, 1864-04-09

week, always preparing a new speech against
the next time Of meeting her, until three
or four rivals stepped forward before NO.
At length 1 did speak, and never was love
more clumsily declared. told her in three
words; then looked to the ground, and
again in her face most pitifully. She re-
ceived my addresses just as saucily asa pretty
girl could do. But it were useless to go
over our courtship-it was the only happy
period of my existence, and every succeed
ing day has been misery. Matters were
eventually brought to bearing, and the
fatal day Of final felicity appointed. was
yet young. and my love possessed all the
madness Of first passion. She not only
occupied my heart, hut my whole thoughts; F.;
l could think Of nothing else-speak Of
nothing else-and, what was worse, do
nothing else; it burned up the very capa-
bilities of action, and rendered my native
Incidence yet more indolent. However, the
day came (and bitter stormy day it was);
the ceremony was concluded; and the
honeymoon seemed to pass away in fort
night.
aDOuL tWelNeu eulOuttlSultcI OuI uAatEASSS
Heaven (as authors say) blest our loves
with son and-I had almost said-heir.
Deplorable patrimOny heir Of his moth
er's features--the sacrifice Of his fathers
weakness" Kean could not have touched
this last burst. The father-the miserable
man-parcntal afFcctioR-agOny-remorse
-repentance--were expressed in q mo-
ment.
A tear was hurrying down his withered
check as he dashed il away with his drip
ping sleeve. al am weak old fool, ' said
he, endeavoring to smile; for there was q
volatile gaiety in his disposition, which his
sorrows had subdued, but not extinguishcd.
A." Yet my poor boy! my poor dear Willie!
Il shall never-no, / shall never sec him
again!" Here he again wept; and had
nature not denied me that luxury, / should
have wept too, for tho sake Of company.
After pause, he again proceeded.
"After the birth Of my child came the
baptism. ! had no conscientious objection
to the tenets Of the established church of
my country; but l belonged 10 no religious
community. l had never thought Of it as
an obligation beyond that Of custom and
deferred il from year to year till / felt
ashamed to 'go forward on account Of my
age My wife was Cameronian; and to
them. though / knew nothing Of their prin-
ciples, l had an aversion; but for her to
hold up the child, while was in the place,
was worse than heathenisnl- unheard
Of in the parish. The nearest Episcopal
chapel was at KelsO, distance Of ten niles
The child still remained uubaptiEed. 1T
hasna name yet said the ignorant med
dlers, who had no higher idea Of the ordi-
nance. It was . source Of much uneasi-
ness 10 my wife, and gave rise 10 some fam.
ily quarrelling. Months succeeded weeks,
and eyeatually the child was carried 70 the
Episcopal church. This chOked up all the
SANDER Of the town, and directed it into
one channel upon my devoted head. Some
said / 'Wasna sound, and all agreed I was
nae better than l should be;' while the
jealous clergyman came to my father, ex.
pressing his fears that his son was in bad
way For this, too, am indebted to pro-
crastination. TINS became q martyr to
supposed opinions, Of which l was ignO-
rant; and such was the unchFistian bigotry
Of my neighbors, that, deeming Il sinful
to employ one whom they considered little
other than pagan, about Eve years after
my marriage, was compelled TO remove
with my family 10 London.
awe were at this period what tradesmen
term missrably hard up. Having sold of
our little stock Of furniture, after discharg-
ing few debts which were Numerically
contracted, q balance Of rather less than
two pounds remained; and upon this, my
wife, my child, and myself, were 70 travel
q distance Of three hundred and fifty miles.
l will not 60 over the journey; we per.
formed Il on foot in twenty days; and, in
cluding lodging, our daily expense amounted
to one shilling and eightpenee; so that, on
entering the metropolis, oil we possessed
was Eve shillings and few pence. 1t was
the dead Of winter, and nearly dark, when
we were passing down st. John street.,
Clerkenwell. I was benumbed--my wifi,
was fainting-and our poor child was blue
and speechless. We entered public.
house near Smith6eld, where two pints Of
warm porter and ginger, with crust Of
bread and cheese, operated aspartial restor-
atives. Tho noisy scene Of butchers, drov-
ers, and coal-heaveFs, was new TO me. Ny
child was afraid, my wife uncomfortable.
and l, gaping observer, forgetful Of my
own situation. Ny boy pulled my coat,
and said, Come, father'-my wife logged
my elbow, and reminded me Of lodging;
but my old reply, Stop a, little was my
ninety and nine tunes repeated answer.
Frequently the landlord made o long neck
over the table gauging the contents Of our
tardily emptied pint; and, rs the watch
man was calling Past eleven finally took
il away, and bade us handle off, Now l
arose, feeling at once the pride Of my spirit
and the poorness Of my purse-vowing
never to darken his door again, should l re-
main in London hundred years.
"0n reaching the street, ! inquired Of .
halEgrOwn boy where We might obtain q
lodging; and, after causing me TO inquire
twice or thriCO-'I no ken, Sawney-haud
ava north,' said the brat, sarcastically imi-
tating my accent. / next inquired Of .
watchman, who said there was no place up
on his peat-but beat was Gaelic to me; /;
and / repeated my inquiry 70 another, who
directed me towards the hells Of Saffron
hills. Atathird, i requested tobe informed
the way, who, after abusing me for seeking