The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-10-02

mates, without sympathy or recreation of AN
SORT suitable to children, she was driven int
precisely what Mr.. Pinckney most detested. H;
wife, Margarets mother, had been wis. h
styled love-sick, sentimental creature. an
INTO tnls ne was unconsciously training it'll
Mag. Thrown entirely upon her own resource
tor amusement, the larger faculty, and of cours
the most active, was unnaturally cultivated
Deprived OF playmates, her mind peopled tn
aim mouse and lonely woods with knights an,
.aoies, iairles and demons, cavaliers and round
ceads, Just as the last reading seized upon he
fancy ihe severe training, with the natura
oens Oh her mind, made combination rarel,
met WIN Such keen appreciation of thu
oeau0iui was added to practical knowledge
.na' while she could look upon and understand
.ne commonplace OF life, her mind was the
no"e oi al IN art or nature which goes to make
up the IDEAL. There was but one evil in this
| system Margaret was too much alone. Save
when her brother was home, during his vaca
| lions, she saw no companions, had no social in
tercourse. This solitude, with a weak mind
woaic make the victim shy, awkward, and nm
| certa,n-upon q stronger intellect the effect is
W euitiVate egotism and selfwill. We learn our
rear strength, and define our true position. by
contact with others-and little MARGARET was
as wiiIul and lmperious as queen.
=, A'ceN, generous as the day, supplied with a
iioerai allowance, and released from the ra.
straints OF home, ran the career incident to sncb
youths at school and college. Every return of
vacation brought him home, handsomer. cav.
er, and more addicted to brandy, billiards. and
cigars he was thoughtless happy. and proud
OF Margaret She was so beautiful, 80 intelli.
gent, told him in such glee of Waverlev novels
ana ohakspeare,s plays, as if they were some
tnlng new to fast young man, who listened
ana looked with patronizing complacency
upon the little witch.
when eighteen years of age, an event occur.
red which changed the tenor of their lives-the
event upon which turned all the misfortunes
ana fortunes of Albert's life. His father needed
a sum OF money from bank, and requested AL
bert to ride into the CITY and cash a cbeck
Mounted upon his beautiful and booded horse
he cantered merrily to the city. Having procur.
ed the money-6ve hundred dollars-he fell in
with some gay acquaintance and dined with
them. Dinner was followed by wine and cards.
and, late In the evening, he called for his horse.
ana started for home. Albert, under the influ
ence OF VINE, had gambled and lost-lost not
only ms own money, but most of that for which
MS father lmpatiently waited. AS he rode home.
the cold autumnal wind singing his face. he
sonered into the thought of the conseo uences
attendant upon his imprudent conduct. and
tne VISION OF the stern, hard father, rose before
him. 0'' "o'0'o
DIX miles from the city, on the road home.
Albert had to pass hotel, the favorite resort
during summer months of sporting characters
where, while the fast horses breathed a few mo.
ments, drinking and gaming were INDUCED in
by their fast owners. Although late in the
season, several wagons were under the shed
and Albert, with no other thought than rest
dismounted and went in. he called for brandy.
and sat moodiy before the fire, slipping the in.
toxlcatlon as he dwelt upon the anger to be en-
countered at home. While so engaged. the
NOISY crowd was drinking at the bar. One of
them, noted gambler, proposed little game,
Just TO MI up time, and invited Albert to ioin
them. he accepted what, under other circum- |
stances he would have Indignantly declined
OUT the wild idea seized him of attempting to
in The CRATE, plentifdlly supplied with VINE the
hawks sat down to pluck their victim. Albert
played and won. Ashamed to leave with his
he played and lost. Lost again and
again, and, as he saw his money swept from
the table, drank wildly and played madly, so
that at midnight, when the party broke up, he
staggered out, not only with purse empty, but
large amount of promises to pay in possession |
of the sharpers.
Calling for his horse, he swung himself into
the saddle, and galloped furiously away. The
storm whirled the snow around his head, as the
impatient horse dashed on--impatient to gain
the warm stable, after shivering 80 long under
the open shed. For two miles the road lay
over an open country; after that, it wound
through woods, over hills, and along glens, by
no means easy OF access on so dark a night |
Without checking the speed of his horse AL
btrt plunged into the gloomy woods. He had
not ridden far when his horse, swerving to one
side, the riders head came in contact with the
limb of tree, and he fell stunned, to the ground,
while the horse galloped, riderless, away.