Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-04-21


features of their patient.
is it then so' he exclaimed, as the physi-
clans gave Their opinions. the tears stream
ing down his manly cheeks.
"Tis even so.' responded one of the ply
sicians. But Mr.. Cameron, you weep for
him as If he were friend
He once was, sir, and one whom dearly
loved answered he. During your opera
tions, l have been scanning his well known
features, and they cannot be mistaken. Yes,
he who lies before you, was not always thus
degraded. You may have known him too,
sir. His name was Douglass HE'D
Il did indeed know Douglass Held. We
passed through college together. But it can
not be him.
'Would it were, not true. But that fact
was too deepss, enYrayeR on my memory
when we were scaoo mates, to be forgotten
1t is painful fact
But how came he to this conditiunT He
stsdieG law, if recollect Alright, and he was
intelligent and learned
Il will tell you how it was,' said Mr..
Cameron. He did, as you say, study law,
and he was indeed intelligent, and learned
and flushed scholar. Just before he was
admitted to the bar, his parents both died
of fever then prevalent. His father had
been thought to have been in good circum-
stances, and believe was until within q
short time of his death, when by the failure
of some speculation in which he was en-
gagged, he lost very nearly his all; SO that
when he died, hia legacy 10 his son was but
scanty. Well, Douglass, as l have said,
was admitted to practice. You know, Doc
tor, the trials Of young professional man
-ot new beginner in any of them-I dare
say, by experienced
Il do, indeed, SIR responded DR.. S..
How day after day, and night after night,
he sits in his oflics Idle, praying and hop
ing that he next hour, or the next day, may
bring some employment, with it; how that
hour or that day passes: and still leaves him
as did those that preceded it; how his heart
sickens, and he grows almost mad with dis
appointment, and his bosom Ellis with des.
pair-and poverty stars him in the face
Well. so it was with him. The little he
had from his father soon wasted away, anc
he was left without dollar. offered to
loan him some if be were in need, at any
time, but his proud spirit would not let him
accept it. He loved lovely girl, and he
would have made her his wife, but be was
too noble to let her share his poverty
Strange 9 soul SO noble can thus become SO
much debased! He struggled on for some.
time n,anfuliy, bu. at length one day he was
arrested, and thrown into Jail for a debt
which he had been compelled to contract.
heard of it, and Immediately obtained his
reiease. He tifxaksa ne warmly FOR my
generosity, but from that day he was lost
His proud spirit had received fatal stab.
He forgot his love, his former respectable
ty, and all, and plunged headlong into de-
struction. In gambling and drinking, he
sought to forget the past. and oh! Doctor,
too surely he forgot future For the last
year heard nothing of him. A few months
ago, she whom he dearly loved-but alas!
whose heart he broke-was laid in her
grave, he will lay beside her in few days.
Poor fellow! what a wreck-a shattered
wreck!'
Reader, our tale is ended, and we have
but little more to say. 1t is this: we
hope you will ponder well upon what we
have written. You may say it Is an over
drawn picture. We tell you it is not, for
it is rot only taken from real life but from
real facts. You may also, say that profess
siOns are as profitable as trades. We grant
it. To those few who ure So fortunate as
to rise in them, they perhaps are more so;
but they are SO overstocked, that two thirds
of their members can scarce obtain living;
whilst all who are masters of mechanical
trade can. if they are sober and Industrious.
always obtain comfortable one, and more
often than IN professions, wealthy irde-
pendence.