The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-08-28

IDduh Vi u Idplu WHICH DdbteDeu 10
ruingle its ,waters in the noble Hudson, is
possessed picturesque beauty seldom equall-
ed snd never surpassed. Away in the back
ground could be seen the blue outlines of dis
tant hills, while near by reared lofty peak
of the Highlands, whose tops, bathed in the
golden light of the setting sun, seemed fitted
rather for an abode for fairy dryads, than, as
the superstitious believed, the home of wicked
hob-gobins. Long rows of maple, ash and
elm shaded in summer the wide, well laid out
streets while each house, from the quantity
Of vines, ttndrils, flowers ard shrubs to be
seen around, appeared to be inhabited by true
devote@s of the Goddess Flora. Indeed ma
ture and fortune We'd in decorating this rural
town. Such was the place of my nativity
and suclI the former home of Willie Morton
As said before, Willie and were young
together, and together grew up to boyhood-
yea, manhood. In the memory OF the past
see him standing before me now in all the
freshness Of his youth-his mothers pride,
his fathers joy. l see his long curly locks
tossed to and fro by the gentle zephyr his
dark eyes and noble brow each an index of
the genius he possessed His round face and
dimpled cheek finish the PICTURE and when l
cay Willie Morton was beautiful, 1 do but re-
peat what many a vilager said oft and again
at beholding him. But it was not on account
OF these qualities that he was loved, not at
all he was as good as beautiful No snap
pish words did ever hear him utter in no
surly, sullen mood was he ever found. Tis
true at times, when excited to anger, his dark
eyes flashed like hre-fes in the night, and
his fair cheek glowed red with passion; but
this was seldom, very seldm. Not only was
he good and beautiful, but also as generous
and as kind. Never had he An apple but he
wished TO divide never had he present but
he desired his playmates 10 share in it, and
never was he more happy than when those
around him were joyous through his means
No wonder then that loved Willie Morton,
when he was loved by all, Thus years grew
on apsce, and as we grew too, we could not
always be young. At the age of sixteen it
was determined by our parents TO send us
both to IL College, in Massachusetts
state they having resolved to give US the
advantage Of q collegiate education. How
well do | remember the day we left home for
the gooily city of Cambridge--tbe seat of
the college-where for four long years we
trod the well beaten path Of student life
At the expiration of those four years need
tell you that Willie Morton stood foremost in
his class, and without dissenting voice, the
vn!adictory was allotted to him you, reader,
have already anticipated this. But few
months after our return 10 our native town
the father of Willie Morton died, and but
shor, time afterwards his doaling mother fol-
lowed her mourned for husband to the grave.
Thus being left alone, my friend Morton re-
solved TO leave lie native home, go lately the
Of triaf In him oDI A. IL
enter upon the reading of law.
We corresponded almost weekly for year,
when business, calling me West, broke off
our correspondepce-a correspondence which
was never renewed. continued Wet for
some ten years, but on my return to the
states again l sought and found Morton in
New York; but he was altered; there was
not that same open, frank smile upon his
countenance with which he was wont TO clasp
his former friends.
He told me that he had not been successful
in the practice of law, that he became dis
gused with the low trickeries used in the pro.
fl ssion, and instead OF being able to surmount
all obstacles in his progress onward, he be-
came completely discomfted by the cold sneers
and tauning sarcasms Of older practitioners.
He said the world had deceived him instead
of its fostering what was good and pure, it
stiaed every good and noble aspiration and
defeated every worthy action. He informed
me that he had resigned the practice of law.
and to support himself he was now acting in
the capacity Of book keeper in the counting
house of an uncle of his-he hoped soon to
become partner. His words were not nee
essary to prove to me his disappointment;
could readily perceive that his former dreams
of greatness and OF usefulness were fast van
ishing from his mind, and in their place the
cold, calculating love Of money was absorbing
his energies.
We parted. he TO his counting room and l
to my home in the West. Years rolled stead
lily on, new acquaintance were formed, old
ones were being forgotten, and the name of
Morton became less and less familiar TO my
mind at various intervals l heard him spo-
ken of as successful banker, as fast becom-
ing a millionaire but while there was some
thing pleasing in this, there also came the
rumor that he was making gold his idol, that
he boarded his money like miser, and that
his kind, generous and benevolent nature had
all changed into sordid love Of lucre.
Twenty years having intervened since had
seen Morton, again made arrangements TO
visit the East, and had been but few days
in New York when meet, as before described,
in the bank of NJ, him who had once been
my playmate, my schoOlmate and my "chum."
How different from our once happy greetings
now we unrecognized each other, no longer
frends--not even acquaintance. r.. y \
Reader, my tale is ended I can trace no
longer the life of Willie Morton. In this simple |
life sketch behold the effect of disappointment
and the power of gold on roble spirit, Ask
yourself, did he fulfil the purpose of his crea-
lion was it merely to pass through these
changing scenes that he was born was he
not too earnestly engaged in playing with the
shadows of life And il you answer these