The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-07-11
M1SCELLANEOUS,
THE LAST HOPE OF THE AGED.

lHE Las ~ I1OrE Vt ne hGED.
Duriue our tedious passage in the North. re-
msksd lmonest the stserage passengers, man
W. seetned to keep himself apart from the rest
H6awore the uniform of the Foot Artillery, and
ported I corporal's stripes In the course of the
afternoon, stepped before the funnel, and enter
ing into conversation with him, learned that he
had been an invalid and sent home from Canada,
had passed the Board at London, obtained PEN
sion Of q shilling q day, and was returning to
border village, where he had been born, to ascer-
tain whether any of the family were living from
whom he had been separated for nineteen years
/ He casually admitted that during this long in
tervai he had held no communication with his
relations and | set him down accordingly as
Dome wild scapegrace who had stolen from home
whose happiness his follies had compromised too
often. He showed me his discharge-the char
acter was excellent-but il only went to prove
how much mems conduct will depend upon the
circumstances under which they act. He had
been nineteen years solder-a man under au-
th0rity "-one Obedient to another's will, subser-
Went to strict discipline, with scarcely free
agency himself. and yet, during that long proba-
tion, he had been useful member of the body
poiitic, sustaining a fair. reputation and. as he
admitted HIMSELF been coutented and happy
man. He returned home his own master, and
older by twenty years.
Alas! it was fatal free agency for him, for
llul6 QaQ uOI drought WISDOM. J. ne seward Told
me that he had run riot while his means had al
lowed it--had missed taking passage twice, and
had, on the preceding evening, come on board,
when not q shilling remained to waste in drunken
dissipation. desired that the poor roue should
be supplied with some little comforts during the
voyage-and when v Q landed at Berwick gave
him sterling sum, to assist him 10 reach his ma
tive village, where he had obtained vague intelli-
gence that some aged member Of his family might
still be found.
= A few evenings afterwards, was sitting in the
parIor Of one Of the many little inns l visited
while rambling on the banks of the Tweed when
the waitress informed me that "a sodger was
spearin' after the Colonel" He was directed to
attend the preaence--and my fellow voyager, the
artilleryman, entered the chamber, and made his
military saaam.
81 thought you were now at Jedburgh."
I" went there, sir, but there has not been any
OF my family for many year residing in the place.
met an old packman on the road, and he tells
me there are some persons in this village of my
name. came here TO make inquiries, and hear
ing that your honor was in the house, made
bold enough to ask for you.'
" Have you walked over !'
"Yes, sir.''
'''ris long walk Go down and get some
supper before you commence inquiries"
The soldier bowed and left the room, and pre-
sently the host entered to give me directions for
route among the Cheviots, which had contem-
plated to take the following day. | mentioned
the soldier's errand.
.Sure enough" returned the host, there is
an auld decent couple Of the name here. What
10 the sodger called :"
William" replied, for by that name his dis.
charge and pension bill were filled up
III slip across the street to the auld folks"
said Bonface, and ask them a few question:
He found the ancient couple seated at the fire
the old man reading chapter in the Bible, as
was his custom always before he and his aged
partner retired for the night to rest. The land
lord explained the object of the soldiers visit,
and inquired if any Of their children answered
the description of the wanderer
1t is our Jock !" exclaimed the old woman
passionately, and the puir meier -do-weel has
came hame at last to close his mther's eyes,"
"Na," said the landlord, "the mans name is
Wolly."
"Then he's nae our BARN." returned the old
man, with heavy sigh.
helpmate. turning her blue and faded eyes to
heaven: 81 thought the prayer so often made
wud yet be granted, and Jock wud come home
and get my biessin' ere died"
He has !! he has !" exclaimed broken voice,
and the soldier, who had followed the landlord
unperceived. and listened at the outage door,
rushed into the room; and dropped kneeling at
uiO tlOtsACl iSCt. L VI LlOiI6HL 6n6 turned 0er
eyes with fixed and CLASSY stare upon the re.
turned wanderer. Her hand was laid upon his
head-her lips parted as if about 10 pronounce
the promised blessing-but no sounds issued, and
she slowly leaned forward on the bosom of the
long lost prodigal. who clasped her to his arms.
Mther Either speak and bless me 20
Alas! the power of speech was gone for ever
Joy, like grief is often fatal to worn out Frame
The spirit had calmly passed--the parent had
ar IN coz nd har Lat o.,l
in the arms of one, who, with all his faults, ap-
peared TO have been her earthly favorite.--Mar-
wells Wanderings in the Highlands.
NOBLE SENTIMENTS.
, This is an agreeable world after all. If we
would only bring ourselves to look at The objects
that surround us in their true light, we should
see beauty where we behold deformity, and lis
zen 70 harmony where we heard nothing but dis
cord 10 be sure there ic n ,,ro,, JooI of -.