The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-05-07

kindness of the monarch, lived not long enough 10
learn that the favor of princes may be more fatal
than their irown.
John Oxenham, Young, high-splrlted and pas
sionate-with fine person, graceful manners, and
an insinuating address, was CITED in an eminent
degree with the requisite qua callons Tor making
brilliant figure in the court Of the restored mon
arch But the affection of the King, the posses
sion of wealth, and the exampr of n Iicenlious cir
Gle of friends, produced their Inll effect upon the
undiscipIined mind Of the youth The fate of his
noble father, the lessons of yirtHo inculcated by his
excellent mother, were alike fo1otlen, and among
the prohigates of the day, John Oxcnham soon be-
came as prominent for his vicious indulgences as
for his elegant person and addrr-s Duplcity and
hypocrisy were then court virtues, while vice, dcs-
titute even of the ilmsy veil which refinement
throws over its hideOus features, was the bosom
friend Of the prince, as well as the mobiles of Eng
land An adept in all the wild eycesses and iollies
of the lines the fine fortune of the heir of Oxen
ham melted away like snow before the sun. The
morning of his wenty-ffth birthday saw him in
volved in debts which threatened to swallow up
the noble heritage Of his fathers and leave him a
homeless beggar But the gnunis Of those times
had learned secret in the art Of alchymy, which
is not yet forgotten in modern days. lfthey could
not extract wealth from the philosophers stone,
"
looks, and the taliSman of lovers vows; so that it
was no strange thing for a spendDhrIIt courlier TO
piece his WORKOUT cloth of gold with scrap
from the well-ned (rcze icrlin Of q city trades
man. Every feeling of John OXcnham's nature re-
volled Mt the thought Of marriage i'i1 own oNpe-
rience amid the tainted beauties Of high life, had
taught him lesson Of dlstrust in the virtue Of w0-
man, and he was certain that such an alliance
would draw down upon him rdicuIc and. perhaps,
disgrace, But no alternative remained. save a
speedy flight from the harpy claws of hi, creditors,
or matrimonial connection with some wealthy
dame, ambitious enough to barter, for courty
bridegroom, her fortune and her happiness.
But fortune seemed disposed to favor Inc heir Of
Oxenham. In his frequent visits the Jew money
lender, by whose aid his broad acres had heen
! transmitted into the precious melllS he had more
than once, behed the dark eve Of muled f.
male gazing down upon him, MS by stealth, from
an upper easement; ana had he been less entar-led
in more serious matters, he wor d probably have
been induced to penetrate the N, terry in which the
vcled beauty seemed involved, But pcrpicNcd rs
he was, with necunary difficulties, he would
scarcely have venlurcd upon new and perlou'
affair of gallnn,ry, had he not accidentally heard Z
rumor Of her history, Born in the wids of the new
world, the daughter Of native princess, and NJ
English advenlurer she had been entrusted to tn,
care Of the Jew in her childhood, aud in his hand,
were placed the rich treasures which the mines OF
ri Dorado had afforded 10 the cupdity of tho for.
tunare sailor. But about the time when the father
WIS expected TO return TO his native land, tdng'
: of his death arrived and the youthful ZIlnh, left
an orphan in n country of strangers, was en,rel
in the power Of her coveous guardian 1t is true
the Old man had always treated her as a daughter
the secret apartments in which she was secluded
were hung with tapestries each worth an earl
! ransom-silver lamps, fed with the perfumed oils
, of the East shed their soft light upon luxurious
, conches, and carpets woven in Persian looms
while all that art could invent of rich and rare, wal
, bestowed upon the ndornment Of her exquisite
4 beauty. But stl she was only prisoner in hi
hands for Nordecai loved her wealth and he snugh
TO hide her from all eyes until his only son shoul'
return from his distant pilgrimage, when nc hopct
~ secure her riches by giving her in marriage Il
p the Young Hebrew. Blu, there was treason IN lh
4 Jews households; domestic, whom he had III
A treated, told the tale Of the yelled beauty TO IN
Lord Of Oxcnhsm. and the glowing description
/, which he gave of her surprising beauty, as well
Of her ynois Of fine gold aroused the strongest pas
sions in the nature Of the saled courler ny mean
IS of the servant who in the confidence OF IiIah
the affair was arranged with The utmost secrecy an
G success. Letters, expressive Of The most devn'e
Il affection, had heen the agents employed by IN
i ord Of Oycuhnm, to win the heart of the nnoccr
!. recuse. and, although she never replied to them
save by the mouth of the trcachcrous domestic, yet
h 10 nature arden, ms hers, they quite sucler
IL 10 arouse new feelings in her grIlsh heart I'll
consented to nm rlopomsnt, and they, who M
\, never exchanged q word with each other, save b
ne the intervention of third person, now met at VI
g. altar to exchange a marriage vow. The irst I'm
I'd Oxenhum ever listened to her voice, II wSs VIM
in prononncing the oath which hound her forever
of his side and /, was not until the marriage had bee
to legally soemnizrd, that he earned the secret {
O. her ready acqulescence in his suit. she stood h'
I'd fare him in all the budding loneliness of glrhood
he beautiful ~ dream, hut a cloud was upon III
n spirit which should have lighted mp that gIorlo,
W temple. She was ike child whose faculties ha
Of never been awakenedsmple ,arilcss, ailectlonai
d. hut with dimncss Of intellect whrh. while it WI
i'd far removed from idocy, yet placed her in n low
w scale of being than her seraphc beauty seemed
or frs, to claim. Nothing but her enormous veal
Il cou'd have reconcilcd John OAenham 10 such
j. bride, whose very imbecility Of mind rendered h
TO peculiarly Liable 10 the dangers OF court lie, ar
r he marked out for vengeance. the treacherons Sc
of want who in The prosecution oil revenge on The
H. lew. had been careful TO conceal all the meDi
No Deficiency Of the helpless Zllah. But de,rrniniT
Of 10 lose no time in securing her rich dowry, the o
Of of Osenhan applied TO the King, and relating
d. the merry monarch the tale Of his clandes'lne ma
10 rinre implored his maiesiy's aid IN compelling u
n crafty guardian to relinqulsh her wealth. This
IL had little difficulty in obtaining, and the old mi
h. was glad TO escape with heavy fine in addition
O. the restoration Of the brides riches. But when u
is money was secure, and the King pressed oSenha
o, to present his Indian princess to the curious ey
or ceurt circle. he met with evasons and excuse
The sweetness. and helplessness Of the 'imd Iill
us had awakened as much tenderness in the heart
on the selfish voluptuary, as he could now feel nj
%, resolving, for her sake as well as his own to p'
M serve her from the pers Of the gay world, he hH
it tened to bury her in the seclusion Of Oxenhu
on Hall. Loving her husband, as a child will 10
'n one who looks kindly upon it, with southern ardt
rl and with infaniine tenderness. Iillah asked
are greater happiness than to he his Peed playtblr
gu or the world, she knew nothing and therefore t
noble mansion in which she now found herself m
,ress. seemed. to her. a very paradise Of Joy. T
he anxiety with which Oxenham watched her eve