Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-07-21

tain the character of the captain, who,
under pretence that, if he entered the har-
Dor, he should probably be wind-bound
for several weeks, persuaded them to go
ashore in small boat, promising to tie
to till they had landed their goods but
the boat had no sooner returned to the
ship, than, spreading his sails to the wind,
he was soon out of sight, leaving John
and his family on the beach, with-to re-
cur to his own phraseology-''nothing but
what they stood up in
Having with some difficulty found shell
ter for the night, they proceeded on the
following morning in boat to Ramsay !;
but here it was found that, owing to some
informality, the people who had posses
sion of the house refused to give it up,
and the wanderers were obliged to take
refuge in an inn. The next thing was to
pursue, and recover the lost goods but
some weeks elapsed before an opportuni-
ty of doing SO could be found and at
length when John did reach Liverpool,
the captain had left, carrying away with
him a considerable share of the property
With the remainder John, after many ex-
penses and delays, returned to the island,
and resumed his business. But he soon
discovered to his cost, that the calcula-
tions he had made were quite fallacious,
owing to his having neglected to inquire
whether the late prosperous season had
been a normal or an exceptional one
Unfortunately, it was the latter and sew
eral very unfavorable ones that succee-
ded reduced the family to great distress
and finally to utter ruin.
Relinquishing his shop and his goods
to his creditors, John Glegg, heart-sick
and weary, sought refuge in London
a proceeding to which he was urged by
no prudential motives, but rather by the
desire to fly as far as possible from the
scenes of his Yexations and disappaint-
ments, and because he had heard that the
metropolis was place in which a man
might conceal his poverty, and suffer and
starve at his ease, untroubled by imperti-
nent curiosity or officiOus benevolence
and, above all, believing it to be the spot
where he was least likely to fall in with
any fhis former acquaintance.
But here new calamity awaited him,
worse than all the rest. A fever broke
out in the closely populated neighborhood
in which they had fixed their abode, and
the first two of his three children took it,
and died and then himself and his wife
rendered meet subjects for infection by
anxiety of mind and poor living-were
attacked with the disease. He recovered;
at least he survived, though with an en-
fcebled constitution, but he lost his wife,
wise and patient woman, who had been
his comforter and sustainer through all
his misfortunes-misfortun which, after
vainly cndeavoring to avert, she support
ed with heroic and uncomplaining forti-
tude but dying, she left him precious
legacy in Mary, who, with fine nature,
and the benefit of her mothers precept
and example, had been to him ever since
a treasure of tilial duty and tenderness
A faint light dawned through the dirty
windows on the morning succeeding thu
little event with which we opened ou
story, when Mary rose softly from he
humble couch, and stepping lightly Il
where her fathers clothes lay on chair
at the foot of his bed, she put her hanC
into his waistcoat-pocket, and, extracting
thcrefrom the guinea which had beel
found in the cruel the preceding evening
she transferred it to her own. She thel
dressed herself, and having ascertainet
that her father still slept, she quietly lef
the room. The hour was vet so early
and the streets so deserted, that Mary al
most trembled TO find herself in then
alone but she was anxious TO do wha
she considered her duty without the pai
of contention. John Glegg was natural
ly an honest and well-intentioned man
but the weakness that had blasted his lif
adhered to him still. They were doubt
less in terrible need of the guinea, ant
since it was not by any means certain tha
the real owner would be found, he SAW n
great harm in appropriating it; but Mar,
wasted no casuiStry on the matter. Tha
the money was not legitimatcly theirs
and that they had no right to retain ii
was all she saw and so seeing, she act
ed unhesitatingly on her convictions.
She had bought the meal at Mr.. Ben
jamin's, because her father complained o
the quality of that she procured in tn
smaller shops, and on this occasion b.
had served her himself. From the earli
ness of the hour, however, though tn
shop was open, he was notin it when sh
arrived on her errand of restitution bu
addressing Leah Leet, who was dustini
the counter, she mentioned the circum
stance, and rendered the guinea, whicl
the other took and dropped into the till
without acknowledgment or remark. Nov
Mary had not restored the money Will
any view topraise or reward the though
of either had not occurred to herie bu
she was, nevertheless, panied by the dry
cold. thankless manner with which tb
restitution was accepted, and she felt tha
little civiEty would not have been out o
place on such an occasion.
She was thinking of this on her wa.
back, when she observed Mr.. BENJAMIN
ON the nnnnsitn side of the street. Thl