Newspapers / Highland Messenger (Asheville, N.C.) / April 16, 1841, edition 1 / Page 1
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ASHEVILLEj,, NORTH . CAROLINA, FRIDAY .MORNING,. APRIL 1C, 1841. NUMBER 41. D. Ki M'ASALLT. &, JAR0BERTS,iEDITOKS.; 1 . . mm rHIYTKD AND PUBLISHED EVtfRY FRIDAY, Term The "Messssr" is published at Twp Dollars and Fifty Cents per annujn,in advance, or . 1 Jirec Jjouars ai ine cn pi meypir.,- No gubscriptionUiscontinui:u, (except rt the pp. Alton of the publisher; until all arrparages are pam 1 i Advertisements will be inscrtesd atkOne Dollai per; square for the first, and Twcniy-Five Cents for each subsequent insertion. . j ! (J 1 All communications mustilre1 post paid. . MISCELLANEOUS, r -"'Let every man of a hasty and ungovern " able temper rend the ifollowihg story, and ii it aoes not giv nir sircrigw to cucck and Subdue it, nothing can. O 11' - Tlie Son ami Heir t A STOltY FOR" THE IRASCIBLE. i . It ..:,.( ' ( -.. Mv youth passed" in .thc4hojightlessness nnd cxtrayagant gaiety of thelFrcnch court. Myj temper was always violent ; 1 arid I. re turned home one morning, long after mid. nigl)t, frantic with rage at some imaginary . insult which. i nad received.! ;iy j servant endeavored to speak to rac a. I entered the house-, but I repulsed him t violently, and . '.rushed tip to my room.- 1 locked the door " nnd iK.nf rlnwn .fnstnntlv to write a :c.hallenfrr I 'My! fianp tiX'mbTcfjTsb lridchfjttrrrriit vou!dgqUestons-than not hold .the pen I started up and UKJ ruom, uiuut-iii yvuB aai ju-iijv iiauuri0US timOS. WhlCh are COHe lOrCVCr 1 -Wl -V T 1 It I fit . . wnen 1 ncara i low voice speaKing earnest-ii iv at tnc door cnreaung to j oe i-aammeo. m gave up my time, my .thoughts, mysouF The yoicc was Ihutofjoy facer's, old a ndMbcst encrges to my child , llneglccted myself. favorite servant, i 1 openecj- the .door; toLthc improvjement of my ojvn heart, and its him. The old man looked upon ,me- with Ifdispositions. .This may seem strange and very sorrowiul countenance, and l Jy. demanded the reason ot hts appearance. c-K lie started at me with surprise, and spokefjtaught to my s6n,'. would in the teaching, not ; jhc walked to the. tabic, where 1 hat aa ft sat down, and took from it ajlctter which! in my rage I had not noticed. Jtari- flounced to me the dangerous! illnessfof myK father ; it was written by my mother, ahdm0st instances, perchance'; it was not so ..entreatincly besought, me instantly to re . turn to'.them. Before dawn IjWas far from -Parisl My fathers residence wasj in the northjof England.f J arrive here onlyjn ther to the cravcl I Inim'ediatcfly onmv rc- : turn frorii the funeral,! mv motlirruscnt to Mtic, rpqucstjnij.my attendance in her; own apartmeut. ' 1 races ot a deep-seated gnei were fresh upon her fine countenance, but she received me ; with , calrri seridusness. Love far her living child had $truggTed with her sorrow fdr the dead ; and she had cho- .'sen that hour to rouse me from the! follies, irom tnesinsot mv past iue..i , mv imoiner Was always a superior. creatureV Tfclt, as I listened to her, the real dignity of a; Chris, tian matron's character. .She won! me bv the truth, the affection, the gentleness ol her wordsl She' spoke plainly of my de grading conduct , but she did not upbraid me She set before moUhevnew duties which JJAle toobfteii belied my words But t wilill0( ;wascajl3d upon toerforifi. h She said, Jgpass'on'at once to'myguilt. .- 1-V - know, you .will nott rifle, whir those idutics You are not your own, my son ; yoa must not U.ve to yQursef; ,you profess thp name of Christian,-you 'can -hold lie higher pro fession. I God hath said to each of us, 'My son, givejme thine heart." Have you giv. cn your heart and, its desires to God? Can you be. that pitiful creature-fa half, Chris tian ? . I have spoken thus, because!! know that if yoirhave clear" ideas 'ot your .firsts duties, and '.do strive to perform them, then will your relative duties be no longer slight-f Iv regarded. Oh. my son1, God knows what I feej in speaking to y6u tluisj in my speaks as feeble and perplexed woman..