Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-02-23
1nyntsrtsting Sktttb.
From the Atlantic Monthly.
SOME ACCOUNT OF A Wis
IONARY.
CONCLUDED !

When Everett returned, Charles Barclay
was on his way to Csnada, vigorously inten,
on the new life before him. Agnes drew
sti eneth and comfort from the steadfast
look of her brothers eyes, as he whispered
to her, 'Dont fear Trust God, and Big
patient The blight fell away from her,
alter that. II she was never light-heart.
ed girl again, she became something even
s@eeter and nobler. They never talked to-
gether sbou, him, for the father had forbid.
den IL; and, indeed, they needed not. Open
ly, and before them all, Everett would say
when he heard from his friend. And SO the
moDths passed on.
Then came the era III our Visionary's
life an era. indeed, to such as he!--the
first love. First love --and last,--to him
it was nothing less than iateful. II was
his nature to be steadfast and thorough
He could no more have transferred the love
that rose straightly and purely from the
very lnnermost flre of his soul than he could
have changed the soul itself. Not many
natures are thus created with the inevitable
necessity TO be constant. Few among wo-
man, fewer yet among incn, love as Everett
Gray luved Rosa Besuchainp.
When they became aware of this love at
his home, there ensued much marve ling. -
Mr.. Gray cordially congratulated himself,
with wonder and pleasure, to think that
actually his mad boy should have chosen so
reasonably. Captain Gray, home on leave,
observed that Old Everett wasn't such a
flat as he seemed, by love! to select the
daughter Of an ancient house, and wealthy
house, like the Beauchamps of Hollingsley.
The alliance was in every way honorable
and advantageous. The family was one of
the most influential in the county; and a
lady's being at the head of it--for Sir Ralph
Deaut amp had died muny years before,
when his eldest son was but child, and
Lady Beouchamp had been sole regent over
the property ever since--mude 1t all the
pleasantef. Z, erett, if he chose. might be
virtual master Of Benuchsmp; for the young
bsronct was but weak, good natured boy
whom any une might lead. Everett had
displayed first.ra,e 'generalshp. These
simpe-seeming fellows are often deeper than
most people, argued the soldier, wise in his
know ledge of the world; you NAV trust
them to take care of themselves, when il
comes TO the point. Everetl's u shrewd
fellow
The father rubbed his hands. and whs de-
lighted to take this view OF the case. He
should make omtthing Of his son and heir
in time. Often as he hnd regretted that
Richard was not the elder, on whom /:
would rest to keep up the distinction and
hon,r of the family, he begun to see an adj
miroble fitness in things as they were. Ev.
erett was, after all, better suited for the
career that lay before him, in which he
trusted he would not need that knowledge
Of mankind and judgment on worldly mat
ters that were indispensable to those who
had to carve their own way in life. III is
better as it is.' thought the Iother, uncon-
scious that he was echoing such an unsub.
stan,ial philosophy as poets.
And So the first days Of Everetts love
were as tioudle6s and divinely radiant as o
SUMMER dawn. But events were gathering
like storm clouds, about thc'hotfse of GRAY
Disaster, most unforeseen, was impending
over his family. For Mr, Gray, though, y,
We have said, practical and matter4Uf. fact
man, and having neither eymp pathy nor pa
tence with visionary schemes or ideas, hat
ye,, as practical men will do, inCulged il
divers speculo,ions during his lie, in one o
WHICH he had at last been induced TO EN-
bark 10 the utmost extent. OF course, i
seemed safe and reasonable enough, ever
TO tte bankers shrewd eyes; but, ne9erthe
ess, it proved as delusive and destructive al
any that ever led less worldly man astray
The fair seeming bubble burst, and the ricl
man OF one day found himself on the NOR
row virtually reduced to beggary. All hi
had il in his power To rick was gone
and liabilities remained to the extent O
twice as much. The crash came, the ban
I stopped payment, and the unhappy man wa
stricken to the dust. lie never lifted up hi
head again The shrewd man of the worl
utterly subcumbed beneath this blow OF tate
it killed him. Old Mr.. Gray died of :ha
supposed disease, u broken heart, ,-leavin
a legacy Of ruin, or the alternative Of dis
T. srsce, to his heir. .sl.a
The reins Of government thus fell int
: Evcreu's hands, The poor Grays! it's a
y over with them!' said the plying world
: And, indeed, the way in which the youn
man proceeded to arrange his fathers a
fairs savored no less of the Visionary tina
d had every action of his liie heretofore
/. Captain Gray, who hastened home from h
/ gay quarters in Dublin, on the dsastro,
( news reaching him. found his brother alread
> deeply engaged with lawyers, bills, ar
leeds. ..# a...
you know, Richard,there is but one thin
to be done.' he said, in his usual simpl
earnest way; I'VE must cut off .he entai
snd sell the property to- pay my father
debts. II is shafd thing to do,--to pa
with the old place; but il would be worst
n. Sfterer pain and crueler shame, TO hold
with the money that, whatever the world
code of morality may say, is not ours. The
must be no widows and orphans reduced
s poverty through lis. Thank God, there W
|. be enough produced by the sale Of the esta
D to clear Of, every habiHty--to she Ia
shilling. You feel with me id this matter
he went on, confidently appealing to
IL brother; yet with a certain infection Of an
ke iety in his voice. II would have wound