Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1865-08-31
VOL. |. NEW SERIES.

U
unfortunate, and / know not that he VIII ever
have his liberty again. He was once mer-
chant in Broadway, New York, where l was
brought up until about four years ago-when
nv father removed into the village about two
miles from this, as said before, which suppose
YOU passed in coming here. de has done eve
~ thing in his power TO satisfy his creditors
turned out all his property, not reservlng even
his furniture; but there is one creditor who will
not be appeased, do all he can, and as his de-
mand amounts to more than one fourth OF all
the rest, he has it in his power to keep my IA
ther confined, they tell me, forever"
"Where does this creditor hveT In VIII
liam ST., New York" What is his name !?
" jackson" "What is your fathers name"
Thompson" The stranger blushed and looked
confused. "Did your father ever apply to Mr..
Jackson himself, and make known his sltua-
ton ?" "No, sir, l believe not; but he has an
attorney who lives about fifteen miles from
here, to whom he sent his notes against my ia
ther ordering him, as he says, to show no lenlty;
to him my father has applied repeatedly, and
left letters in his charge, to Mr.. jackson; but
all to no purpose Mr. jackson says he can
show no mercy-he has lost enough by such
scoundrels, already Here sir, take few of
these strawberries-we used to get them of the
market-women, in New York; but here ga
ther them myself, and sometimes am Obliged
10 carry them to market myself, too, to get a
few cents in order to keep my poor father from
starving" Here she turned away her head, put
her neat white apron up to her eyes, and he
saw her frame convulsed as if weeping.
"Did you ever have any acquaintance with
this lawyer, MADAME" Yes, sir, he has been
here frequently, on purpose to distress us with
terms insulting and cruel" 6" Is he a married
man ?" No, sir and so much the worse.
man who had a family of his own would not
be so unfeeling as he is to the man who has
one." May | ask what his terms are p So
phia blushed-hesitated- Nay, Miss, do not
be ashamed to tell-perhaps can do your fa-
ther some service in this business" Why,
sir, there is little property willed to me when
l come of age, or am married, and the hiut, sir,
/ presume will be sufficient for you to form
conjecture. He is old, ugly, disgusting in per-
son; and we removed into this dreary spot'as
much to avoid him as to curtail our expenses
Of living. His age might be dispensed with,
for the mind never grows old, and the person
who possesses all that is estimable should never
be neglected, but rather more highly esteemed
for the maturity Of years. But when inSolence
and vanity appear with grey head, they be-
come doubly offensive"
Chow old is your lawyer, madam ?" He
is not my lawyer, nor my lover, sir,-but |
should take him to be about forty, and still is
= sddnds--vain, illiterate, exccptin th technicals
of his profession"
At this moment the little dog that lay on the
chips before the door, rose up and gave faint
bark, and then wriggled his tail. Sophia few
to the window without glass, and cried, "my
mother is coming, sir, make yourself easy for a
few mOments"-for the stranger was about de-
parting The mother shortly entered the door,
quite abashed TO see a gentleman there alone
with her daughter. She was woman of about
forty, elegant in her manners, though clad in
faded attire, yet neat and tasty. She passed
the compliments due to a stranger in genteel
habiliments, took off her black bonnet, seated
herself in an old shattered arm chair, gave
deep sigh, and asked her daughter for little
cool water. Her countenance was pale and
sad, and her eyes swollen with weeping.
How is father p said Sophia as she handed
her mother some water in a white earthen bowl, |
as she spoke. "Your father, my
dear, is some better-his fever is turned, and
the doctor thinks him ont Of danger" go
Heayensw said Sophia, and sunk on q rush !
chair" has he then been sick, and we did not
know it 2" 90 Your father has been very sick, |
child, but thank Heaven, he is better-much
better. Mr. Tivingham, the lawyer, has been
to see him again, and keeps urging his suit. l
am somewhat fearful that he has discovered the
way to our retreat; for they told me that he
was in town, and thought saw him looking
after me as / ascended the bill and entered the
woods You may think strange, sir, said she,
addressing the stranger" but we have been so
harrassed-so completely undone, by wretch
who calls himself gentleman, that we fear
him as much as we should ahighwayman. -
" Your daughter, madam, has been telling me
something Of your situation, said the gentle
man, rising to go.
As he stood by the door, the old lady eyed
him quite closely, and thought she had seen him
before. There was something in his look, in
his manner, and in all about him. that bespoke
the man of benevolence, and inspired conf
dence. He was about thirty; neither tall nor
slender-but he was handSome-faced, and when
lie smiled, showed beautiful set of white even
teeth, and two large dimples in his cheeks, which
were full, and tinged little with the flush of
health. His large black beard and dark eyes
gave him a look of solidity and manly strength
Of intellect.