--1 know notjlbwto counsel you, but I ,dobe- .seech you to think tor yourself, and to pray fc2 earnestly to God for his. wisdom andrguid - ancc." Before I left rhy I'mother's ence, she, spoke to rnq also on my rnastersHe loved to dress, and to-feednd to caress passion, anger, mad: -ungovernable! rage. She told me that even in th6 early years of childhood, she had trembled at my i anger elm oVfi-ioorfl tVint clo A ir;l r?u 1 tr lion r ' ' i .1 .T 1 J i 1 .i x i i l ' l wniic l was aosentj tnat it nan piungea motta into some . horrid crime, . oho knew notium, when his master spoke. bow inst hnr fp.ars .bad been:' for lind not ;'my father's death recalled me toj England, r I should probably havo been; the! frnurderer . ah .:"''. .i r. i..?f.n;,i ; ...i: L:! i.-.i .... oi mat inougiiuess sinpuug .who uuu uu- khowinglyf provoked me, and whom I wasyjune about to challenge, to fight on thb morningl!iad been very I left Versailles.!? . !j J !.''"; flhis books. 1 I determined to "turn at once from my form IY1V IIlOlllLT ULU SMUillV UJ 11IU' 111 VU111. er ways,! to regulate my Lconddct by , the ,high and holy 1 professed , an principles ot the rchgion and to reside on ' my. owb es- tates , in plicity. . About labits of manly and domestic sim- jthree years after, I had-succecdcd to .the titles and possessions of my ,forefa--thers, I became, the husband ot the lady JaneN Uj, and I thought 'myself jtruly hapL day endeared my. sweet wife to my heart, but I was not quite happy. ; We, had ho child ; . I' had but one wish ; ohpblessing seemed klone denied ttie; birth of ' a! son aa heirito the namejithe rank, the testates of my family, j When 1 knelt before God, I foreot to pray! that i ho would teach me what tcj Pay or 5 1 did not entrqat that his wisdom would direct rne hoy to use what hid rroodne;q rmve. " 'NoM nraved as for jny life) ; I prayed without 1 ceasing; but I .. chose the blessing. I prayed for a son , mv prayers were at last granted.! a son wa -born to us, a beautiful , heal thy boy. .! I Thought myseii nappy. iiyoeogt was more - than pVer to live in the pleasant retirement cf my own home, o thafyear, after year passed away, and 'only settled me "down more entirely in the habits of domestic Iife.fed afterwards: From" that 'closet 'Maurice My boy -grow up to bo a talland health) lad : his intellect was far beyond h and I lovedfto makeliirrmy companion, asj much from tho charming : freshness xf his thoughts,; as from the warmth of my attach- is j ears;i ment towards the child, v 1 learned to won-s der at the satisfaction I had once felt' in) mere worldly society, as' I studied the charJ acter of my son. lie was not'withou't the! faults which all children oossesss. which nrr ., ,. ... , , t- . j t 1 rooted deep in human nature ; but in all his! faults, in his deceitand what child is not . - ' 1 )t "i:"'"t. ' !- r " " ' - . ft ; i t ' taught deceit in his own heart s thre was a charming awkwardness, an absence of all worldly trick, which appeared then very '.. .. 1 . .:.'. .1 M rf . new to me, ji usca an my euorts to pre- ent vice from becoming habituated to him: l strove to iteach im the government of himself by referring iiot only every action, but every -thought, to one high and- holy principle of, thinking and acting to God : and I strove to build up consistent habits on the foundation of holy principle. -1 was so anxious about fny son, that I did not dare to treat his faults with a foolish indulgence. Iutanght him to. know that I' could punish.B nnd thfit T tvniild hf nlfvfi! vpt hr llvorlRii Iwith mr. I think-in all oonfidp.nct; of snppr.hMr nand action, and seemed never so happy asi , T ... j I tl . . ..j..- ,. .. i ;. . .... .. . . j,. . -.. c Iwhen he sat at' mv feet, and asked me.' in Sltne eagerness or ms nappy lancics, .morcM,pnd0w in silence. - Beneath stood the boy, -'Mi cannot so on sDeaicins thus ot those Hous times, which are gone lorevcr1 wjllMcU 8icndep legs recking and stream uiurntoaaarser suoject tomyseii. vvniicKip2 witu sweat:1 in his other hand there I"! I i . . . C... I. hasti-Kjmprobable to some. It may be-imagined t?that the habits of strict virtue which I that the habits of have been learnt' Uy mvself ; .and that, in the search after sound wisdom for.Nhim, I must have turned up,asitwere, niarivtrca urcs needed by myself. , It would be so in jin mine, - ine glory ot- uod had not been 3my first wish when I praved for a son. I Nhad imposed upon myself, in thinking that i acted in the education ot my child upon that sacred principle. It was honor among men I Jopkqd for. I had sought to'.make Imyson cvory thing that was excellent, but t naa not sought to matce myseit in tor, the work