Imagination Sul ne
point OF frequent perplexity both then AM al
forwards; and could only conclude that il was from
the almost unive sal prevalence Of hat among the
boys that had confused myself and forgotten "heher
II was mine or not
The only other recollection Of my schooldays is that
all taught that homo Latin for smith, and
that in going through the adecnves, we used to say
bonus Smith q7od boy--sgaias Smith, bad boy
The interview with my schoon,a ster was short as
was simply warned that lhetc time to lose, and
that il only wanted Ten minutes to six ru5bed my
eyes, and then opened then very wide but all Know
is that III few minutes lost sight of school, and was
very soon afterwards shivcring and savelng amongst
acrowd or tubs and packages with what seemed to my
eyes ship ready 10 sail into which somebody uncere'
monously jerked mel being, il turned out, con
signed 10 the care Of Captain Smith in company with
trunk, on which was written. Master Clay Passeh'
GER
All tins was 50 sudden, unexpected, and mysterious,
that il might well have passed for combination 81 the
romantic vision of the previous night IN winch childish
ambition had fondy caught at the glory Of popn'ar
name. That asked many questions IS certaln--and
that l got is likely; for learned nothing
whatever explanatory Of this change in my fortunes
All | remember ls That somebody desired me to be
damned and hat habitually oDejient, but ignorant
at that time how become cried myself asleep
Ii until we he'd made our way 50 far into salt
water az render any of mine rdcalousy super
huous that ascertained voyagng TO the West
Indies, Boys hearts tougher than salt beet and
Sorrow vanly fasteng its teeth them Hope IN youth
is strong be broken. like ship biscuit with
sledge hammer began talking instead e crying,
aud enc day elected from Captain Smith that my mo
Their had died Stratsmh Irelandthat my father was
killed defending Acre under Sir Sidney Smith, and
that his had been successfully beseged BY
detachment Of creditorsthamy schoomas,er mad been
instructed ship without msments delay for the
West Indcs--and that when l got there, l should be
happy nankeens could make me.
could not avoid seeing how strangely my fortunes
were, every turn influenced by or connected WITH
the family II the Smiths. THE family "Ah," / ex
claimed if il had but the instinc, keep and act To-
getlfer. il might govern the world, it has governed
me-" had not then read Cowper, and was not aware
who the first smith really was bat having heard o.
Adam Smith, concluded that he our first parent
and author, not merely Of the Wealth of Nations, but
the Nations also. Happening afternoon, express
some reflection OF this kind aloud was roughly rebu.
ked by sailor, who told mind what said about
Smiths in that ship replied iha, meant no harm,
aud that neither the captain the mates who were
named could hear me, as they al dinner. No"
said the significantly; but the might, and
YOU had better quiz Hs."
Until we arrived Jamaica, continued form all
kinds ofsarmlses respecting the past and speculaons
the future. The first offered the mos, attractive
theme butnot feature of my Infancy could trace.
tried resolleci christening in order remember
my name. Thomas Clay no; had been called Tom
Smith that seemed certain. kept saying that was
sure of H. until felt And why could not i still
be called 50 why go 10y another name in the world
To be called otherwise could only denote afiectaton,
and ridiculous singulariiy couldn't bear 10 be so
centric. Why separate myself, as II were, by mere
name from the majority Of my fellow creatures The
weird "Cay," however, as meaning the material OF
which human nature is composed was, reflected, an
excellent substitute, and in fact differed only in sound.
On landing was made over in regular way with
sundry commercial stores, TO the firm OF Snithson,
Smithers K Co, merchants with whom Captain Smith
had sufficient influence procure post, rather
STOOL ia sorI Of apprenticeship to the business OF
clerk Here fate let me alone for long time grew
out Of my nankeens my sum totals and percon-
tras improved and became arithmeticias enough 10
counttw years ofe each Of my fingers still my
thoughts would fly backward, and Try TO unravel the
mysteries Of nay infancy
My character took change OF melancholy my hab-
its, n lonely My fellow clerks found gsyer
quantances, until regards companIonship, had, in
the language OF the Rev CydHcv Sntltn, preached
myself down the bare sexton" This sexton saved
me by conducting me TO the clergyfnan--not the one
Just mcntioned-but il happened to be Of the
name who joined Lucys hand 70 mine, love had
joined our hearts.
Lucy was the sexton spoke Of She was a dis.
relation Of the junior parer Of the firm, and being
dependent, not tsought SO beautiful his daugh.
But Lucy Smith intei estng in my eyes, she
listened my hisiorytoi its ance, its realizes
my sad and unslenced suspicious regarding my real
name Al last she laughed my anxiety prove my
self Smith and then lsnened the difference Of taste
between u. for. whereas / bent acquiring that
name, while she (she said hoping get lid OF H.
We married upon this, and witty writer in the Mo
lasses Gazette and Guide TO Mirth" felicitously re
marked the occasion, that there was Smith
who a miss since she had been turned to Clay"
The joke created quite sensation in Jamaica.
was not happy in spite of htie advance Of salary
when marriage bore its first fruit My boy only served
10 remind me Of my boyhood
Al times was cheerful. and was wont 10 take great
Delights reading the New Monthly, when !, came
from England, IN which was always to find some
exquisite whmsicaliiy stroke OF humane humor by
one Of the Snhs--Horace or James But one
occasion, turning my eye the advertising sheet my
sensations may DC guessed As Addison think il TO-
remarks, they may be easily conceived than DIES
cribed. | here advertisement TO the effect
sthat IL Thomas Smith who such age AZ such
school namins my identical time and place. aud was
o.oIt baar IL v.l IL