The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1841-07-16

provision which my labor affords, and
should it hereafter become insufficient, |
will not scruple TO ask the aid of bcncyo-
lence."
Mr.. Courtney was affected. The SOL
der again leaned his head over his staff,
and was probably invoking blessings on
the head of his son. A storm had COM
menced, and the sleet was even then
dripping through the broken roof. Mr..
Courtney rose to depart.
"Must | then CO." he exclaimed,
"without rendering you any service {!
Will you not even accept'-and he put
his hand into his pocket. But Alyah
drew back with an expression that ans
wcred the unfinished sentence.
The old man gave him his hand with
an air of benignity. "Accept my thanks,
sir and suffer me to enquire the name of
him who has thus sought the dwelling of
poverty :"
The stranger gave his name, and adj
dress, and receiving a promise that they
would seek him in future need reluctantly
left them. Mr. Courtney was a man of
feeling, but he was also a man of pleas
ure and with the votaries of dissipation,
the soft and holy whisperings of benevo-
lence are too often lost in more seductive
strains. The scene he had now witness
sed had, however, awakened all his bet
ter principles. The dignlied submits
sion Of the father, the proud humility of
the son, preferring the most seryilc labor
TO the shadow of dependence, his deep
but quiet tenderness for his unfortunate
parent, and his perfect exemption from
selfish feeling, all were wildly impressed
on their yistant. If intercourse with the
good influences even cold and torpid
hearts, that influence must be strong III
deed on the soul of feeling. For little
time the pagcantry of the world lost its
power on the gay Courtney, and all the
haunts of pleasure were forgotten. He
shuddercd az he contrascd the elcgancies
that surrounded him with the restitution
he had witnessed. The straw pallet of
age and inirmity, the picture that memo
Try drew, seemed even yet more vivid
than the reality.
The following day Mr.. Courtney had
left the city, but blank cover enclosing
two hundred dollars, had been placed by
an unknown hand in that of the old SOL
der.
Years passed away, and the glow of
unearthly pleasure that the traveller then
experienced was gradually forgotten.
The Establishments of pleasure resumed
their wontcd influence. Her glIttering
wave hurried him onward without the
power of reflection, and if a momentary
wish would have led him to enquire the
further fate of AIvah Hamilton, the bright
phantasma that surrounded him diverted
his purposc.-Death had deprived him of
an amiablc wife, whose influence might
have won him from the sphere of Illu
sion; and his only child, early accustom-
ed to the rounds of fashionable pursuits,
thought not of opposing them. The cX-
allied sentiments, however, which even III
childhood she had imbibcd from her
mother, preserved her from that contaml-
mating influence, and amid the blights OF
a gay world, the purity of her character
remained stainless rs the SHOWS of the
unapproachablc cliff, Gentle as the reed
of summer, she yielded to the impulse Of
those with whom her lot was cast, but
her mind supported by high and frequent
communion with the memory of her
saincd mother, escaped the thraIdom
which habit might otherwise have sCcur-
ed At the age of fifteen she accompan-
led an invalid friend to the medical
Springs at Harrodsburg. This village at
that time was place Of fashionable re-
sort, and to mind like that of Isabel
Courtney, afforded themes of limltless
reflection. The buoyancy Of health was
here conrasted with the langucr of dis
ease, the hectic of death with the laugh
of rcvelry; palpable images of mortality
mingled with the yoarics Of pleasure, the
listlcss who strove TO annlhllate time,
and the dying who sought TO add yet
few more days to those they had now to
number.
Soon after the arrival of Isabel, she
was one day struck on entering the COM
mon sitting room, by an old man, who
sat alone, and apparently nnotIccd. His
.ightlcss eyes, his palsied limbs, and the
white locks that were thinly scattered
over his palIid features, all at once riyct-
ted her attention. Her heart throbbcd
with pity, but reverence mingled with
compassion as she marked the settled and
paid expression of his countenance. At
no great distance group OF ladies were
induging in bursts OF merrimcnt, which
at this moment struck most distinctly on
her heart. She felt thatthc presence OF
unfortunate age should at least inspire
respect, and inyoluntarily approaching
+ the UNDECIDED old man, she was half re-