Louisville messenger. (Louisville, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-02-18
MISCELLANY.
HERBERT MOULTRIE.
BY JOHN ToMLIN.

In that part Of WILLIAMSBURG district which
is washed by the waters OF the Santee, there
lived, toward the close OF the last century, ths
last scion of an ancient family, OF the name OF
Mouuie AT eighteen, having received all edu.
cation suited to bis high pretensions, he resolved
to travel, and accordingly visited the courts OF ST.
James aud Versailles, where he learnt their vices,
but caught none oil their virtues. lie associated
with the gay and mtidel Voltaire, aud suose-
oueutly with D'Alemhert and Rohesplene, aud
al length retuIned home utterly depraved IN
principle, deceitlul revengeful, and with his ma
tural savage cruelty sharpened by the massacres
of the French Revolution.
Living 10 a district of country but sparsely
| settled. and most Of whnse inhabitants were
poor. there existed INSTRUMENTATION between
| him and his neghbors. II any accidental inter.
| course was brought about it was soon broken on
| in disgust at the disposition OF the man' ne
| seemed indeed to possess heart calious 70 al
human S, mpathy. In year OF scarcity, When
The moor around were starving lor oreaa, he
n,orked Them BY the sight Of his closed granalles;
/ a,,d ,na nonr woman. a widow with an only
dauphter' who had incurred his hatred by the
| i,d9uatio,i with which she repealed his advances
10 her child, having ventured on her knees 70
| beg d few days sustenance Tor herselt ana nef
furnishing child, was spurned from ms presence
and fell corpse at the threshold oil tue doOr ose.
| which her aged limbs were totterIng. Whds
wander tina, Herbert Moutrie was Stunned ny
the poor L., ~
The only family in the neIghbofhooSo.a ne
stopped to associate with was shat OF Viueou
Witherspoon, whose wealth and high oeseen'
mnde him the equal OF hclbert Moultre, even IN
the eyes Of he naughty planter himself a.
thnnsh The eisnosition Of MIR. Witherspoon was
tbe very reverse Of that of Moultrie, an apparent
GOOD understanding existed between them. Inc
. former was prominent member OF churctl, and
,houph he was Ignorant of Moultne's more
aapr,nt wickednesS. he knew the young man &c
be an mhdei, and was anxious to convince mn
ofhis error. The yis,er listened and argued
and finally pretended to be convinced ne eVe'
went so far as to consent to become meTpet y
the visible church. But this sudden change oiu
not pass unnoticed in his more immediate he's,
bo,hood, and more than one was iound sec'euS
To whisper that under it was conceaiea soih0 ~
5 design. The young convert now became eon
, s,an9 v;si,er AZ the house of Mr.. Witherspoon
: aud nerbans the riddle was explained by me re
y turn abont this time, Of the old mans daughte
y from boarding school. -.
< isabella Wi,herspoon had been, as she eve
= continued to be, the most slrtuous oil he1 seAi
She was an only daughter. AS the rlcnes Q, ny Us
/. father were boundless, every desire oil ner hea
A had been freely gratihed, Jet without renaet'n
her vain or selfish. Having lost her mother
t. a. eary neriod other life, the first culture oil ht
q intellect necessarily devoved on maiden aul
! living in the city of Charleston. inns eooo W.
Y man had not neglected her charge. one ia
| early instlled into her mind the dlyine Ptecep
Q of the gospel, aud taught her those Ptsno'p"
= which should influence her after lie. ohe We
y not v;rtuous from pride Of character, OF 10 Aes
;2 The world from casting reproaches on her. .
q vas yirtuous only because the idol was pea
,eous and reverenced. Her literary eaucau'
10 had notbeen neglecled--for hevanous Drancn
= that were taught in the city she had thorough
mastered. French, Spanish and italian sue - =
correctly aud spoke luently. In music sue +"
I After an absence Of fifteen years she return
N the home Of her childhood. II was Oea !,
ful evening in autumn, ere the trees nav =
bs;r foliage. or the flowers had lost then petlun
that Isabella Witherspoon reached net holno.
nod was a day of jubilee in lsabela's MsauoM
w a. The old gentleman had thouhgt proper 70 ia I'D
Ia his home. Every body welcomed ne' oa1H :.
~, ~ the neighbors had severally expenehcso !
~. o,o,ber,s kindness--and the many he''e P'uss
ans NAT Isabella had sent ut various hnes - w.
auu LIE he resided in the city, had tails'e.
'v"s ~ I've 10 the daughter. They expee'eo .
'"' u Isabella The Mind beBeiactof 'he3 nav :