I undertook; My own natiiralTaults Iliad been suffered by me to grow almost un checked fwiiiIeLhad been watchful ovq-r the hlicart of my child. Above all, the natural ; infirmity of my character anger,1 violent, i outrageous anger, was1 at times.the master, I the tyrant of my soul! Too frequently had 1 corrected my child for the fault which alio inherited from me ; but how had I done mo-?, when passionately ancrrv rrivself.f had punishedxwy. boy . for. want of terilper. Gould it be expected that Maurice would prom oy my instructions, wnenigy e.pm- Tlie Countess, my mother, had given to iMaunce a oeaumui Arabian norse.' l ioveo 11 I i 1 1 ! I"' T: 1 to on courage' the boy :in -manly .exercises. While a' mere child he rode .with a grace which I have1, seldom seen surpassed by the best horsemen. How nobly. would he" bear himself, as side by side 'our fleet horses, we flew over the open country!. Often, often do I behold in memory, Jriscleai sparkling eyes glancing with intelligence: Iris fair! brow contracted with that flight j and pcc6liar frown, which gives assurance that'the mmu shares in the smile of the hps. uttcn do; i see bctorc me the purexgiow flooding over his check i the rwaves oCbrigh hair floating away from his shoulders,, a! Hhair he galloped full in the face of the fine free wind. " 1 r. " . H ;My boy loyed'his Araby courser as al prcs-Flrioble spiritdd' boys love a favorite horse bthe beautiful crcaturc;iand Selim knew his Ismail, gentlel hand, and would arch his Jslcek and shining neck when the hoy d rev :fi n rrli mul turn Vita A n i-l - liicfpnua nvn li-It! anigiitaiui lurn nis u.irh iuiuous eye wiiisrjnfT there r t.... . .. i a. . t a 1 . Fri looic like that ot pleased recognition on&tPiYTr.W My child was about elevch'years old, at the time I must pow sppak of. He usually ipassed many hours of the morning in the I library with me'. It was on the 17 th .of , - --, . , , .- ..-... a lovely spring morning, maunce restless and inattentive to The surtbearris dazzled ;his eyeSj and the fresh wind fluttered among the pages before him.' The boy removed his books, and sat down at a table far from the open window J I turned round an houi after from a volume which had abstracted all my thoughts. 'The weather was very hot and the child had fallen fast asleep. He jstarted up at once when I spoke. I asked him if he could say his lesson 7 iHe re plied! '.'Yes." and'brought me the book in stantly ; but he' scarcely knew a word, andj seemed careless, and even mditierent. ! li I 1 '"' 'Til I . ' 1 1 ' '"' 1 "" it .1 " "ll oiamed nim-, and ne replied pexuianuy. i had given tack the book to him,' .when a servant entered and told me that a person was waiting my presence below. I desir ed the boy,! somewhat with an angry tone,! not to stir from the room till I returned, and then to leLme hear his lesson perfectly. He promised to obey me. 1 There is a small closet opening from tho library ; the win dow of this closet overlooks ' the stable Probably the dear child obeyed me in learn- ling perfectly his lesson ; but I was detain ed long ; and he went to the closet m which I had allowed him to keep the books belong ingto himself. A bow and arrows which I had .lately given him were there; perhapss jfep voiced "I have been praying for you,! the lxy could not resist lookingnthem;hfdrus ai. My son, look not thus from! they were lying on the floor when I Cnter-l ! (heard 'tile sound of a' whip-4-he heard quick land brutal strokes falling heaviIv.rSprmg irig up,; he ran to the window ; bdheath he saw ono of tbo grooms "beating, with sav agc,cruelty,ihis Jittle courser. jhe. ani mal seemed aImost- maddened ith the blows, and the child called out- loudly to bid the man desist. , At first the groorrdeepiy to care about shame. .Yet I. could hcarcely heeded him, and then smiled cold- jly at the.indignant poy, told hirri tlie. beat ing was necessary j rind that so young a en- nl;eman could not understand how a horse hhould be managed. In vain did my child Icommand the. brutal fellow to stop. TSel man pretended not to hear -him, and led the! Spirited creature farther away from beneathl. the window.i Instantly1 the boy rushed ,. . ; T .:. - -: . ' - . . : eip the yard below. il entered the library jshortly after jmy son had left itr The per-? lion' who had detained me brought nevsi wliich had much disconcerted," nay:, dis-f pleased me. 1 1 was in