Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-08-04

sum of money was placed at his DISPOSAL
He invested it judiciously, and by enterprise
and series of successful speculation, final
ly established himself on an independent and
highly respectable footing among his fellow
merchants. Blu, the increased worldly pros
perity that visited Mr.. and Mrs. Clairwood
effected no corresponding change in their
feelings. The smiles of fortune could never
for the suffering they had under
gone, nor eflace the remembrance of the
past. Wealth, and its attendant luxury,
gradually succeeded their former poverty
and simplicity ofliving; but what wealth can
re-attune the shattered sympathes and affec-
tions of the heart, or kindle the flame of love
once exlinguished
The same GOODNESS, the same insensibil-
ty and stagnation of feeling that had been
engendered in penury, by the strokes of af-
Fiction, still continued to characterize Mr..
and Mrs. Clairwood On other persons the
ordeal of affection through which Mr.. and
Mrs. Clairwood had passed, would have pro-
duced an entirely different effect. It would
have subdued the pride of some. 1t would
have taught them deep and abiding lessons
of patience and humility. The Christian,
in the midst of adversely and misfortune, re-
Icognizes the CHRISTENING hand of his Almighty
Father. The dispensations of Providence,
however affective, are regarded by him as
nerciful in their design, and they rarely fail
10 produce sautary effect. He feels,
when visited by some dis,ressful stroke, that
it is signal of Divine dspeasure, or test
to his faith and constancy, and he Immediate
by addresses himself 10 the performance of
his varied duties with renewed piety and
zeal. But Mr.. and Mrs. Clairwood had me-
yer learned to bow beneath the classifying
rod of an al-wise Parent; they relied ratIl-
err upon their own strength than upon the
shield and bucker of Him that is able and
willing to protect to the uttermost. They
rcpined at misfortune, nurmured at every
stroke of affection, and suffered the bcggar-
| ly elements Of envy and uncurbed passion tc
prey upon their happiness and corrode every
real spring of enjoyment.
Edward Clairwood, the youngest of theil
children, and the only one left them, was, a
the period when this history commences
eighteen years old. He had received an OK.
cellent education, and had, from childhood
evinced love of study, an excellent taste
and constant assiduity in the pursuits o
knowledge, that rendered him, at an earl,
age, well vcrsed in classical and modern lii
crature. Combined with his love of study
he possessed senstiveness that amounted
almost to timidity. He shrunk instinctivcl,
from contact with society, and seemed t.
dread association with any save those Of ex
act congeniality of temperament. His pa
rents had never manifested any peculiar af
lection for him. 1t would naturally be sup
posed that deprivation of all other object
OF affection would have, as it were, concen
trated their love on him; but it was not so
The general change that had been wrough
in their feelings affected no less their con
duct toward him.
But above all, they could aot enter int,
his feelings and, where there is no commu
nifty of feeling. there is rarely communit,
of interest. His character was highly intel
ectual, with refined sensibiity and quick
ness of ceplion-qualiries, in great de
gree, foreign to his parents minds. lie coul,
never brook taunt or insult; yet it was to,
often the case that Mrs. Clairwood indulge,
in ridicnlng his tastes and in upbraidin,
him for his sensitiveness, and as It appeared
his excessive delicacy. The taunts whicl
Fhe occasionally used, and the aflecta,ion o
'ity with which she spoke to him of his ash
illness and reserve, wounded his feeling
eeply.
Mrs. Clairwood was womnn who, to thu
best intentions and most unspolted mora
character, joined a singular waywardness o
temper that led her into many an uninten
lonal error. She was subject to many sud
len bursts of feeling, which, in youth, sh,
lad never learned to govern, and which, in
naturer years, were almost uncomfortable
These sudden fits of passion were frequent
y excited by trivial causes, and during thei
Continuance prompted her to use harsh Ian
guage, and not unfrequently still harshe
measures with all the capriciousness of he
sex; however, these passionate moment.
were transitory. They passed like an Apr
cloud over her usually serene Temperament
obscurng its light but for a moment; anc
serving, by the contrast, to render her gene.
raj serenity still more striking.
Edward had often suffered BY this frailty
of his mothers, and it was his peculiar ma
lure never to forget. 1t was his misfortune
to brood over slight injuries, until his heated
Imagination magnified and distorted them in
to grievous offences. This was an idiosyn-
Grassy of his constitution, and he vainy tried
to shake it off. Edward deplored depen-
dence that compelled him to submit to these
petty vexaiions. He had often medtated a
separation from his parents, thus to secure a
radiance from parental government and
guidance that proved to him nksome in the
extreme.
While revolving plans that as yet were I'M
formed and indecisive. and incident occur
red wholly unlocked for and undreamed of.
A trivial circumstance one morning OCCASION
ed dispute in which Edward was forced to
participate. Mrs. Cairwood, becoming un-
usually excited, made several remarks high
ly discredtable to Edwards judgment,which
drew from him, in reply, caustic answer,
in which he intimated, too plainly perhaps,
that his mothers anger for the time outstrip-
ped her reason.
This Initiated h.. a. Al -.