Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-06-17
The Owner of the "America.'

number of Harpers Magazine, under the
head Of Editors Easy Chair" The pub
fishers say sit is drat ma of our own since
il has never before, to our knowledge, beer
rendered in type; and yet its facts are al
substantially true p
AweaIthy nobleman of England, who had
an only son, grown to manhood, was living
not FIVE years ago, upon magnifcen,
country estate, on the borders of the manu-.
featuring town Of.
There was scandal attaching to the life Of
the old man; and it was said that one, who
was not his wife, and who lived at his villa,
exercised TOO great Influence over his &C.
tons, and prevented full confidence between
the father and the son.
However this may be, the son, who was
possessed of most rare manly beauty, left
bis fathers estate, went up to London, and
being utterly without resources, enlisted as
a private in the Household Guards of the
Queen. His appearance and his acquire
ments (for he was possessed of University
elucation) soon attracted attention. The
matter was talked Of even by those in high
position about the Court; and soon the
handsome young guardsman became an
object OF general curiosity.
Among those who heard this mention of
the discarded son, was an amiable girl, the
daughter and heiress of noble house. She
was attracted by his sic Try; and the sight of
his manly graces, not concealed even by
the humble uniform he wore, made entire
conquest of her affections. Under the cir
cumstances. the initiative could come only
from the lady; but interest was too strong
for the Intervention of any ordinary laws Of
etiquette or propriety; and the young
Guardsman was given to understand that
the heart of high-born lady, whose wealth
was equal to her rank, was at his disposal.
The Guardsman, like sensible man.
contrasted favorably the new alliance with
his dull service at the doors of the Royal
barracks; and in due time the parties were
joined in marriage.
Nothing could be happier than their wed
ded lot for six-month. After that time the
health Of the bride failed: they journeyed to
milder region; where, after few months
Of lingering illness, the young wife died !;
leaving to her husband the whole of her
vast property. He, with rare disinterested-
ness, at once alienated large portion of it
in favor of some charitable foundation in
which his deceased wife had, once upon
time, expressed deep concern.
Returning TO England, 10 look after the
accomplishment of this scheme of benevo-
lence, he CHANGED, in the autumn of 49,, to
be present at the great yacht race off Cowes,
in which the America won such glorious
laures. The winning yacht was understood
to be for sale; the gentleman who serves as
the hero of this bit of story was DESTROYS of
reyisilng again the scenes of his wife's ill.,
ness and death. He loved the sea; he
admired the staunch little American vessel !;
and he bought the yacht.
Some months after, she lay moored in the
Southampton waters, fully equipped for
trip to the Mediterranean. The owner was
about setting sail, when he received special
advices from London, desiring his imme-
date presence. He hurried up to town,
and learned from his solicitor that his father
had died under distressing circumstances
two nights before. The son and father had
not met since the angry parting three years
previous. The person through whom the
arrangement had arisen was understood to
be still an occupant of the paternal man.
sion; and to be in virtual, and perhaps
legal, possession Of the greater part of the
estate. .
The son had no desire for greater wealth
than he now possessed; and the circum-
stances only of some mystery attaching to
the death of his father, induced him to
revisit his old home He arrived before the
funeral ceremony: sight of what remained
Of his father, revealed, with fearful force,
the reasons for the mysterious communica-
tons respecting his death. The face was
horribly disfgured. and the jaw and skull
shattered by pistol-balI. 1t appeared that
the old gentleman, always proud of his fine
person and countenance (which the SON had
Inherited in a double degree,) had been
seized with the smallpox; and, shocked and
Inundated by the terrific change it had
wrought in his features, he had, in mo-
ment of frenzy. put an end to his life.
OF the elegance which markell him as
descendant Of long line Of aristocratic
fathers, nothing was visible now, in the
narrow coffin, but The fair and delicate hand.
The son took the hand and kissed it; then
hurried back to London, and thence to his
yacht in the bay Of Southampton. In a
week he was at sea.
A fever overlook him; and soon the
disease which he had gained from touch
Of the fathers hand. The crew gave him
such treatment as they could; but the
lack of medical attention, gave to the disease
strange force; and when the vessel cast
anchor before Gibraltar, not vestige re-
.mained of the manly beauty which had
given a romance to his life. Was it "a vi
sting of the sins Of the fathers upon the
children I" ,ts& ksSE
Al any rate, the old moral we may whip
a.he end is made fearfully true: That
noble blood does not guard man from
sufering or shame; and that our mortal
sorrows cut through the thickest shields Of
gold. 7 3sl s M NJ , vi
BEAuTY OF REPUBLICAN, INSTITUTIONS
We find an incident in the Buffalo CONNER
cal which speaks volumes and eloquent
ones too, in favor of the spirit and operation
cfDemotratic laws. The Commercial says:
1.-THE proceedings in justice Merriil's
court were pleasantly diversified this
morning by the entrance in the Office Of ex-
Plesident Fillmore, in obedience to a sum.
mons as ajuryman, with which he had been
sefyed hy constable Limerick" n s,ea se',
The individual who 50 lately filled the
highest seat in the world, and whose tour
through the country was Que public ovation,
comes into ajustice's court like the most
humble, in obedience to its process, and
presents his excuse why he cannot serve on
ne Jury. And mark the excuse! Not that
having been President of the United States,