The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-03-18

whether l shonld not get cashiered for
my pains in our stirring modern times.
But he need not for had made up my
mind that the army might, perhaps, not
suit me, the relation on whom we had
built hopes of preferment for me fell in
to disgrace at court.
Alter a time I coquetted with the
law, but being rather nervous as well as
undecided, 1 felt afraid I might never
make any great figure at the bar. Then
painting occupied by thought and then
music. The sciences, too, came in for
share of worship, and I dreamed of sue
cess and celebrity as professor. Worn
out by my continual fluctuations, my
father now urged me, almost severely,
to make definite choice of career, in
stead of philandering," as he called it,
with all the arts and sciences in rotation.
He had an old friend who offered his pat
ronage to obtain me a government stu
alton in the Grand Duchy Of. Here
was something secure, with promise of
future promotion. Would 1 give up
my dreams and at once secure the prize?
Should he write at once to say that I
accepted gratefully?
To have complied with SO wise sug
gestion, I must have abdicated my na-
ture. Still 1 promised my father to
give the subject my earnest considera-
ton; and 1 considered SO long and so
thoroughly that my respected parent died
long before 1 had finished discussing all
the "pros" aud the icons"
This event oug ght to have reused me
from my torpor. was now an orphan,
and thought, with degree of salutary
alarm, that L must speedily adopt some
resolution to gain livelihood; not
knowing indeed what property I had to
expect from my father, who had enter
tanned such a contempt for my wavering
disposition that he had never spoken to
me about his circumstances. 1t was only
three days after his decease that there
came letter from his friend in the
Grand Duehy of--saying that Sowing
to Sebastian's unaccountable delays
after doing his utmost to keep the situa-
tion open as long as possible, it had at
length been bestowed on another. This
had deep effect on me at the time. and
I formed number of wise resolves for
the future-but somehow I never could
manage to carry them into effect for
present use. On my becoming ac-
quainted with my fathers will, I found,
although L was exactly of age at the
time Of his death, he had arranged mat
ters SO that 1 was not to inherit the
whole of his property till two or three
years later, and subject, it seems, to
certain conditions that were to be COM
municated to me by member of our
family, Colonel Altenberg, whom had
never seen, and who was abroad at the
time, bat whom he had appointed to act
as his executor, and as kind of guar
dian over me. Finding had suficiency
to live upon comfortably, did not trou-
BILE myself about the colonel's absence,
and a year few past without my having
advanced step further towards choo-
sing profession.
At the end of that period, very la.
comic note from the colonel informed me
that he had retired to Altenberg Castle,
whittier he summoned me to come and
hear my fathers last injunctions. 1t
was time too, he said, that I should
become acquainted with his daughters,
my cousins and unless wrote word to
the contrary, he should expect me with
in a fortnight.
There was something so cold and alb.
rupt in his letter that 1 felt puzzled how
to answer him. Civility required a re-
ply, whether I accepted the invitation
or not; bad half mind to decline for
the present; but as usual, while I kept
weighing the expressions of my intended
answer, the fortnight had nearly passed
away, which fact felt engaged me now
to go whether wished it or not.
set out for the castle, which stood
on the banks of the Rhine. The jour-
ney was picturesque and charming-too
much SO, indeed; for, having had the
choice of two different roads submitted
to me at an inn, both of which were
equally lauded by two different travellers
dining at the same table with me. I
hesitated SO long that let slip the coach
leading by one of these roads; when I
learned, to my dismay, that the coach
for the other and longer way would not
call at the inn till the following morn
ing. It thus fell out that came to
Altenberg Castle day after the ap-
pointed fortnight
An old corporal, who acted as ser
want, took in my luggage, informed me
that the colonel was from home, having
ceased to expect me, offered me supper,
waited on me, and then conducted me to
my chamber. He was a man of few
words, who answered every question
with military salute. All I could
learn from him was, that the young Ia
dies were at home, and that should see
them in the morning. He then recap
itulated the hours of all the meals,