very ill-humor when! l"4 Maurice : I looked vainly for him, and was ' rVanfrrv to ncrceive that mv reauest-had nheen disolw:vnd : the closet door wa3fihm " t' i Jj . irj. j. : : u.' u: i , . j 7 ' i... :. : r . I-ii auu"iu uiiii men;., Vvhilp.l wnnHprfH-nt? is absence, I heard his voice loud - in an- Kfrer,- ror some moments i gazed iromjthe -reins his! iov-iioUi.o0,.i !i,ftr.0mM nil over Jiis fine H,UJ oAnA (IWLll U1IU OllsllVJI wasa horse-whip, with which the enraged from the roomiand jn a! lew minutes1 wasjtotally. without i success. . For five davs-1 jbjoy was lashing the .brutal groom- . In.j-aJirJomJthat I partly closed tho shutters 1 tol Jvpice of loud anger I palled out. The childf jshide'his face.. Some rays of sun-shinet iyoK.uu up ; aim ine man who nau oeioreii stood with hia arms folded, and a smile of Hcalm insolence on his face, now spake with rlpretended mildness more provoking to the fjchiki, but winch, then' convinced me that Maurice was in fault. He spoke, but I silenced him , 'and commanded him to come up to me instantly. He carol jipstantly, and stogd before me yet panting with emo tion , his face all flushed , and his eyes spark ling with" passion. Again. he virould. have spokdnibut'Iiwould not hear." Tell me, sirj," I cried ; Answer me one question, are you right -ior wrong V "Right," the boy replied proudly. lie argued with me my fury burs t out. ..Alas; I knew not wjhat I did ! but ! snatched the whip from his hand I raised" the. heavy handle, I meant not to strike where I did. Tho, blow fell with horrid force oh his fair headl mv only son dropt lifelessiat my feet. Ere hef fell, I was deadly-cpld, and the murder ous weapon had dropped awayfrom my nand. litinened with inorror, l stood over hirri speechless, and rooted awhile to . the spot. . At last .the yells ot my despair It brought others to me the wretched groom r?was the first vfho came. 1 I ,...',.. !: ... . . . w . , . , l saw no more, lifeless child. .... buffell in a fit beside mv When I wo e up to a sense of whdtpass. , I saw the sweet counte d around m nance of my wife bent over me ' with an expression of ' most anxious tenderness. fiShe was wiping away the tears from hers Ijej-cs, arid a faint smile broWe Into her facel PJrtr. T-ki i.ti irl-k.7 tmxr in n i n rr ono-fc f 1 ' I caught hold of Jjer. arm- with strong! grasp, and lifted up my head : but. my eyes! I rrhr.A Civ iYr rtlv ftf mv rbi"If1 it vi; n c t t'j-iixi tun : :i.t .7 . "Vl were. t.ni:ie i& 11 : icjiuii, hhuiu Us'the body of !my murdered, boy V When llpoke the word ' murdered," my wife! shrieked 1 was rushing out she stopped! me, and said'; " He is not dead he is! (alive." li'My heart melted within me, andj ' Ktqars rained from my eyes. Myvwifeled me lE2tothecharnbcr where they had la,id L.M-1 lite was alive,tif such a state could.be call Ced life. : ! Still his eyeleds were closed ; still Ibis checks; even his hps, were of a ghast-t y whiteness-; j still-his limbs were cold and! rilOUOZilfiSS. JL utjy nau uuuicsaeu uiui, uiiu my mother sate in silent grief beside his bed. When I came near, she uncovered his fair chest j and "placed my hand over his heart : I felt a thick and languid beat i . . but the pulse of his wrists andj scarcely perceptible. My were smother snoke to me. "We haveexamm- led the poor child, she said,- "xbut we find! fno wound, !no bruise, no marks of .violence.! fflWhence is this dreadful stupor ? No onet itcanr answer me.' f 1 can answer you,1 Is Isaid : "no one can answer but myself. . Ij Jam the murderer of the child In my helJ Tl 1 i ' T . 1 ' 1 1.1-'. - -1 1 - .1 11 T ! ll ijsn rage i simcK nis uiesseu neau. ' iciicn not see .the face of my wife1, or my mother -as I spoke I hung my head ; ' but I felt my .wife's hand drop from jne ; I heard my mothers low heart-breaking groan. I looked up and saw my wife. She stood be fore me likea'marblc figure, rather than a creature of life ; yet her eyes were fixed on me, and her soul seemed to look out in their gaze. "Oh my husband," she cried out at length, l"I see plainly in your.face. what you sutler. . Jjlessed -Uod, have mer cy. have mercy on him r he sutlers more than we all. I His punishment is greater than he! ;can bear She flang , her arms around my neck : she strove to press me nearer to heri bosom ; but 1 would haver rithdrawmmyself from her embrace. " Oh , .lb not shame me thus," I cried 'x "remem ber