Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-11-12

face as it often bent over me, while
lay in my little bed, and | still at times
can hear her voice. Oh, what woul.
not have given had she livedl All
Charles. be sure that in no act of your
lie you wrong your mother, or give
her pain"
Charles Linden belonged to fami.
| ly that claimed descent from some dis
tinguished ancestor on the mothers
side-somc one who had come from
England long time ago. and wht
j when there ranked as one of the gentle
blood. OF the worth of his principles
little was known. He may have been
a high minded and honorable man, o,
ne may have possessed qualities worthy
OF the detestation of all. Be that as il
may, Mrs. Linden valued herself high>
ly on having come down in right line
through three generations; from this
distinguished individual; and there were
lplenty to estimate her by her own stan.
dard. AS woman, taking her for
what she was worth, she would have
done very well, and no doubt received
from all sensible people due considera.
ton. But her true character as wo.
man was CLOSED over, and somewhat
defaced by her pride. She did not re-.
gard her own qualities of mind as any.
thing-her standing as one of the true
aristocrats was everything. AS for her
husband, little was ever said about his
ancestors. He had no scruples while
living about an investigation, for he
feared none. His father was veal
thy merchant, and his grandfather an
honest farmer, who fought for his coun.
try during the whole revolutionary
campaign. The old soldier left to his
son the inheritance of sound moral
principles, good education, and an
enthusiastic love of his country. With
these as his only patrimony, he started
in the world. AT the age of fifty he
died. leaveing to his children an untar.
nished name, and $4,000 each. The
father of Charles Linden had been in
business several years when this event
took place, and had already acquired
by his own exertions, as we'll as by
marriage, handsome property. He
died when Charles, his eldest son, was
but Sixteen, leaving three children
and widow, estimated to be worth
100000. To each of the children he
left $4,000. This did not please the
aristocratic notions of the mother. 1t
would have been more in consonance
with her views, if but one third of the
whole property had been left 10 her,
and the balance to their eldest son,
with the reservation Of small annuities
for the other children. In her own
mind, she determined to will all she
had to Charles, with the distinct pro.
visions that he took possession of it on.
ly on the condition of dropping his ia.
theirs name, and assuming that of her
family, which was Beauchamp.
Long before he was twenty. .one years
of age, she commenced her insidiuous
attacks upon his native manllness of
character, which showed itself in dis.
position to value every thing with which
he came in contact, according to in
trinsc worth. He never thought of
the family Of any one with whom he
was thrown into association, but of
qualities Of head and heart. At school
he had learned how TO estimate indi-
vidual worth; books, truly American
books; conceived by American minds,
strengthened the impression so made.
When, therefore, Mrs: Linden attempt.
ed TO show him that familNs was the
primary thing TO be considered in his
associations with people, her efforts
were altogether fruitless. '..
All persons of Mrs. Linden's way of|
thinking made it point to take the
marriage Of their children into their
own hands, believing that their exter>
nal views on the subject are far better
than the internal attraction towards an
object that can be truly loved, which
their children imagine they feel, or, as
they say, "imagine." The mother of
Charles understood well her duty in this
matter. Long before her son had
passed bis fourteenth year, she had
made selection for him in a little
Miss, younger than he was, by two
years, named Antoinette Billings. An
toinette's mother was woman after
Mrs. Linden's own heart. She under.
stood the first distant hint made on the
subject, and readily came to a fair and
open understanding with Mrs. Linden.
Then it was mana ged so that the chill.
dren. were much together, and they
were taught to look upon each other
as engaged for marriage on some fu-
ture day. s1 g.d al 4.,sq - aa,.
Charles was fine, noble, e,hearted, in
boy, but Antoine:te, was a