The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-04-14
iss' saj ~ aY7From the Sunday Age
Tales Of my Fathers. Fireside.
i. BY BAR RONIUs.

| q fT4f na4 d ss,b "A ~ " IN " 81 u /.
1t was severe frosty night, Iremem-.
Der it well, as an old man, bent in two,
but who once bore a bold appearance,
knocked al the door Of our humble hab-
itation. Tie moon shone forth bril-
liantly from her '.lofty dome,' and the
ltwinkling orbs shed a golden radiance
over, the heecy mantle Of snsw. which,
covered the bosom oflhs earth. A So
lemn, stiffness reignsd around our little
dwelling, save when disturbed by the
mirthful joke Of our youthful .compan-
ions. The door was speedy opened,
and the old man entered, feeble and
weak;-for moment he spoke not
and then, as if from momentary trance
inquired-''lf night had long set in ?''--
Astonished at the ,inlerrogatory, my
father asked him "if he lived far from
the village, and what induced him to 60
out on foot on such night?" Recov-
ering from his somnolescsnce the old
man begged pardon for his intrusion,
and with deep sigh, which | can new
er forget, asked permission TO rest his
weary limbs in our happy dwelling till
morning had returned, as he was a
stranger in that part Of the country,
and was bela,st. Freely was his re,
quest conceded, and drawing close to
the humble hearth, my mother busted
herself in making the old man lcomfor-
table, Supper being oyer, we felt an
anxiety to hear from the pilgrim what
could have induced him to travel al
such an inclement season--but were
unwilling to make him acquainted with
our spirit Of inquisiliveness. My faith.
er perceiving our desire, which mani
tested itself so strongly on our counte,
nances, made bold to ask the stranger
the question we 50 much longed TO
hear. tstad I .g-,rno.. al, 80. ...
SSH" said he, '.ungrateful should /
be, were | to refuse answering you any
question which you or your family
should wish to hear--and, as the night
is long and dreary, | do not think |
would be too W wsarisome were | to re-
count to you, as briefly as possible, a
l few Of the features which have charac.
terized my life, and which will account
for my asking the. hospitality | have
from you SO, courteous y received."',a
"Happily, sir" replied my father,
"shall we hear your narrative, and thrice
happy are we in being enabled TO share
with you our rustic home, to which
you are welcome, long as you remain"
Thanking my father for his christian
spirit, the old man, heaving another de-
spending sigh, commenced his account
in the following manner:-- ~.
81 nm sir" said he, "the only son Of
an enterprising merchant, who accum.
ulated a very handsome fortune by his
honest industry. Being an only child,
my desire was gratiied in every respect
and thus grew I'LL had seen seven
teen summers. The. do of youth
had just begun to bud upon my cheeks,
when ! became deeply attached to a
fair and lovely girl, the daughter Of my|
fathers partner in trade. For some
time this samorous attachment existed
undiscovered, and we felt happy in each
others confidence; but fortune seemed
not to favor u.s., .A!twas made known
TO my. father, who concealed from US
his knowledge of the fact-and he re-
solved on sending me to the, West
Indies till | was one and twenty years
of age. Heart-broken at the account,
| was, determined never to leave my
Emma till had sealed my faith at the
altar Of Hymen. Accordingly re-
quested her to leave her fathers dwell
ing, and get privately married, She
consented-and the third day after
heard that was 10 be drifted to a for
eign land,i found myself the husband
Of the lovely Emma. The news, soon
spread rapidly around, and the punish.
ment was to have received was chang.
ed! / was sent as, midshipman on
board of one of his Majesty's .frigates
till | should become Of age. Maddened
at the severity OF the treatment, | be.
came outrageous, and, as far as | could,
imbibed the spiri. Of the lowest dissipa.
ton. Seven years had al length rolled
around, and | found myself discharged
from the service in which | had been
placed BY my, father, in Disgrace
Without friends, or money, once more
bent my step towards home, where
met my wife and boy--the offspring
o. this ill,timed marriage. Ny father
was stern, and acknowledged me not
---my mother had paid the debt Of ma.
ture three months after my departure,
and he had again united his, forlunns
with those Of young woman. who was
not much past her lsssteens,nS al the time