y6u mtisi remember that you are a mother." " I cannot: forget that J am a wife, my husband," she replied, weeping. No, no, I feel for you, and I must feel Vithyou in this overwhelming affliction.1' My mother had fallcnVn her knees when I declared my guilt ; my wife drew, me to wards her, and rising up, she looked me in! the face- "Henry," she. said: in afaintJ In - ip 1,7 T -s sb.i wns snpnlririT thf siirfrpnn rrl 1 irrn, household , who had been absent t when iney jirsi sent ior mm, enierea ine cnamoer. pfylund rjiother. turned from' me and w'ent I'iJcwUhhimto the bed-sidoot.the child Ii perctived her iutention to prevent my en Jcounterins the surgeon She would have cuuccawu, uyicu&L lur a uiuiu, uer sou s iisrace: but I felt -my horrid injilttoc nor out choose groan within me, to per- ceive the ocd mans stare, his revolting shudder,' whde I described minutely the particulars of my conduct towards my poor X i cm d. 1. saw mm cut awav the rich cur s. and he pointed qut to me a slight swelling! ' A 1 ' J ! 7 . T I beneath them; - but in vain did he stive tof recover thedifejess form; his efforts were! tf i ------ --. -r-j i t is i. ii nst'. cm wiik ami iiiiiLiKir- iihii MP.fin sat by the bed-side of my son , who remain ed, at first, still in; that death-like stupor, but graduajly a faint life like animation stole over him ; so gradually indeed, that . he opened not his eyes till the evening of the fourth day, and even then he knew us hot, and noticed nothing. Oh . few can imagine yhat my feelings were! How my first faint hones lived, and died, and lived again, as the 7S beating of his heart became more full andliturhed from one to the other as if he strong ; as he j first moved the small hand which I held ialmine, and at last stretched but his limbs. . After he had unclosed hisN eyes, he breatlid wiih.uifi s Land . regular respiration of-a healthy pei son, and thehNfal slept fia-many hours. Itas about- noonMchi od thefifth day, that he woke from that slden.' The sun had shone so full into the nierc(d through the crevices of" tlie shutter. v M U' 1 .. . ''. . . 1 r 1 .1 k . fl. I. . J S anu piayca upon me covcrnu oi ins ueu. m til v v;iiiu utiy va iuiiilu tunuius juc, u.iiup watehed eagerly jbr the first gleam of jprcssbn there.; He looked up, and them arourvj nim, without moving nis neau. iiyi heart grew sick within me, as I beheld the smilc which played over his face. He. per ceived the dancing sunbeam, and put his fingeis softly into the-"'streak of light, andi i--l.il'.- . ' S. JL ...:!I.J . T n ' . IE jto him", and took his hand in my own ; bdtPo his toys, whistled so loudly, , that the look, ueni away unu snuieu aguiii.. i spoiie he had lost all memory of me, and sawnothxrjsnriii souno.scemea to pierce; uirougn my ing in my faccto make him smile. He look ed down pn my trembling hand, and playe with my jfingers; and when he saw the ring! which! wore, he played with that,, while thef same idiot smile came back to his vacant countenance. My mother how led me from the; room I no longer refused to go. I felt that it was fit that I ishould " communicate with m own heart, and in my chamber to be still.1' They judged rightly in leaving me to per fect sohtune. ' ine cairn oi my misery was "a change like happiness to. me. A deadriessjof every faculty, of. all 'thought and feeling fell on me like repose. When Jane came to me I had no thought to per- ' i -., - . i , lieeive heri presence, onejtooic my hands tenderly within her's, and ,sat down . beside j me on ine noor. one mieu up iny neau from the, boards, and supported it on her knees. I believe she spoke to .me... many times without my rcpiying. At last 1 heard i i . ,i .. ..i i i . . . , ...,.....' her, and rose up at her entreaties. "Youi ire ill, your hands are burning, my belov- d, she said, f 'bo to bed, 1 beseech you. You need rest.V ' I did as she told me. She thought I slept tliat night, but the lids secm- od tightened and drawn back from my buqy ing eyeballs. All the next day, I lay in the same hot and motionless state, I cannot call it 'repose: ;V 1 ' ' "': s ." V-j r--J1" ! For days I. did not nse,I allowed myself to sink-under the weight ot my despair. I began to give up every idea of exertion L Aft. mntbpr rinp imnmmff enmn tr- fori amber. 1. . .. I l CI. : J. 