The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-09-29

est daughter, who alone was left to him
he sailed from India. But she died OF
the voyage, and was committed to the
deep. Thus deprived of every tie
friendless and hopeless, the much -affiic
ted man quilted the ship in French
port, and repairing to Paris, he resided
there for some few years, endeavoring to
while away his time in the pursuit oi
science and literature, the pursuit oil
wealth having lost all interest for him
who had no one now for whom he cared
to work. At length he returned to his
native city, where he lived quietly, fru-
gally, and in great retirement, visiting
at very few houses except at that of his
cousin Herr Kraft, in whose family he
appeared to take warm interest; the
regard, however, which he enter tanned
for them all was ouly returned by the
daughter, who became much attached to
him. Herr Kraft made point dispu-
ting with him every day, and had so ac-
customed himself to this amiable habit,
that he absolutely could not do without
his relative and these demi-quarrelS.-
There were many different opinions
about the state of his finances :'He
must have saved something in the East
Indies, where money is as plentiful as
grass" said some; but others, among
whom was Herr Kraft, declared that
he only had enough to make shift with,
aud it would be wonder if the little
he possessed should last during his life
for he was Que of those persons whom
| Dame Fortune seldom favored, as he
did not put proper value on her gifts,
letting his money slip through his flu
gers by bestowing it on every one who
came with whining tale to him, he
was SO foolishly soft-hcarted. u And Herr
Kraft was right there.
In the large drawing room which was
furnished richly than tastefully, and
where everything looked comfortable,
Herr Kraft and Herr Warner were pa
cling up and down. Their conversation
had come to a stand They had been
disputiug about some of the measures
of the government, and Herr Kraft had
called the government stupid, and des
potic; be said it took upon itself to be
the guardian Of the nation, and to treat
the burghers as if they were children
under age, prescribing to them, forso tn.
what they were to do, aud meddling in
their own private affairs ! He was as
warm a supporter of free trade for the
higher grade of merchants, as he was
an advocate for restraints upon the work
ins classes, for be looked upon all those
in an humble sphere of life as trash,
fv of fraud and tricks," who must have
ga rod held over tleir Leads" 1t was
the old story -liberality for the higher,
despotism for the lower and this will
be repeated till the cid of the world
Herr Warner had differed from him in
opinion; he thought confidence might
Re placed in a wise government, aud he
wished freedom and justice for all,
whether they were rich or poor. The |
argument might have become an augry |
one, but Warner gave in, for he was
anxious to avoid eXasperatlng his vio- |
lent tempered cousin, to whom he had
come that morning Oh a delicate mission, |
requiring DO small degree of tact.
\ very fue young man, who had been
for some time much attached to Louise.
and who had won her affections, had de-
tie. mined to ask her hand in a respectful |
letter to her father. But the reply was
a fat refusal, Herr Kraft having made
up bis mind to listen to no proposals for
his daughter except from a sultor Sc
lected BY himself. Louise weht aud was
very sad AUNT Regime as she was
STYLED, favored her with sundry illna
tured dissertations upon ungrateful and |
disobedient children, Mops growled and
snarlc6 as if he were taking part with
his mistress in the family disagreement,
aid the entire house aud house hold ap-
pearsd even more dull and silent than
usual. Herr Warner exerted himself
to the utmost to bring his cousin to rea-
son, but in vain. Herr Kraft was much
enragej that his daughter should have
presumed, even at the house of his own
sister, to have become intimate with any
person who was unknown to him, and
could not forgive her having dared even
to think of any one as lover without
his permission. "And the fellow such
a poor wretch into the bargiu |" For
what was a small landed property, not
much bigger than couple of peasants
and cabbage gardens? He was
of an ancient and noble family, it had
been said-but what Of what? He, |
Her Kraft, did not care a straw for no.
bility; it was merely an idea-an i'm
agiuation-that some men are to be bet |
ter than others, because their forefath- |
ers, perhaps a hundred years ago, had
been people of some reuowD. Herr |
Warner main tanned that such an "imagi- !
nation" contained moral Obligation to |
be also a distinguished, or a. least
worthy man, not to dishonor ones an
cesters; and reminded his cousin that
ha himself was by one means Indifferent
to his decent.
"No, in that he was. certainly right,
said the merchant; "but he had good
grounds for his pride in his forefathers,
because for more than a hundred years
they had been wealthy merchants, who
had established and maintained highly |
esteemed commercial house. That was
something solid-not mere fancy" And
then he went on exhibiting all that ar
that is sometimes to be found
among the rich burghers, who are quite
as proud of their wealth, and their |
burgher's brief of century old, as any
noblemen of his genealogical table, or
his forefathers wounds or scars received
on the field of glory. But Herr War
ner had to go away without having dis
closed his errand, and could only console
poor Louise with the uncertain hope of
a brighter future, in which, howevar, he,
himself had little confidence.
Soon after, her prospects became still
darker. Herr Kraft gave notice sud,
denly one day that he bad promised
Louise to the son of one Of his CONNER
cial friends, that the betrothal was to