The literary echo. (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1851, 1851-07-31

chamber, the scene which he had witnessed
that night at the club-room stood before
him with terrible misunderstanding
angry face and insulting words, and his
evident familiarity with vice from which
his very soul rccoilcd 1t would have
been to him sight Of pain, among stran-
gers, and what bitterness he felt that revc-
latiOn to he, i'll one to whom he hal given
his friendship, and whose faults he had
supposed to be only those of u thoughtlcss
but generous nature. And q question,
which he hardly dared to answer, rose up
before him. Had he not seen this vice,
at once stripped of its alluramonts, and in
all its repclIing aspect, might he not have
learned to regard it with less horror: lie
remembered how often, and again and
again he had been weakly led against his
better judgment, and he shranl; from the
thought Of the peril there might have been
in B gradual and skilful initiation into the
f;lscinations Of gambling
And now in contrast to the selfish,
irritated countcnancc Of Canning, arose
the pale, sad face Of AEce--it was as
though the veil were suddenly drawn from
his eyes, and with q bitter rcmorsclul
regret, he thought ofall her painful watch
mgs, Of her myarying gentoncss and
chcorfulness, and the con tant kindness she
had always shown to him. lie rcmcm-
bcrcd her naturally LIGHT and merry spirit,
and felt how much had been denied her Of
the gay life that She could so truly have
enjoyed. And then more bitterly than
all, come back to him his own neglect and
sclfshness. Night after night rose wildly
to his thought, when he had stiAed what
ever GIT roproach might have touched
him, aud gone to spend the evening in care
less glcc, light after night, when he might
have chccrcd lis sister by his society and
sympathy, or added to his mothers hap
pinosS b. his presence and kind attention.
In the solitary darkness, the shame burned
on his check, as he remembered the many
hours passed merely in convivial excite
ment, when the winc-cup had too often
touched his lips, and the song and the jest
had drowned the low, sweet voice Of tie
angel Of home.
And for whom had this been donc-for
whom had he neglected the loving little
sister, to whose lips had never risen q re-
proachful word? For those whose COM
panionship had never strengthened his
moral nature, in whose society lie had
never grown stronger Or purcr-thosc from
whom Cnc hour lad suficcd to wcan him.
1t is only to noble and generous natures,
that there comes such bitter remorso as
visited Frcderic's heart that night.
Every wrong that he had done to the be-
loved Of home, set Itself in array u ainst
the devotion and purity which made that
home SO sacred, and strong within his soul,
rose up the resolve to turn from Il life which
hchad felt for him hidden snarcs, and strive
to bless even as he had been blessed.
No morning had ever seemed SO beau
tiful to Frederic, as that with whose dawn-
ING he awokc to the fulfilling Of the new
resolves which beat within his heart. In
memory Of the events Of the last night, he
was serious and thoughtful, but uncon-
sciousl ly to himself his voice took gantlcr
tone, and his manner more con.ilarate
kindness. All the morning at his Office,
he was restless and uneasy, unable to con-
ccntratc his thoughts upon his duties, and
striving to devise some new means of dis
playing to his mother his affection, and to
make atoncmcnt to himself for the many