'u . t . t 1 She sat down by my bedside and spoke to mej. I did not, could not, caret to notice her who spoke to me.. Mv moth er rose, and wanted rouna to tne other side v t' ' , , I li i l . .1 .i . of the 1 - I, 1 .. 1 1 1 1 ' I T It Dea, towards, wnicn my iace was turned There she stood and spoke agai olemnly. 'Henry, i, sne saia, v i qom mand you to rise. - Dare you disobey" your mother. NoNnore of this-unmahly weak ness. ; I "must not speak in vain, I have needed to, command before. My son, be yourself.-1 Think of all i the claims which this life has upon you ; or- rather think of that first claim of Heaven and let that teach you to thmfe -ot other Nduties and to perform them ! j bearch yourNovvn heart rrobe it qeepiyj annmc not. rwiowyour real situation in! all its bearings. ' Uhangeo1 as it is, face it ike a man ; and seeWthe strength of God to support you. . Ispeak the plain truth t to yoii. Your child is an Miuioi. iuu iuusi answer to uou ior your i : ...;n . , j i . i j for your hand struck the find's life from mm: ; These are harsh , words, but yon can bear' them belter thah your own confused and agonizing thoughts. Rise up and meet your trial. Tell tne simply that you obey me. 1 1 will believe you, for you never yetj hare brokepyour word to me. 1 replied mmeaiately, rising up and saying, 'f I do i promise to obey you.L Within this' hour, I f..,:it r "!. 1 AJLnA ,7.. win ii ice l vim, uuici iijjuuu lu iv ii vv my uu ities, andl to pertorm them by the help oil ijroo. un : wun wnai a iook oio mv no ble mother regard me,- as I spoke.! " God strengthen you, and bless you," she said : 1 cannot now trust myself to say more.'" Her voice was feeble and trembling now, her lip quivered , and a bright flush spread over her win pale cheek ; she bent down over me and kissed my forehead, and then departed.1 - , . j . - - Within an hour from the time when my mother left me, I went forth from my cham ber with a firm step, determined again to t ; r . l I lTtl rlirJoel T Viorl ac-.nn7orl InA IstcD on the errand staircase. When: I hcarcfS J i.Jvi: a i i j t . .1 -II iauru: lu.uie jmu uevouu. . iRiiew were was but one who could then laugh so wild Iv; -arid too well I knew the sound of the v oice - which broke out in tones of wild raer nmentere the iauL:ilxeaseyror 'some moments my resolution forsook nie. I aurrht hold of the ballustrade to support my trembling lirrbs, and repressed with z violent effort, the groans which I felt burst. a ing jfrom; my heart I recovered myself ind .walked into the halLlIn tho western Driei window: "which is opposite to the doors oy which 1 entered, sat my revered moth. ?r: Lshc lifted up her face1 from the large volume which lay on her knees, as my step sounded near; she smiled upon me, and looked , tJown again without speaking: 1 passed "on, but stopped; again; to gaze. on those who now met my sight. In the cen. jtrpcif the hall stood my wife, leaning. her check on her hand. Sho gazed upon her son with a smile, hut the tears all the while trickled down her face; x. Maurice was -at her feet, and the floor around him strowed with play things, the toys of his infancy which he had tor years thrown aside, bu: had discovered that very morning : and he saw thecn. for the fijrst time, and looked upon them ali as, treasures. An exDression 'of rap urous stillness playedpver the boy s fea. - ..." . ' . . i : i . . - . ...... turcs but, alas though nothing but a fear- childishnessVwis 0iT"til3cvr-tTtt d-Iike bloom and . roundness of .his face were gone. : i ne ooy now looited oiuer ov : mi i ' 1 :i " t - t t -i many years.'! The smiles on'his- thin" lips seemoa to struggle vainiy wun languor ana viness, his eyelids were half closed,-his chejejks anddips 'colorless, his -whole form waked away.1 My wife came to me and ' " , : : .. 1 .i .1 jw mbraccd(mc ; but Maurwe noticed me not ex-Mtor many minutes. He looked up at me then, and rising from tl ground, walked Jtowards me. I dreaded that my mourntul appearance would affright him, and stood breathless with my tears. He surveyed me from head to foot, and came close to me, and looked up with pleased curiosity in my face, and then whistled asdie walked back brain. ' ' ' Sunday: Avgusttlie 307i. I haye just returned from divine service in the chapel attached to my house. While thb chaplain - was- reading the Psalms, Mau rice walked softly down the aisle and enter ed mv dcT, He stood before me, with his eyesfixcd on' my face. Whenever I rais ed mv eyes, I met that fixedly