Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-11-16


having been brought up to any trade or
profession, | was keenly sensible ofthe
difficulties ] might expect 10 encounter
in my life yet very early determined
that | would not be burden on my
father. though many circumstances pre-
vented my leaving home ill | was
eighteen years of age. Up to this time
! had assisted him in his business, but
things were getting so bad, that | clear
ly fclt mysel(an incumbrance instead of
an aid, and determined that some change
should take place. Living as we did in
a seaport town, where there was a CON
slant influx Of strangers from every part
of the world, il is not surprising that
should hear great deal Of foreign coun-
tries, or that my thoughts should be di-
rected TO making fortune abroad. Ac.
cordingly having formed an acquaintance
with the master Of n trading vessel, he
Promised TO take me with him the next
voyage, with the understanding that
was To make myself generally useful. -
! had no definite idea of where | was 10
be- landed, or hOiU ! was to make the for.
tune ; but suspect this is the case with
many an adven'urer.
II was night that was to 60 on board
] had taken leave OF my father and
mother but though nearly sixty years
have passed over my head since that
time, ! well remember the yearring Of
affection which prompted me once agnin
to turn back and bid last adieu TO Lucy
] saw my mother and sister, but my ia
ther had parted with me on board the
ship aud when ! unexpectedly roache d
the house, he was from home, or he
would probably have walked back with
me TO the harbour. A. il was, was
alone (; but scarcely had been ten
mlnnies IN the street, before a confused
noise burst upon my ear, and presently a
red glare in the heavens proclaimed that
there was dreadful fire in the town -
As | approached the harbour, | came
nearer and nrarer 10 The scene Of CON
II n,graiion, and soon discovered from my
own knowledge of the locality and the
shouts which ] heard, that the ware
houses oi MI Belton were on fire.
must tel! you, Sidney, that my family was
Mr.. Bolton was delested for, from my
earliest years, can remember the fact
that every one spoke III OF him. | sup.
pose he must have been a harsh master
aud gripping creditor, aud indeed there
ircre many sad stories about him. Yet
with all my prejudice agairsl his name,
] must own felt shocked at the retrlbu-
ton which awaited him
Do Sou know that, so confidently may
The British character, taken in the az
pregaie, be relied on, that the number Of
iircmcn belonging To the engines has al
way been wholly Inadequate to working
them, for able and hearty volunteers
are always found among the crowd,
wmrh the awful solemnity of fire attracts,
and these supercede the necessity OF en-
rolling ii larger number of hremen.--I
Some said the fire was the work Of an
incendlary but this was never proved =
Certain, however, IT was, that when |
approached the spot, | found the crowd
assembled, almost without exception, be-
he'd the national character. Instead Of
The - nrr",s courage which such occa-
SONS usually drew lolib, the mob appear
cd Ia ENJOY the sight, as might be Judged
from th' II demonstrations OF licndiSh nIee.
Some sin"d at little distance, with fold ,
cd arms, calm spectators of the fearful
scene while others mingled execraiions
on Mr.. Bolton, with savage cries of Joy,
al every fresh triumph of The unbrldlcd
element. Had the mob been differently
disposed, there is no doubt its ravages
would have been quickly stayed and the
flames would noi have extended To the
dwelling house of Mr. Brlton, which was
adjoining. Bu, the cxcrlons of the fire.
men seemed rather to provoke the fury
al the element than To- aSsu0ge II and
as The wide tongues Of flamc daried first
through one window and then another,
becoming, al course, every moment more
mhcunqucrablc, II was evident that unless
The most vigorous measures were taken,
The whole pile ot buildings must fall a 4
sacrifice. Notwithstanding the bitter l
wrong which had always understood
my family had suffered from Mr.. Belton,
] could not but feel shocked at the CON
duet of The towns people; and calling on
those which were within hearing to as
slh, with all The rude cloquence | could |
command, | set them the example, by \
beginning to work myself in right ear
nest My words had some little effect
though NY influence was but that of
youth and a stranger, for my person was
quite unknown 10 the crowd, as we resi-
drd a, the opposite end OF the town, and
lattcrly had been a good deal from
home, and bad, moreover, grown so
much during the last six months, that a
mere casual acquaintance would certain
ly moi have recognised me. With all \
our .eSeTiions, however, we were unable
to save The dwelling house, TO which the
flames communicated at last, very sud
denly, in consequence Of an unexpected
in the wind. For this cataslro-
phc il seemed that Mr.. Beton's family
were quite unprepared and, in truth
they were so alarmed at the brutal ex-
clamaiIons Of the crowd, that could
easily understand their reluctance to
throw themselves on lis protection. All !
my boy, the horrors OF that night are