Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-02-16

1
he felt sure that all that was wanting 10
complete and solidify his character was Just
this love for q good, high .souled woman,
which would arouse him to energy and &C.
tion, sustain and encourage him through all
difficnhies, and make life at once more
precious and more sacred.
Unfortunately, other members Of the
family, who were rational beings, and look.
ed on life In Q practical and sensible man.
ner. weie very differently affected by the
discovery Of this attachment. In brief
there eEsued upon the ec.aircissement much
storm on one side, much grief on the other,
and keen pain to ALTO none more than to
Everett. Our Visonsry's heart swelled
ho,ly with alternate indinstiop and tender
ness, as he Knew bis friend was forbidden
the house, heard his fathers wratbfuI com.
ments upon him, and saw his bright sister
Agnes broken down by al the beaviness OF
first despair You may imagine his pas
sionate denunciation Of the spirit OF worldi-
ness, which would, for its own mean ends,
separate those whom the divine sacrament
Of Love had Joined together. No less easily
may be pictured the angry, yet balf.compas
sionste reception OF his yehemence, the
contemptuous wave Of the hand with which
the stern old banker deprecated discussion
with one SO ignorant of the world, so ut
terly incapable Of forming judgment on
such question. as bic son. His mother sat
by, during these scenes s.trembling and griey.
ed. II was not in her meek nature to take
part a9ains. either husband or son. She
strove to soothe, to soften each in turn,--
with but little effect, it nav be sdded. For
oil he was so gentle and SO loving, Everett
was not to be persuaded or Influenced in this
matter. He took up his friends cause and
withstood al! antagonism, resisted all en-.
treaties to turn him from his fealty thereto.
Ay, and he bore up against what was
harder yet to encounter than oil these
Charles Barclays was one Of those natures
which, being miserable. are apt to become
desperate. To such men, sfflction seems
to be torture, but no discipline. But our
humanity perceives from level. and there
fore shor'-sighted point Of view. We
may well be thankful that the Great Ruler
sees above and around and on all sides the
creatures to be governed, the events to be
disguised. ..... ....
Charles Barcley went TO London. One
OF two brief and most miserable letters Ev-
erett received from him,-then all a blank
silence. Everetts repeated appeals were
unanswered, unnoticed. II might have been
as il Death had come between and sapera.
ted these lovers and friends, except that BY
indirect means they learned that he was
alive and still in London. At leagnth came
more definite tidings, and the brother and
sister knew that this Cthrles Barcley whom
they loved so well, had plunged into reck.
less life, as into whirlpool Of destruction,
thai he was among those associates, of
high rank socially, of nearly the lowest NOR
ally, whom he had formerly known at COL
lege. Here was triumph for the prudent
MISREPRESENTATION to the loving women,
--and to Everett, what! Pain, keen pain.
and btterr anxiety,--but no quailng of the
heart. He had too much faith in the friend
for that. ........
He went after him TO London,--he pene.
trated to him, and would not be denied. He
braved his assumed anger and forced vio-
lence; he had the courage Of twenty lions,
this Visionary, in battleing with the devils
tina, had entered into the spirit of his friend.
The struggle was fierce and heightened.
Love conquered OF last. as railways does.
cou'd we SO believe. And during the time
Of utter depression into which the mercurial
nature then relapsed, Everett cheered and
sustained him,-,ill The young mans soul
sc emed melted within him, and tho surren
der to the good influence was as absolute
as the resistance had been passionate. .
What have done, what am L. he would
oftentmes say, shat should be saved and
sustained aud loued by you, Everert!' For,
truly, he looked on him as no less than an
angel, whom God had sent to succor him.
| Ii was one Of those problems the mystery
of which is mos. sacred and most sweet
Ia proportion IS the erring man needed it,
Everett's love grew and deepened and wild.
ened, and his Influence strengthened with it
almost unconsciousy to himself. lie was
too humble to recognize all that he was to
his friend
Meanwhile, Imagine the turmoil at home ,
Ia respect Of Esererts absence, and the err.
rand which detained him. No disguise was
sought The son wrote TO hs mother frank.
ly, stating where he was. and under what
| circumstances. He received mission from
his father OF fur Gus remonstrance: he re-
piled by one so firm, yet so loving withal.
that old Mr.. Gray could not choose but
change his tone of angry compassion. 'The
boy believes he's doing right. Heaven send
him little sensep was all he could say
But there came ayet more overwhe elmng
evidence Of Everett's utter des.itutiof Of
that commodity. A mercantile appointment
was offered to Charles Barclay in one Of the
colonies, and Everett advanced the large sum
nscesssry to enable his friend to accept it.
To do this ,6e sacrificed the whole of what he
possessed independently OF his father. name
y,a legacy left. to him by his uncle, over
which he had full control II must be. years
before he could be repsid, of courss,-it
might be never! But, rash as was the act,
he could not be .nindered from doing It. His
father rsged and stormed, and sgain subsided
into gloomy resignation. Henceforth he
would wonder at nothing, for his son was
mad, unfit to take part in the world. "a