vacant gaze My heart melted withiii-tne, and 1 felt tears rush into my eyes bi sweet but vacant look must -often be present with-me it seemed to appeal to me, ifNseemed to task lor my prayers, dinner as lam 1 dared to think sor It must be to all an affecting sight to seean idiot in the ; house' .of God It must be aWbuke to' hardened hearts, to hearts too cold and careless to' worship there;. it must' be a rebuke to know that one heart is not unwilling but unable to. pray. Bitterly I felt thiWsltookedopon my child. He stood before me a rebuke to all coldness and carelessness which had ever mingled iwith my pra'ers: lis vacant feature, 'seemed to sav- "You' have a mind w:hose .powers arc not confused, you have aiicart Ito feel, to prav, to praise and bless Gold. 'mi - n 1 ! ' 3 1 he means ot grace are oaiiygiyen to you Jthe hopes of glory-a re-daily visible to you." 4Qh L God my child stood . . before me as - -a more awful rebuke sent irom . ihee. Uid not his vacant look say, ',' Look uppn the wreck which ! your dreadful passions have made ?" Think upon what I was ? Think rnt-twnon what am ?, With a broken heart 1 R!!otonofl tn1 tl-io wrtrAa rf i 1ifV- ,..frir whlln T listened, my ..poor idiot child, leaned .upon me and seemed to listen too. When J bowed my head at the name of Jesus, the ...... . . . , .. ; . -" poor boy bowed his. I hey. all knelt down; nSlbut iust then I was lost in the thoughtful- jJWss of ,rny despair; my son clasped mj ihand, and when 1 looked round, 1 perceiv led that we alone were standing in the midst of a congregation. He looked me earnest ly irv'lhc face, and kneeling down, he trj'ed i- it i i li i r i'i tt . Jed to invite me to pray for him ; I did fall Son my knees to pray for him, and for my Iselfr and I rose up, hoping that for my Sa- jviour's ake, my prayers were heard, and strusling that my heavenly Father . feedeth 4my lclpless child with spiritual food that we ilrnnw nnt nf. I don't see .wliy. I,' know a little girl, who has a very pleas ant home, and the very kindest of parents, and who is yet often discontented and un happy. She pouts her hps, and throws her arms about, and sulks , and stamps with her feet, and makes a strange noise in her throat, between .a growl and -a cry. It is not because she. has not enough to eat of ood wholesorrlc food ; nor because she has not time to play, nor abundance of play things, nor 'brothers to play with her: She is not blind, nor lame, nor. deformed in ariv way, but. has health and strength, and every thing that a little girl could wish toj jm make her happy in the world, excepta goodfjw heart. - , 1 - ; What was it that made her so fretful ? Why, she had a kind mother, who told her what she must do, and what she must cot. I will tell you what I heard. ; ' " Caroline, you must not take my scis sors, my dear.". ', ... -'-.f WThy, mother, I ihave, no scissors to cut ofT my thread," said Caroline, pcttish- "Well, my dear, I will gfve you a pair, but you must not take mine." ' . j am sure I don tseerchi ; it? only just - uo cuiou my inryaa. t-f . r.. j The scissors were af tlie finest kiud,and ihighlv r- polished : and ; Caroline mother f jkhiw that it would; soil them! if she "should jhandla theirtwith I her :,hoit. Jiands'x. and , jthat if she liadlhcTrf6ncc,he would wantr jthem again. - Caroline's busihe&s was To lobcy cheerfully, heiher she sav the rca son why Or not. - ,l .. ", Carolihe, my dear,1.' said her mother" to her on another occasion, " you must ' not climb up on the chair to reach your work. iou must ask some one'to get it ' fbryou.!' " Jam sure I don t see tciu. - It is less 8 trouble to get it myself; than to ask somc- - body for it." ; ..i;.,.:1 , V, j '.jery. well child,' you shall do it in your '! own way and seej . - . . n -' 1 That very afternoon Caroline -! mounted a chair to get her woj-k; She reached too far, and over went! the chairj and. Caroline with it. Her work was' scattered over tho floor-T-thc needle book in one "direction, thimble in another: and thcVshools in an other : and what was: worsethan all. her head struck the edge of'the.loorand a large gash was cut in her forehead She cried sadly, and did not get over her hurt for weeks." Was it less trouble to' get. it herself? x . M - . . .kv ! If: she load trusted her mothcr,-shc' would toJarself. aHjt it for tho sake of knowing tberjsason yhy she shouTdT not get upon the chai,' she cost herself aV severe wound and a' great deal m shame" and sorrow. 