Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1846-10-22
HI e N II Y LESLIE.

chamber, and her husbands last letter was
In her hand. The paper looked soiled and
worn, and the handwriting was nearly il
legible; they might well appear thus, for
that letter had been carried in Margaret'S
bosom, and read amid binding tears, until
every word was engraved on her heart It
was many long months since Henry Leslie
departed, to engage in profitable business,
and prepare for the emigration of his fami.
ly to distant land, and since that letter
came, bringing news of his safe arrival, no
tidings of the wande.er had reached his
home. For a long time Margaret hoped
all might be well; and when at last the
shadows darkened her spirit, she prayed for
patience, and Strove to conceal from her far
ther and her children the grief which was
stealing the bloom from her cheek, md Civ
ing her such long weary nights of anxiety
and tears.
But the grey-haired parent saw her true
feelings, and almost rejoiced to see that Mar
garet only trembled lest she was widowed in
her youth-while the old man had learned
the sadder story that the wine cupover which
Harry loved to linger, was leading him down
into dark paths Of degradation and shame.
Circumstances at length obliged him to re.
veal to his sorrowful child the truth. and she
had gone to her chamber 10 search vainl in
that old letter for denial of the tao, to
weep her tears Of agony alone.
The young wife had sat long in her win
dow, holding communion with her own
troubled. suffering spirit. She gazed--but
not upon the sweet valley which lay sleep
ing calmly in the moonlight she listened,
but it was not to the low soft breathings of
her unconscious children-she looked 10 the
quiet watching stars and wildly prayed
them to guide Harry Leslie back to his
homeland the stars returned to poor Mar
garet's glances of hope-she felt as though
the eyes of angels were watching her in
sympathy, and she was comforte1.
That very night the subject of Margaret
Leslie's prayer and tears was sleeping in the
streets of distant city. Aye. in The Streets,
with only the blue star lit sky for covering
with the cold grey stones of the pavement
for a pillow. o! could that be one for
whom faithful eyes had been weeping, and
faithful hearts yearning with uuutterable
love? Alas it was too true. There, coy
cred with rags and shame, lay the wreck Of
aStately form, perhaps too, the wreck of as
noble spirit That evening he had ex-
changed the last article of value which he
had possessed for The poisoned cup, and ere
midnight the wretch who tempted and de-
>'roycd him, had driven him helpless and
homo less into the streets. He tottered along
slowly, sometimes falling upon the hard
pavemenls, sometimes creeping like foul
insect, until at last, exhausted and nearly
inScnS bic, he crept close to the walls of
building, which cast over his wretchedness
a friendly shadow, and fell asleep. a'' .'1.
u When the inebriate awoke from his death
like sumber, he was in the full possession of
his senses, and he looked around him bewil-
dered, and wondering where he was. lie
thought he had been sleeping for the first
time in his life, with no canopy above him
but starry heavens; yet not! not for the
f'a time, for now, he remembered that once
in his boyhood he had gone with the hunt
erS over moorland and mountain, and SLEPT
on their beds Of fragrant heather. But that
was in his own mountain, Scotland then
he was young, and pure, and free, now he
was in strange land, friendless, degraded.
and enslaved. As memory led him back
into the past, reason and conscience assert.
ed their power, and all his dark life was
clearly pictured before him. He could see
the gradual stepping stones by which he had
descended into this whir pool ofvice he saw
that he was now in the very depths of mis-
cry and wanl-and in these lucid moments
there were pale faces, which seemed to ap-
proach and look mournfully into his own.
Poor Leslie! Those pale faces made him
nearly mad-O how he hated and loathed
himself! He looked wildly round upon the
dark stohes 10 find something with which to
end his wretched life, but lie saw nothing he
thought of the flowing river, but he felt too
weak to rise. AT length he gazed up to the
stars, and they seemed to look down into
his weary tortured soul with 50 much COM
passion, that he became again calm and
capable of reflection. There, in the still
ness and quiet Of the night, with only the
stars for witnesses, he promised himself to
for>ake strong drng forever, to seek en-
ployment and become better man.
With the morning sunbeams, Leslie,
strengthened by his good resolution, presen.
ted himself before one whose reputation for
generosity and kindness had reached, and
encouraged him to apply, told his SCI, vi h.
out reserve, and begged employment. But
he was destined 10 meet with disappoint-
ment, and all that long day did he wander
in his fruitlcss search Some had never
known temptation, his shabby and miser-
atle dress pIejudiced others, and though he
told his touching story simply, and with Il
manly and truthful face, no heart allowed
itself TO pity, no hand was stretched forth TO
save. Poor Leslie had hoped and struggled
TO retracc his fearful steps, but his heart sank
under his many discouragemn:s, and he
again sought 10 drown his misery in the in
toxicating draught. .....
Mr.. Marshall had quilted his store ear
lier than usual one evening, and was walk
ing briskly homeward, when his attention
was arrested by a group of boys, gathered
around a drunken man, who was vainly en-
deavoring TO protect himself from their in
suits, with his terrible curses. AT length
he fell violently upon the rough stones, and
a loud laugh from his tormen.ers fell pain
full upon the ears of the gentleman, who sud
denly appeared in their nidsl-dispersing
them alone by the dignity of his manner,
and kindly Offering 70 conduct the inebriate
in safety'to his home. To this kind offer,
however, no answerwas returned--the drum.
ken man was cyidentiv injured nv HE IA n