Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-10-05
An Impressive Lesson.
THE WICKED SHALL NOT LIVE OUT
HALF HIS DAYS.

In the Pioneer, or California
Monthly Magdzine for July, we
find The following melancholy story,
contributed To that periodical 10y the
Hon. T.. Gould Bufum. The story
is true and we could fill up the
blanks with the real names, If any
good object was to be thereby at
tanned. Mr.. Buffum has not even
given the true initials Of the uuhap-
py young man whose fate he de-
sctibes:
| had heen 10 West Point in the
Summer of 1916, engaged in writing
a series Of letters for the Morning
-, with which ! had been con
nectcd as reporter for some two
years previous. Upon my return to
the office, found sitting at my desk
a young man, apparently about TWEEN
ty-five years OF age, dressed in the
most seedy style Imaginable, and in
dulging IN that full-breasledness OF
coal which usually covers shirt
bosom Of rather suspicious white
ness. A glimpse al his face, how
ever, removed the unfavorable o.
pinions which his dress had impaired.
His forehead was high and intelIectu-
al, his head unusually large in pro-
portion TO the remainder OF his body,
and his whole features cast in that
classic mould which gives SO much
beauty to the profles of Michael An
glo. lie struck me al once as re-
markabe man, and subsequent ac-
qualntance and events showed me |
was not mistaken. lie had been
engaged at the office at a small sala-
ry, aud was miserably poor, and up
on my Introducing myself 10 him,
as Immediately did, he asked me 10
step aside, upon dong which he crav-
ed a small loan TO enable him 10 pur-
chase breakfast. let him have
the money, and at night took him
home to my third story back room
in my boardIng-house, where he
shared my narrow cot bed, not quite
wide enough for one. la the close
connection into which our duties
brought us, we soon became as init
mately acquainted as any one could
become with such a singular being
as he was.
had not known him many days
before | found he was man of ge-
MUS, rarely ever met with, and that,
grated upon II were attalnments
such as seldom are seen ia one so
young. He had been educated at
- College, where he stood at the
head oil his class, and beside the
musiy lore of Greek and Latin, he
had made h,~s.if thoroughly con-
'ersaht with B.i--", aiiu ~ tue
modern languages he spoke fluently
French, Spanish, German and Tia
han. He skeiched and painted, too,
with an artists skill, and soon after
our acquaintance commenced, he
one day showed me portfolio of
paintings in water-color of scenes
from nature ;of wild tropical scenes,
where the towering palm-trce casts
n shadow overthe painted earth, aud
where gorgeously -colored tropical
flowers and birds OF golden plumage
filled the picture, and then some an
cient ruins-ihe remains, apparently,
of race Of which my history read
ing had never taught me-of Inca
like palaces, aud temples, and iombs
and then scenes upon the broad de-
ISOLATE ocean-llke waving pampas /;
and then again pictures OF domestic
beauty and content at doors of little
hu's, within which the fg-lree and
the cocoa nut cast their refreshing
shadows aud then sunset scenes, on
which his pencil had left the gorge
Gus colors, such as Iinger on the bill
lowy clouds of the tropics, when the
sinking sun is tinging them with his
farewell rays. One Of these sunset
scenes he showed me was a fancy
sketch, such as only the pencil of an
arliSl, and no, my pen, can describe.
But II was scene OF quiet, calm,
peaceful, and unclouded rest, where
the very stiffness OF the air seemed
palnled-where the tree-leaves stood
as molIonless as though no breeze
had ever rushed them, and where
silver stream was gliding through
flower-enameled plain. BY its side,
sad and melancholy, and gazing into
lis lImpid waters, was young man.
Small though The picture was, ca
silly recognised his own form and por-
trait. | asked him what he called
the picture, aud he said twas 'Leihe.
lie was singular being. Al
times, he was flowing over with wit
and humor, but these occasions were
rare. A settled gloom hung over his
countenance, aud all his conversa-
ton wore an air of sadness, AS
plainly as though II was stamped up
on his brow in letters deeply cut as
the brand Of Caln,-was written the
curse of his llIe-Memory. Curlo-
slly, and the deep aud ardent friend
ship had acquired for him, often
prompted me to endeavor 10 lif. the
veil which, like darkening cloud,
hung over his heart and his life, bu.
always TO no purpose. Occasional
ly, he would come to the Office, much
exhiIeraied with drink, and then he
would SIT down and dash Oft one Of
those flowing, scathing, Plihy, and
T prophetic ARTICLES, which al that time
: made The Morning--so celebrated
: and which were quoted and com.