Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-07-23

since the fate of Rowland, and the ten remain
ed but the stealing hand Of time had written
sundry changes in most legbe Characters
Raven locks had become grizzled, two or three
heads had not as many locks altogether as may
be reckoned in walk of half mile along the
Regents Canal--one was actually covered with
brown wig, the crows feet were visible in the
corner Of the eye-good old port aud warm
madeira carried it against hook, claret and red
burgundy, and champagne, stews, hashes and
ragouts, grew into favor; crusts were rarely
called for to relish The cheese after dinner
conversation grew less boisierous, and it turned
chiefly on politics and the state of funds, or the
value Of landed property-apologies were made
for coming in thick shoes and warm stockings
the doors and windows were mos, carefully
provided with list and sand bags-,he FIRE more
in request-and quiet game of whist filled up
the hours that were wont to be devoted 10
drinking, singing and rioous merriment. The
rubbers, cup of coffee, and home by l l o'clock,
was the usual cry, when The fifth or sixth glass
had gone round after the removal Of the cloth.
At parting, TOO, there was long ceremony. in
the hall, bulioning up great coats, tying on
woollen comfor,ers, fixing silk handkerchiefs
over the mouth and up to the ears, grasping
sturdy walking canes 10 support unsteady feet.
Their ifieth anniversary came, and death
had indeed been busy
-Four little old men of wihered appearance
and decrepii walk, with cracked voices and dim,
layless eyes, sal down, by The mercy of Heaven,
(as they themselves .remuously declared,) to
celebrate for the fifle,h time, the first day of
the year; 10 observe the frolc compact which,
half century before, they had entered into a,
the Star and Garter al Richmond. Eight were
in their graves The four tha. remained stood
upon its confines. Yet they chirped cheeriIy
over their glass, though they could scarcely
carry ii to their lips, if more than half full and
cracked their jokes. though they arriculared
their words with difficulty, and heard each other
with still greater difficulty. They mumbled,
they chartered, they laughed, If sort of s,rang-
led wheeling might be called laugh; and
when the wines sent their icy blood in warmer
pulses through their veins, they talked of the
past as if it were bu, yesterday that had slipped
by them and of the future as if il were busy
century that lay before them
They were jus, the number for quiet rubber
Of whist and for three successive years they
sal down TO one. The fourth come. and ,her
their rubber was played with an open dummy
a fifth, and whist was no longer practicable
two could play only at cribbage, and cribbage
was the game. |, was little more than the
mockery Of play. Their pasied hands couI,
hardly hold, or their fading sigh, distinguish
the cards, while their torpid faculties mad,
| them doze between each deal
/ Al length came the last dinner; aud the sur
vivor Of the twelve, upon whose head four scor,
and len winters had showered their snow, al,
his solitary meal 1t so chanced ha, it was il
his house and a, his table, they had celebrates
The first. In his cellar, TOO, had remained, 70
eight and fifty years, the bottle they had un
corked, recorked, and which he was iha, da
10 uncork again Ii stood beside him; with
feeble and reluctant grasp he took The frail me
mortal of youthful vow, and for a momen
memory was faithful TO her Office. She ,hre,
open her long vista of buried years and hi
heart travelled through them all. Their LUST
and blthsome spring, their bright aud fervi
summer--lher ripe and temperate autumn
their chill, but not too frozen winter He saw
as in mirror, how one by one, the laughin
companions of the merry hour, at Richmont
had dropped into eternity. lie felt all the lone
Iiness of his condition, Qor he had eschewe
marriage, and in the veins Of no living cfeatur
| ran drop Of blood whose source was his own
and as he drained glass 'io the memory
those who were gone" The tears slowly trick
led down the deep burrows of his aged face.
5 He had thus fulfilled one part of his vow, an
: he prepared himself TO discharge the other, b
sitting the usual number OF hours at his desola
] table. With heavy heart he resigned hin
self to hc gloom Of his own thoughts lelI