The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-12-25

IlNeT lndI Opcus communication VIII lHc
broad blue sea, we ever and anon catch a
glimpse of as roma tic city as ever broke
upon the vision. Now hid from view as
we plough along under the lee Of some
o'er-hanging cliff, then peering at us with
score of steeples rising one above another,
which in the distance Seem to pierce the
sky, the eye sparkles with joy, as it rests
again upon the scenes of nativity. In
thirty minutes we are moored at the wharf,
Passing up one side or other of the noun
tain bluff that divides the city into sections,
east and west, and speeding away across
the upland plain that stretches as far as
the eye can reach, over tract of country
diversified with elegant mansions, lawns
and crossing streets with their towering
clms, it seems as if one was il a world
too beautiful to be shocked with the wall
of misery.
Upon the verge of this plain on either
side is monument Of lasting remembrance
On she left, a tall granite slab tells Of
deeds OF chivalry and self-sacrfcing devoI
ton, an is 50 significant of the object of
its erection that the only mark it bears is
the name Of" "UNcAs" On the right is
"a monument-a stately aristocratic man
sion-the sight of which associated with
the name of one born under its roof, opens
to us page Of history we have never be-
fore looked upon with such thrilling emo
ton. Here we see where the young heart
warmed into life amid the most striking
beauties of nature as well as of cultivation,
and are led to wonder that the heart
should become shriveled and sordid and
treacherous. Yet this is the birth place
OF one whose traitorious spirit left deep
stain upon his family name, withered his
affections, and doomed him to a chccrless
exile from home, and kindred, and country
Striking as was this exhibition Of inf
deity, at the close of the Revolution there
rename two sisters, not remotely con-
nected with this noted character Deeply
chagrined at the fate of their kinsman,
their tory hearts withered within them,
and though they spent a long life in the
suburbs Of a beautiful city, their exile
could have ben hardly less endurable to
a warm heart than was that of Crusoo and
his man Friday on their lonely island
From affluence, and the enjoyment Of
warm-hearted friends, AMI the attractions
of social life they retired to lonely cot
tage, where they sank rapidly into a state
of misanthropy and almost entire obscu i,y.
The war of independence that had brought
peace to the nation and joy to so many
hearts, was the knell of death to all their
earthly hopes; and they lived only to
curse the nation that had driven their
warmest friend from its borders
Their little house stood upon triungu-
lar spot of ground just large enough to
enclose it, a small potato patch and a few
valuable fruit trees. This was all their
earthly treasure, and to this spot above all
others were they attached Here with
iron constitutions they struggled on, and
on, amid desolation and poverty at home,
and the sn.ers and contempt OF almost
every passer-by. Their only genial asso-
Citations were with an aristocratic English
family that commiserated their condition
and the few boys who, in passing their
door to school, did not insult them with
jeering looks or deriding words Fortu-
nately, Fl, m my inherently easy DISPOSE
ton, or from fear Fof being punished at
home for my mischief, was among the
latter. Often have they called me to the
shade of the old mulberry tree that over
hung their yard, to hear their tale of sor-
row; and, although their strange and
detected condition called forth from my
young heart degree OF pity and charity
not often bestowed, yet their detestation
of life and of everything that to me ap-
peared beautiful and lovely often made
me shudder, and only strengthened my
convictions of the unrig ghteousness of their
course.
Two years since, while passing their
house, my attention was attracted by a
number of persons gathered within the
open door. | paused moment and en-
tered. The younger of the two sisters now
lay stretched upon pallet of straw, with
a haggard and emaciated countenance,
evidently on the verge of that land where
all bitterness and hatred must sooner or
later die out, and the heart be restored to
yooca ard ioy and homo bod not eoon