Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-12-09

1--WE mat nau prouuCeuN. Ills latHeL nav ASlt TUG
estate yery much involved, and though net liable,
under the law ofentai, for the debts of his prede-
cessor, the present fincumbent was "too good q
republican," as he expressed it to take advantage
of exemptia designed tosiayor thearistocracy, He
engaged discharge all these Obligations,
and ioaccomplsh this task, twasnecessarYf for him
to adopt tile most rtgid:ecouohiy, and to practice
and persevere in through SO long portion OF his
life, that it became confirmed habit, he could
not abandon when necessity for its exercise no
longer existed, and he was now, he said, fully sen
sible Of his error without being able to overcome
Sc; there Vas therefore, nothihgiabout him, or qs
household that bespoke ether Iank, sftluenees
Indeed, his personal.appearance, ePveloped as he
usually was, in a hood of tartan, much the worse
for wear, and by no means cleanly was, SO. pecn=
liar and unseemly that, had it not been for the in
terest attached to his character and his well known
figure and excent,icites, would havefelt little
backward in offering him my arm, in our frequent
rambles through the streets and environs of Edln-
burg. But, apart from these, there was much to
attach me to him, inthe kindness with which he
regarded me; in the pleasure his varied resource
of anecdote and adventure afforded me; and
though his fellow citizens would often smile MS
they passed us, twas evident his grotesqne exterl
or was the cause Oft; and that they were not want
ing in respect for the virtues it concealed, or for
an individual rendered remarkable, by rank, age
and many estmable qualities.
Years, long years, OF vicissitude and trial have
elapsed since the events here recorded; years that
doubtless rolled over the gave of my hero, for he
was already advanced, when II knew him, beyond
the term of human probation; and these, in their
course, have planted burrows on my brow, then
smooth in the thoughtless expansiyeness youth
But memory trea cherous with me, in the present,
as with most who have reached the climax OF e$is-
tence, and begun their downward career; is faith
full to the past; and the incidents ofyouth show vi
wildly on her tablet, while the tagging circumstan-
cesof age become transitory and obscure 1t is the
force Of first Impressions; indelible on the mind,
as first love in the heart-and though frequently
overlad by subsequent Affections, never entirely
supplanted or subdued-nay, often recurring in all
their fervour, and integrity of early emotions as if
to mock the feeble and hackneyed susceptiblties of
after years. So, in the exercise of that mysterious
faculty, which can oYerleap time, and space, and
make the, unreal tangible, and bring the absent
near; sometimes see the subject of this narrative
DIR opping in upon me, at my hotel, before had
we'll concluded my mornings meal, to propose 'ta
walk and a talk" which l seldom felt DISPOSED TO
deny him. There was matter,in his garulity, for
instruction, aswell as for amusement and although
my guyer companions would wonder atmy patient
endurance the old mans stories and imagnings,
and never LEFT him without having been leward-
cd for my attentions. On one occasion, the
notion possessed him Of showing me the results of
his literary labors, and called, for this purpose
OH his secretary, rs he styled him, DR.. Andersen,
| W ith whom they were deposited, and who will be
remembered by some antedeluvan reader like my
SELF us the editor Of thc Bce,' celebrated peri
| odical OF auld lang Syne. As this worthy had not
anticipates our visit, and the papers were not at
hand, it wassuggested by his patron, that1 should
call on the Doctor very early on the following NOR
ming, and read over the Earps productions, prepar-
arory to his joining breakfast, and discussing
them at our leisure. True 10 my appointment, was
with the Doctor betimes, but, as it CHANGED, found
lin so compa niOnable, converSible and agreeable,
that the object Of my visit was forgotten by both Of
us, until the servant maid, rushing into the room
announced'the noble, authors approach. Hurrying
to his closet the Doctor gathered togethar apple Of
papers; threw them on the table before me, and
inpCred me 10 affect TO he deeply engaged in them,
a nd when his Lordship entered, we contriyed be-
tween us, to appear as if we had been attentively
emp loyed in their perusal-but of their contcns
and merits / really knew nothing, and am there
fore unuble to testify to his LordshioS claims 10
literary ability. It is more than probable, howev-
ct, that his writings partook ofthe desultcry char
character Of his conversation, and the visionar!
turn of his mind. which appeased mote::::disposed
to skim the surface; to indqlgein social and polit
cal gossip, than to plunge into the depths of learn
ing and philosophy, ramble in the fields of lite
rature. r-.,t, fa.F ,4asn7 s. vi
But must bid him adieu, lestyour readers should
begin to think these old time stories of mine, are
too frequently occupying your columns, to the
clusion of more interesting and important matter.
sELLrxDALE. Va. w. B. B.
WIZ, VII, R,,,, C,I,,nnr, .ro have nnr.nts