The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-05-14

NuSbtCu Attu " t0oVAait AASiNCA'o " ~ |
own life, for declining which, | have here
sofore given my reasons. ] belong 70 that
numerous class of persons who prefer ac-
knowledging their neighbor's sins, 10 con-
Tossing their cwn.
If you think the following worthy Of
publication, you are welcome to it.
Honesty, Temperance, and tho Rule
Of Three.
II is one of the foibles of age, to in
dulge in recalling the incidents that have
lbeiallen us, and the traditions that were
familiar to US in youth; and am now
about to inflict a specimen Of my egotism
upon your readers,
once had kinsman who stood tome
in the relation of grandfather, an adj
vantage which is not exclusively mine,
though, like many other unforunates, I
shall never stand in that connection to
any body else, from my neglect in taking
the necessary preparatory steps.
Ny ancestor was brought up in what
has since assumed the name of the mo-
3afn Athens--it was not called so then
aiheR names were not then in vogue.
In those days, Lola Monies would hardly
have been mistaken for Aspasia; who, in
her own person would not probably have
been received with any particular respect,
even ifescorted by Alcibiades, IN short,
it was near the noon of the last century,
when my grandfather was sent TO the
public school, was instructed in reading,
writing, and arithmetic as far as the rule
of three, and then put to trade. The
trade TO which my ancestor was put, is
not now reckoned among the mechanical
arts the article is as obsolete as the tunic
or the pallium; the very name was long
ago repudiated from the polite vocabu
larry. 1t was the fabrication of leather
breeches, in the mystery of which he was
to be made expert.
In those days, England, in the Prov
inces, was still called home Families
that had been colonized hundred years,
still kept up correspondence with the
branches of the stock resident in the
mother country. Cousins, too, FIRST sec
ond and third, were much nearer relations
then, than in this migratory age. My
ancestor was seized with strong desire
to cultivate the acquaintance of his kin
dred by personal interview. His trade,
of which he had become nearly a master,
was dropped. Preparations were made;
and passage bespoke on board a regu-
lar trader. In due time, that is TO say,
after seven or eight weeks, the ship was
moored in London Dock. A hot press
was going on at the time, and the unfor-
ttunate iabricator of buckskin unmention-
ables, before he had found his cousins,
was knocked down, carried on board a
"Tender," and thence transferred to a
Man of War. British Admilals, in that
day, were Trunnions and Benbows, an
amphibiOus, proiane, tobacco chewing,
grog, drinking race. Many of them, brave
in battle, and active in the gale, had once
been before the mast-and the sailors
were of the same material. Undoubtedly
it was most disagreeable surprise, for
the piously educated young New Eng
lander to find himself in such society.
Yankees are a race, however, not easily
discouraged. My ancestor had qualifica-
tions to make himself useful the initia-
ton must have been severe enough, but,
in time, his character began to be appre-
ciated on the quarterback; his trade was
often in request; for, working on canvas
is not much unlike working on buckskin.
He was invariably sober, active, and obe-
dient. Even his scanty literary attain
ments supplied the deficiencies of bis su-
periors. Long years rolled away-he was
transferred from ship to ship with re-
newed commentator and successive pro.
, motion, through the grades of quarter
master, boatswain, and sailing-master,
until, at the eud of eleven years, he at
tained promotion that entitled him to
resign. Temperance, industry, and the
/ rule of three had done the business, and
he was rated lieutenant in His Majesty's
Navy. If he had been content to remain
! he might, perhaps, have been as success
ful as his countryman, Sir Isaac Coffin
in the same profession, or as his towns
man, Ochtertony, was on land. But my
4, ancestor loved not the trade; and he re
membered the sound of the church-bellt
in his native town.
, He resigned, received his long arrears
1 of pay, visited the relations whose ac
p quaintance had cost him so much, anC
re-crossed the Atlantic for the last time.
Such was the end of the romance O
+ my grandlather's life, and it was the only
romance ever heard Of in our family
I a.