1 VK-i , Anecdote of the. (jtray Squirrel. -X recent exploit of, one of these sprightly and"' sharp-witted little creatuxs, belonging to a neighbor of minehas so' much interested : and surprised me as exhibiting passion, sa- r jgacity, and an, obvious process of reason. - ! ing, so ukc ine numan race unaer sucn cir, 1 ciunstances, that 1 think it cannot tail -to prove, of sonle . interest -to others. and I therefore am induced to dfler a briefx rela-. tion of the fact for: the inumerous readers of - the Signal. ' - -V-. J -. .-. . i Tho SquirreHn1 question, having bcen!; . taken when ' very : young, had become as . V tame and' familiar, os a kitten; and; up. to the act by which he thought fit to .sacrifice'- r his home 'fbr the gratification of his resent- . . . i .' -n.'i. ' ments, he had shown lumsen quit amicauie . ( and harmless. Onthe day of the - incident V about. to be related , the owner having sorrid c6mpany whom he was treating with.crack- . cd walnuts, gave one jto his pet. ,- This be i ing 'greedily devoured,' the gentiemanbyx ; amusing himself and company, then sclec- ted a promisng looking shell, carefully re moved the meat: and putting the, shell to-1. gether again, placed it.bcforo his nut-lov- mg tavonte., 1 he squirrel, never having been before deceived by a trick of the kind,' confidently look-up the shelf in his ' paws when perceiving it empty ho let it tall with . an air of evident disappointment. The ex-; periment was then repeated." This was too"- " much for the patience ... i f ' . i . ' A i and. eouanimitv of - nis oquirreismp. . un discovering thnt this ''' second nut, . thus insultingly " offered "IunrJ was, like tlie former, Idcstitute uf'tlie ex- n ' pected treat, he turned an angry glance up-. . j s f jon tlie author of the trick, and, springing I ' ! up, seized him by wicithumb, whicp he bit r, to the hone, and then,! though no word or -; blovv was offered or given, runping out of ! the -Iiouse, immediately retreated ' to! the! woodsfrom which he has never returned. .' Depth oe! Sexeca Tu. AKE. A party lasf fall too soundings of this Lake about two ; miles .north of Big Stream Point, commenc-;; ing nearly one-third of" the distance across ? the lake from the wesi shore,; where , they f found the .depth of 401' feet half way across 553. feet,' which did . hot'', vary six inches in going two mjiles south: Could the, H water le drained from that great valley,'' what a frightful abyss'it would "present .' r As the bottom of the lake is dower than the surface of the qcean, as it improved by the lockages oh the Erie canal, many have" -supposed from; indications of salt' water at the . head of the Lake," "that" it might be' found at tlie bottom.- To test this, astrong ,. ' empty bottle, was 'firmly secured to sthe !ine being'stopped with a cork so large as to be forced . onIy7perhaps .one quarter its length into the bottle. .On letting it gowu 150 feet, the-cork was forced into the 1 botJ ; tic." This was repeated several times with - the same result. Wooden stoppers were now substituted for the corks. . ,One of dry -white pine accurately fitted to the mouth of - ' (the .bottle,-with a shoulder so . made ' as to " 'prevent the possibility of its being forced , 5in, was tried. After remaining some five, i "minutes, at the aepth of 150 fe6t, it was . drawn up, and no water found in the bottle. r -,: It was iheri sent to the Bottom, and. after.! ?fivd minutes drawn up ? the stopper was in ' its place, and the bottle .about, two-thirds ; ' . run: out on leuwgii remain at ine bottom r- ; eight minutes, it wojuld; be - found when drawn up to be full ; which was- repeated many times during the day. ' i he water 7- as fresb, pure, and very cold, and. - forced doubtless into the bottl e' through 'the stop. per. - ' -.ij v . Too, Mccn TEirrn. -A j-oung lady lately f observed " When I jgo to the theatre, ji " am ery careless about my dress, as 'the "-! audience are too attentive to the play-to-ob. -serve my- wardrobe ; but when I go to " church, I am very particular'in mv outward . - i appearance, as most people go there to see ihow their neighbor's dress and deport thcinT . I u Mi? - r 1
Highland Messenger (Asheville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 16, 1841, edition 1
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