The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-01-16

For the Spirit of Democracy.
The First and Last Attempt.
"The course of true love never did run smooth"
believe in my soul if invention is TO
be taken as the criterion Of genius, !
shall be found TO be sadly deficient
While some modern writers can manu-
facture out of nothing but their own
brains, story after story, and even whole
novels of three and four volumes, full of
strange incidents and romantic adven-
lures, find it a very difficult task to re-
late even plain matter-of-fact history,
without omittng some important cir
camstances necessary to the proper un-
derstanding of the whole. You may
then Judge, dear reader, how incompe-
tent am to add anything by way OF
embellishing or finishing off a story. 1t
may be- defect of my own barren ge-
nius--but so it is. Having made this
ample confession, proceed to pen
down True Story promising that ]
write for the pleasure Of scribblng--
and you may read for amusement, or
for any other object, or not read at all;
that is a matter that am not, at pre-
sent, particularly anxious about.
On one of the green hills in the inte-
rlor of New England, not dozen miles
from the famous town of Worcester,
lived Mr.. Jonathan Doolitte, a farmer,
a seectman, and a justice of the peace.
His residence is thus described by one
of the neighboring poets:
cit stands on rising ground,
Where Sos first rays appear,
And where he last is found
Throughout the rolling year
In process of time it happened that
Squire Doolitlle had son, whom he
christened TIMOTHY, but who, as he
grew into boyhood, (for into manhood
he never did grow,) was known by the
familiar appellation of "flm DoottIe,"
in order to distinguish him from other
Timothies with which the neighbor-
hood abounded. At the age OF eighteen,
Tins character might have been des
crlbed in terms like the foIlowing:-
That he had just enough common sense
not TO be called an dipt--learning and
talent enough to make him conceited
and law, and unfit him for either the
farm, the shop, or the study. But what
IS Of more consequence to the story
before us than ali this, is the fact, that
Tim had taken the firm resolution, that
he never would live-much less die
n Bachelor. In the words OF Omar, the
son OF Hassan, (which he borrowed from
the "Engllsh Reader" he determined to
."marry a wife beautiful as the Hourss,
and wise as Tobeide, with whom he
would live, not twenty, but fifty years,
in every pleasure that wealth could
purchase and fancy could INVENT
This, his matrimonial propensity, he
resolved Immediately to crafty.
One Sunday morning, Tim arose
early, and having first read a few pas
sages from Tom Moore, prepared him
self for meeting. 1t was delightful
summer morning, and Tim felt all the
Joy and buoyancy Of youth. On his
way to the Westinghouse he was led
to contemplate the beauties OF nature;
but when he arrived there, and was
fairly seated, he was captivated by tn e
more striking beauties Of ''the human
face dlvine,' particularly as exhibited
in the female part Of the congregation.
His eyes wandered from face to face.
from charm to charm, and from beauty
to beauty, till at length the soft blue eye
and roseate cheeks Of little red
haired maiden, completely overcame
him, and Tins eyes and heart wand
cred no more. He had often seen Sukey
before, he had known her from infancy
but she had never appeared so beauti
fuI. so passing lovely as now. He look
ed at her, and she looked at him--and