The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-10-05

JSTS arc OH my Hedu' "A ltdE uIUpp6u
from his eye on the pale forehead of the
partner of his bosom. She consoled him no
more that day.
He had contracted various small debts
with the tradesman of the village, among
whom were some newcomers who had no!
known him in his palmy days. And even
if they had, the chances are that it would
not have altered their conduct towards him.
Few men makes an egs of the past to
shield qhem from present evils. True he
had been as liboral as the sun that shines on
all alike without distinction; but how soon
do we forget the splendor Of yesterday, if
the sun rise in clouds tomorrow.
His creditors became inpatient & though
there were some hesitation in taking out the
first execution, yet that being done, others
followed as regularly as links of the same
chain There was time when he felt as
confident and secure among the villagers as
in the bosom Of his own family; but now
there was no longer safety for the sole ofhis
foot on his hearth stone. He was humbled
and he moved among his neighbors, bro
ken down man, with fear, and trembling,
dreading all whom he chanced to meet.
At length his library was seized upon and
sold His books were of no great value to
any other than himself, but he priced them
beyond every thing. He had bought them
in his boyhood; they had been the compan-
ion of his life-the never-lailing ministers
Of purest delight-and they at length had
departed from him. True, their places
might have been filed by modern reprints,
but he would not have known his own fa-
miliar friends in their gaudy dresses. TO
take from them the rude simplicity of their
birth, was to break the wan by which they
chained him. TO take the little treasure OF
his boyhood, was to sever she chain that
bound him to happier days, and as he be,
held them scattering one by one, he wept
as if they were things Of life that had aban-
doned him in his mislortunes.
1t was melancholy sight to behold him
after this event, seated in his study gazing
on the empty shelves, and repeating various
choice passages from his favorte volumes.
| witnessed him once, looking intently on
the vacant spot where fine, old copy of
Herricl's poems had stood for near half a
century. knew the place well, for at the
time it was my delight to delve for the pure
ore of that "very best of English lyric
poets" A melancholy smile came over his
bland countenance. and he repeated in low
tremulous voice:
Call me no more,
As heretofore,
The music of the feast;
Since now, alas
The mirth that was
In me, is dead or ceased.
Before | went
To banishment
Into the loathed west;
could rehearse
A lyric verse
And spend it with the best.
But time, ain me
Has laid, see,
My organ fast asleepi
And turn'd my voice
Into the noise
Of those that sit and weep.
His eyes slowly moved along the empty
shelves until they rested upon place that
had been occupied by a collection of the
old dramatists. He smiled though he shed
tears, and continued to repeat in the same
tremulous tone:
Adieui farewell earth's bliss,
This world uncertain is;
Fond are life's lustful Joys,
Death proves them all but toys,
None from his darts can fly.
| am sick, must die