The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-04-07


Of lh,t departing parent, and solemnly promised
reformation Of his ways; and there was sallsac-
ton, even happiness, in the look of the aged faith
er, as he witnessed his sincerity Of purpose, and
heard him IN the deep stiffness Of night voice
only broken by sobs rpenence-save utlerance 10
the assurance that his pongale son would through
oush, life, direct his conduclby the resolution OF
,fa, moment, and ever after live so MS % justify
the hopes and dsappoint the fears of II dying 'Alh-
er. However, though in pleased approval he put
his hand upon the head of the kneellng and con-
,rte youth, the old and now fast sinking man
did no, speak again; perhaps he could not, In the
long elTor, which he had made, he had evidently
collected and exhausted the lost energies o! sink
ing nature, and now thai, the great object of his
heart, and so many years. and signs, and tears had
heen accomplished when he heard that VOW Of
reform brea,hed by his aposlate son-as if he had
nothing farther for which to ve-nnd as If nature
had seconded his wish-w ilh his hand scarce yet
removed riom the head which it had blessed, he
fell back gently and expired
So softly had the good old man yielded up his
breath, that, for some moments, the young heir re-
NAMED still in the attitude Of the peni,cnt, waiting
for an expected response: but it came not; and the
awful stiffness Of the apartment broken by his
own sob-llke brealhings arrested his attention, he
raised his cyes-and they rested upon the dead
lIc was deeply shocked. The lamp now flicker
ing in its socket, di'used flrul light throughout
the apartment; and there, with is rays, now dim,
now unna,urally bright, playing upon the repulsve
features of recent death, lay, forever STILL the ven
cradle man whose heart had been too surely brok-
en- BY him who now survived TO saze upon the ru-
in he had wrought. The frs, impulse of disPo-
silon far from naturally profigao. was to fling
himself upon the bed beside the corpse of his pa
rent and benefnc,er, and give way without re-
sraint, 10 the bitterness of the grief which oppres-
sed him. There the nurse found him,nnd there
such is the sympathy ever felt for such emotion
the good woman left him with touching considera
ton FOR his sorrow; and she softly closed the doc
upon the dead father and mourning son, with feel
ings considerably changed towards the youth, since
rs hald.ned and almost hearlles youth, he hat
entered tho apartment, reluctantly obe!ins thu
earnest and of repeated summons of his dying pa
rent.
The next morning. his eyes still swollen will
copious weeping, and his countenance bearin.
strong traces Of his penitence and sorrow, George
Dc Vezs sat in n lower apartment of his residence
while his attendants were busted in rendering The
last Offices TO tho deceased. lie had scarce yet re
covered from The shock which the solemn event h,
had witnessed had given TO his feelings, and hat
completely given away to the deepest regret, ming
led with prospects of future amendment, when tn
door suddenly opened, and Young man dresses
IN tho extreme fashion OF the time, entered TIT
apartment A laced hat, borne under his left arm
displayed to advantage an deliberately cured nn'
powerful peruke. while his richly embroidered
dress was arranged with the incest inste. mud tn
sword then universally worn, rested in an affected
manner upon his left arm; he advanced rapid.
towards the weeping, sorrow. stricken youth, ant
before he had time 10 say word had seized hin
by the hand:
"IIa-my dear George! How dye do, m,
fine fellow, wish you joy from the bottom of III,
heart-seven thousand year unencumbercd-'
town residence, and fifty thousand in the funds, -
and las,, and not least, your old croaking fl,he
got rid Of BY G., you ought to be n hupp,
fellow. Wha,-weepns !-Poh, this is too ba'
before me. That may do very well for the fusr,
old aunts and unclcs, bu, it is TOO good joke lor
Phil. Ritcher. Get mp my boy and give me Al
heirs shake of the hand So saying, he slappe,
him on the back, and before his friend could repl,
TO his disgusting ,olubii,y, the overjoyed rake, nj
if ant icipaing The frs, pluck from tho full ieath
cred heir hurried him out Of the room. Dssipated
reckless, proaigate as young Dc Veze had been
he was not heariess; and in the unhealcd soreness
of his heart and his condition. there was an open
ness OF deprayity in the conduct of one who had
been till now his most intimate associate that
struck him with horror and Indignation. Forcibl,
dsensasng himself from his grasp, he rrbuked
him in manner that abashed the cenlious Top
and still further confirmed in his intention to re.
form, by the unfeeIing levly he had witnessed, he
retired to spend the remainder of The day, and Ia
(orilfy his resolution, in the chamber Of the dead
However afflicted he was IN TRUTH the heir Of 81
large fortune could not be lef, long TO sorrow il,
retirement. The death Of his father occurred al
hii town residence in Dublin, which, in the begin
ming of tho last century, was one Of the gayest cit.
| -. r
court little inferior a, all times. and under some
vceroys even superior in briIIiuncy to that of St.
James, then scarce existing under tho formal and
repulsvc auspices of the first George and the res
depce for half the wear or Tho ,oh;l;,v