Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-07-22

was not for hope, they say, the heart
would break. Undoubtedly, in the
darkes, of has days Of difficulty, Moul
ion hoped but hope was vague and un-
defined, aud kept alive by avoiding ia
lo,k his embarrass ssments in the face,
rather than by manfully meeting and
invesiig aling them, which was his only
safe course. Aud, 10 spite of all the re-
butts which Rebecca received from her
father, IN her efnris TO comfort him, she
patiently iulled on in her silent endeav-
ors 10 calm his per,urbed spirits, though
il happened, as the progress of our sketch
w,ll show, that tins duty cost her most
painful sacrifices.
We have minated that Rebecca was
very unlike her parents. The elder of
large family of children, she alone
lo.k.d any thing like tIdy. She was an
OASIS io the desert Of discomfort which
surrounded her, and labored hard to im-
prove The aspect Of things within doors
hut one struggling against so many
couJ effect very little. One thing she
did accomplish. and that was To attract
the notice aud lDlcres, the affections of
Young Slocum. Hence arose in our
little village another Montague and
Cnpnlet affair bu., happily, with far
ulhrr consequences than those which
beiel the respective connections OF Ro.
mpo aud juliet. Notice il when you
will, young people invariably choose Ia
fail in love in precisely the directions
that their parents would bar and prevent,
if'ndc.d parents ever could effect any
thing 10 such n matter Perhaps there
is Providence in it. This may be one
Of The modes 10 which lends are decyeed
Ia bc rrconcsled aud, at any rate, Of
all hereditary property that IN quarrel
j. the least worthy of being transmitted :;
though nations and clans heretofore have
bceu remarkable for handing down hate
from generation 10 generation.
Rrbrcca Moulion and Isaac Slocum
were playmaies from their childhood up
- only this and nothing more as Poe
says in his song OF The Raven. Tha, is
to say, they naturally run about togeth-
rr, from similarity IN age, tastes aud
purSnis, walked TO school and returned
side by side. helped each other over diff
frullips 10 The village academy aud on
the road thereto, and had always a pleas
ani wold for each other, as a matter Of
routse. Sill il had never occurred To
either that the difference in their sexes
would make any in their friendship
They spoke without embarrassment, and
mel and parted without sighs or ceremo-
nv and were, in all respects, like any
other two children whom circumstances
made pla, mates for each other So
they mieh, have continued until the day
of their death, NOT children, indeed,
im that is happiness for which man
may not h"pe-bni mere acquainiances.
Ii is bseivable that those who know
each other most intimately in childhood,
are usually too wise 10 marry when the
tune comes for marriage, but look abroad
Tor males " hose faults Of character they
have not had such an opportunity Of
discovering Such would probably |
have been the case in this instance /; 4
but Mr. Moulton, without intending To
d. any such thing, gave matters anoth-
az direction. lie strictly forbade Re-
b"rcn's speaking TO her friend Isaac,
any further than the merest civility re-
qulrrd and as, when man has issued
nu order OF this kind, the qualification is
uulhing unless every body is told of il,
he took pains to make what he had done
sufficiently public coupling It with more
otl, nsivc expressions relative TO the
,oung man aud his father, than was a.
all nccessary, or IN good taste.
Slocum was annoyed at this, but still +.
q lutte amused. As he was prosperous,
white his nrigbbor, much TO hls real sor-
row, was any thing but thriving, he could
ali,Td 10 he magnanimous but human
nature cannot stand every thing
Moullon's continued abuse, which he
took care so TO distribute that the other
could no, hut hear oi it, al length over
tuinrd Slurum's good resolution, aud he
Ia his turn began to deal more IN hard
sty iugs, aud To- recommend his son not
totrnuhle himself To be on too KIND terms
with Mou"u's people. This direction
Was given rarelessy, and without bitter
ness. 1t expressed mingled contempt
and pity. H
Now as Isaac had taken no interest in
any one OF MouIton's people, except
ing whether, tn neglect her for the faults T.
of her friends, was not doing a great in
justice. Concewing the idea that per-
son is wronge ed-particularly when that
person is young wuman-is nine steps
of ten towards doing her justice, or at
tempting it. +
Isaac, who never, as we have said,
troubled blmself before with any very \,
especial thoughts of his fair neighbor, +
now fell into the dangerous habit Of
ihiul ing of her very often indeed. He
could meet her once without any extra
ordinary emotion al ell but now that
he was IN the habit ot regarding her as
n martyr, 1t mus, he confessed that he
found a great deal of comfort IN Offering
her ihc aid and comfort oi such an ad.
dress and manner as indicated that,
whatever others might say or do, he was
not the person To be swayed by pre- IL