The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-04-28
Gcltltc0.
GENIUS IN LIVERY.
BY MRS. soPHRoNIA CURRIER.

Twenty years ago, an Engllshman OF
rank and fortune, travelling, under an
assumed name, through the United
States, chanccd to fall in company with
a poor but skillful artist, who fancied, at
the time, that he was on the point OF
discovering some yet unknown law in
mechanics, whose operations would make
a new era in the history of arts.
Sir William D, so shall the Eng
lshman be called, was himself deeply
interested in scientific pursuits; and
the speculations of Charles Lewis-the
young mechaDic-appeared to him, SO
far as he was made acquainted with
them, to be well founded; and after
giving considerable thought to the sub
ject, he became more sanguine than was
Lewis himself, in the expectation that
the discovery would produce very great
and important results and when he
learned under what difficulties the young
man was prosecuting his labors, he en-
deavored, so much interested was he in
his schemes, to afford him assistance.
1t was not easy, however, for him to
find way in which he might do so for
Lewis would have thought the fame he
might acquire by his discovery, and the
wealth it would bring him, too dearly
earned, if it would have required re-
linquishment of his pride; he would have
pre- err d, to the receiving of pecuniary
assistance, an utter relinquishmet of
his hopes, and to toll still, day by day,
as he was doing, to procure the bare
necessaries of life for his wife and child.
But when Sir William, on condition of
receiving some advantage himself, if
Lewis should be successful in his under
taking, promised him an opportunity of
trying his experiments in a manufacture
ing establishment of which he was the
principal proprietor, the young man
consented to his proposal, and with his
wife and child embarked for England,
in company with his patron.
He was not destined, however, to
reach its shores. On the fifth day of
the voyage contagious disease appeared
among the ships crew, and Lewis and
his wife were among its first victims.
The wife had first died, and in the brief
illness Of the young man, the thoughts of
her, and the expected orphanage of his
boy so disturbed him that he could not
reveal to his friend the progress he had
made in his discovery; the assurance of
Sir William that the child should be
properly provided for could not calm his
disordered mind, and though he many
times attempted the explanation of his
plans, the gentleman could collect no.
thing valuable from his half insane
words.
He, however, performed, to some
degree, the promise be had made re-
specting the child. Little Walter
Lewis, who was, at the time of his
parents death, in his eighth year, was
taken into the household of Sir William,
where he soon became a great favorite.
especially with the housekeep r and
groom with the one for his bright and
handsome face, and for his docility, and
with the other for his courage and activ-
ity; and Mrs Ford begged Of her mis-
tress, and John of his master, that the
little Walter might be given to their
especial care. The noble lady gave but
lite thought to the " foreign pauper,"
beyond the consenting that he should
remain among the servants, but she re-
marked that her husband ought to con-
fine his charity to the poor of his ten
antry; and Sir William intended to do
better for the orphan than to
make him scullion or groom's waiter
he should receive an education at the
parish school, and when at a suitable
age should be put apprentice to the
trade which his father had followed.
But the baronet's 3 intentions towards him
were soon forgotten, and when be and
bis family left their homes for . pro-