The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-07-26

poor MAry's from that hour she married. Her
only comfort was derived from her ohildreni
and even they became source Of sorrow As
they grew past infancy, and she found that
her hnland'a ayArica would d0ny them event 4
the advantage she had enjoyed "a poor cot
tago child, They received no education but
such a. she oqpld give themi nay, were made
10 toll At the lowest drudgery ia return for
tho scanty food and clothing tbelr father be-
slowed She taught them 10 read aud wriiei
and afterwards Richard, the elder, became
bis own Instructors There were many old
books 10 be found 10 the iArn,nuase, aud of |
those lao n,Ade himself rmAster The yliiaReat
who had few volumes, were willing 10 lend
them 10 such a clever lad and At length, as
We have said, his genius for painting deyel-
oped itsefAnd was ministered 10 by his moth
eris industry. We remember seeing his frst
attempts at original composition. IL wAs
boldly conceived aud we'll executed, consid-
ering the diliculties under which he labored;
the subject was PbTtun driving the chariot
Of the sun, II was shown 10 the clergyman
Of the yillagea man ofgreat taste, and a con
noissour in painting lIo was 20 much pleas
ed with Il that ho became the warm friend
Of the young artist, and, NJ Gar as oircumstAn-
eea permitted, his instructor In literature aud
painting. The younger brother inherited his
fathers taste for music, and was quiet,
thoughtful child, paasionaicly attached 20
I Richard, on whom be looked asa prodigy Of
learning and talent Nothing, Ia fact, could
be- more touching than the attachment Of these
two brothers; at their lrisure hopra they were
always 10 be seen together their pleasures or
sorrows were mutual. The priyadona. mi -
tico or restraint to which they vorc subjected
appeared 70 bind them 10 each other with n
love passing the love OF woman" and both
found consolation in The mental gifh merei-
fully impaired to them.
About four years ailcr we first became nc
quAinted with the MoncktonS, the fair, gem
tlo child, then nearly fourteen, became M
growing thin, pale aud weak. I'LL his mother
and Richard, in great alarm, bcsought old
AIonkton 10 lot him have medical advice
The request produred a storm Of passionate
rcproNchcs "Tho boy, said, "wns well
enough. ~ ate as much as was good
for him. Did they think people could
not live without gormandiSing a. they did ?
I F)id they imagine he shaale 6,row away hia
little means upon doctors, who were all set
Of cheats lie should do nothing Of tho
kind" And poor Ernest wns len 10 pine
and withor ill Richard in despair sought out
physician, and telling him their story, b--
sought him TO come and see his brothcr,prom-
ising 10 repay the advirc ho asked, by his fu-
turo toll.
DIR. N----.-xas a kind hearted, benevolent
man. I1dSt BrgrtHHFifprt-w -rrrsl,'-
ontrcNty. and called at an hour when the old
man was absent from the farm Tie found
his patient worse than his brothers report
had led him 10 believe. Tho illness was de-
cline. caused probably by want Of sufficiently
uourishing food at period OF rapid growth,
and increased by the ovcrworking of mind
that was ever craving aflcr knowledge. lie
prescribed such remedies as he Judged best;
but informed the mother, at the same time,
that strengthening food was Of the first inn
portancc, and would bc the best means 10 ct.
feet cure. Alas how was IL 10 be obtain
cd ? The heart ofthc miser was impcnotrable
70 their rcmonstranccs aud cutrcatcs-what
was life in his eyes, compared with gold p
When they found that no human sympathy
could be expected from the father, the moth
or and brother determined 10 use their own
cxertions TO obey the bchcst Of the physician.
Early and late the former worked at her nee
tt.lie--tha- -saaA-deetor- finding her rs much
employment as he could;whilst Richard Nban-
doning the study OF his art, painted valentines
card-racks, and fancy articles for the station
ers and sought eagerly for overy opportuni.
~ Of winning a fow shillings, to be spent in
ministering 10 the comfort Of the beloved suf-
fcrer. But it was all too late Ernest sank
slowly, but surely.
/ There were intervals when life, like the
, flicker OF an expiring lamp, appeared sue
eessfllly struggling with death; but these oc-
casional hrightenings were alwayR succeeded
by moro entire prostration and Ian
gnor. Tho personal beauty, for which Err
most had always been remarkable, grew al
most superhuman during his illness, aud Rich
ard could not resist stealing little from his
busy labors to paint his brothers's portrait
In the execution Of love, however, many him
drances occurred; and before it was more
than sketch, the dear original had passed
away from them in one Of those quiet sleeps
which, in such cases, arc the usual solemn
harbingers of death. The painting was, re-
moved to Richards chamber and in the first
agony of his grief was forgotten; but when
Ernest had been committed to the grave and
life had assumed its usual monotony-morc
gloomy now than over-he remembered his
attempt, and resolutely and manfdtiy resolv-
ed on finishing the likeness from memory
An easy task for, nightly in his sTumboFa,io
saw the fair, sweet faGe,ef his young brother.
I The second morning. after he had resumed
his pencil, he was startled at finding that tho
80 bo Ia, N ,,nr, al,