Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-04-09
[From the Boys and Girls Magazins. ]
g.a Thomas Chatterton.

Did you ever hear cf Thomas Chatterton? He
| is often called the unf rtunate Chatterton. He
was indeed unfortunate, but ii was chilly because
he began his career by an act Of dishonesty. Let
ME tell you his history. =
| He was born at Bristol England, hundred
years ago. His parents were quite poor, but his
| talents were very remarkable. Unhappily he con-
ceived the idea of writing poems in the style and
alter the manner OF poets of thu fifteenth centu-
~, and, instead of calling them his own, 10 pre-
tend that he had copied them from some old parch-
| ments found in a chest over the chapel on the
| north side of Radcliffe church. What put this
idea into his head i cannot say. Perhaps he
thought the poems would deceive the public
They would consider them very fine, and then by
coming out as their real author he might sudden
ly find himself famous. ,gsa ,as ,l,,>
At first his plan promised to succeed. His DO
ems had great merit and their style was antigua
ted. But very soon the critics proved that they
contained words not ineN use so long before, and
that they alluded torecent events. So of course
they called the poems an imposture, and looked
upon Thomas Chatterton as an irnposter.
Full of ambition he went to London. But
while his genius was not denied, his imposture
was not forgotten, and the learned men of that
day tailed to encourage him. Then the poor
ey be shut himself up in his chamber where he
was found dead. twas thought that he had ia
ken some kind of, poison His body las put into
a she'll and buried in the graveyard of the Shee-
lane almshouse. f :, s.Isf sss g Z. f'.7
Thus persisted in his eighteenth year, an unfor-
tunate boy who might have been an ornament to
mankind. Had lie adopted truth for his policy in
stead of fasehood, he would have found friends
His singular genius would have triumphed over
all the difficulties of poverty and instead of being
remembered as the unhappy, and unfortunate
Chatteron, he would have had a lofty niche in
the temple of fame, and his name honored for
ages. Learn then, that always, everywhere, in
every case, honesty, in which include the idea
of truthfulness and sincerity, is the best policy.
-. - ----7--r-r---
CouRT .GosslP.-The following conversation.
says the New.York Tribune, is Teported to have Ia.
ken place between President Pierce and an Office
seeker from Western New York: 1f'i '.ss5 ~
President.-how did you vote in ,4s? asi
toFce-seeker.-For Gen. Cass of course, sir
He was you know, the regular candidate Of our par
ty. ! Z. @' ,5,s a, y 3
President.-I havelbeen informed that you cleo
tioneered for Van Buren, voted for Cass and cele-
brated the election of Taylor. How was this hi.
s ODice-seeker.-(G Greatly embarrassed, and fun
bling his watch chain.) Good bye, Mr. President.
tHe took the next train for the North q 81.
- -. I - Stzss rs s1-
Young mother (who is extremely sentimental. on
noticing that her first born, in the cradle is excee
dinghy restless) -aIhe angels are whispering I'd
thee, my own darling babe2'fQh Z
Grandmother Extremely matter Of. factNNo
such thing. The child has only got wind in
y -'Tf1'ttfistft lssafa