Camden commercial courier. (Camden, S.C.) 1837-1838, August 12, 1837, Image 1
' - ' J
L. M. JONES, & Co. PunusHERs. - "at tiie tublic oood we aim " * <
M. M. LEVY, Editor.
YG1> ' CAMPE1T, SOUTH CAKOMWA, SATURDAY ABCIST 13, 1887. m )T
TIJK.MS
OF THE
O01I1CBR0XAL C0TJF.I3P.; ,
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< - - I
THE CORRUPTEf>, 1
' BY SAMUFI. L. KNAI'P. 1
<%In the name of God most merciful?I I
swear by the sun and its brightness; by \
the moon when she followeth him; by i
the day when it showcth its splendor; by t
the nignl when it coverclh him with dark- j
ness; by the earth, and Him whom sprea- I
d^il. i* 11- - i .i *
uctii 11 lurm; uy me soul, and llini wlio i
perfectly formed it, and inspired into the s
same its faculty of distinguishing, and <
power of choosing wickedness or piety? 1
that he who hath purified himself shall <
be happy, .and he who has corrupted his ?
soul shall be miserable."?Koran\ i
The form and character of the instruc- i
tion received by an individual, in the j
course of obtaining an education, more i
than the amount of information acquired '
by him, give a tone to the moral and in- I
lellectual powers he may possess. In- i
discriminate reading brings on as many |
diseases to the mind as gross and indiscri-'i
minate feeding does to the body. There <
is hardly a mind in society, from the i
highest to the humblest, that is not more (
or less influenced by this latitude of in- i
dulgcunce, in coursing at pleasure the {
fields of literature. It is deplorable to <
sec youths, whose diet is regulated hv n \
wise physician, allowed, in their reading, i
to ramble over hill and dale, meadow and I
woodland, to gather flowers for themselves 1
without a guide?oden taking tlx* most '
poisonous of all, allured by the brilliancy *
of their colors, and at the same time ne- ?
glecting to the salutary and medical ones, 1
being less attractive to their senses. The '
? literature of the age is full "of thrilling i
sentiments, of stirring incidents, of rap- <
turous glow, of unheard-of suffering," j'
and all that sort of machinery to swell the i
bosom with emotion, and to fill the eye ,?
with tears. This inundation of poison
ous confectionary is distressing to those >
who love wholesome food for the body *
and mind. Intemperance and consump- i
fion slays thousands daily, or robs them, i
at least of the joys of life. Slill the t
world is on the watch against these ene- s
mics of the human race; huf who thinks 4
of stemming the current of deleterious (s
sentiment which is constantly flowing- in
upon every mind? It is time that the pub-'s
lie mind should be awakened to this rub- c
juct. If any one will look around him. !c
he will find numerous instances in his c
view to justify the writer in these remarks.!
John Zone, and Sarah his wife, wore 1
respectable grocers in a growing city in *
this country. They were industrious and '
honest, and, of course thrifty. They *
were blessed with several children of t
good sound constitutions. Their so is! s
were clever and quiet, and two of their,*
daughters, out of three, plain good girls, j"
and learned readily whatever was taught i ^
them; but one of their daughters was pro- c
uounced a beauty from her birth. ISlie' h
was a paragon in the cradle. In the ino- j
fhcr's imagination, an hundred fairies at- l'
tended her birth, and more were to su- c
perintend her growth. This is a weakness
tliat often attends those otherwise >
blessed with good sense. Mrs. Zone o
cnnirnf f/\f a Inif/ilt. r?_ &
>vi ? iv> vij iiuuiu iui mi!? nun; ri'" "
ri ol" perfection, and at last fixed upon f
Helen Uvacinthia Zone. This was gc- v
nerally applauded by a'l the relatives.? 1
As llyacinthiagrew up, no one was allow- y
ed to contradict her, or even to gainsay 11
whatever she did. She broke playthings y
as she pleased, but all was right. Good h
Mr. Zone sometimes ventured to ask his a
wife if #e were doing right; but on these ?1
occasions he was snubbed up in such a iJ
manner that the question was not often re- a
peated. "Go look after Hyacinthia," was a
the constant direction to the other chil- h
drcn until they wished their little sister in I'
heaven. She mastered her alphabet as t!
soon as the other sisters, and, in fact, was s
forward in learning to read, for she was lb
not dcstitudc of mine! or memory. She ti
was about equal to those of her age in c
school for reading or hand-writing; bul r
the moment she was put to higher branch- v
cs, she was obstinate, and resorted to r
tears for an indulgence from her lessons, a
Her instructor got out of all patience, m
and insisted that she should learn themul- tl
tiplication table with the other scholars; o
but she would not make the attempt.? b
She returned from school with swollen e
eyes, and appealed to her moter for pro- ii
lection. The mother said she should not v
be driven to this odious task; her sisters c
had learned it. and that was enough: Ily- t
acinthia should not be crossed in her tern- j
per for such a trivial thing as a multipli- {
cation tabic. Mr. Zone insisted that, she <
was capable of committing it to memory, i
ind that she should be made to do it. A I
violent family quarrel ensued, and Ilya- i
rinthia and her mother were conquerors |(
over father and schoolmaster. I
The mother thought that her dear daugh- J
ler should have private tutors, and not J
be submitted to the degradation of a pub- <
lie school. Mr. Zone, knowing how hard I
itic 1.1?...i ?i > ? ?
...? ...iv i.jwuivu, uiiu iiuw mucii sue earn- (J
ed for him every day, could not object, or J
rather thought it the wisest course not to t
refuse her request. Oiic instructor after i
another was hired, and II vacinthia was j I
not suited; no one seemed to understand *
her bent of genius but her dear mother, jl
and she could not exactly describe, but 1
lelt assured that it was something of a|l
higher order. The sums paid her tutors:
began to grow severe in tlie sight Of Mr. J J
Zone, and he remonstrated with his wife *
upon the subject. She acknowledged,!
that some of the masters might have suit-jf
?d, if her daughter Hyacinthia had notjt
such a peculiar temper, or, as she had 1
heard lawyer Danforth say, "was not of
such a delicate fibre." She had some i
slight passion for music, and an old musi- i
3ian, who had spent the good part of a t
fife in managing mothers and daughters, 1
contrived to keep the little uneasy, capri- 1
rious creature constant at her piono, until (
she had really caught some idea of music. I
Hyacinthia had taste in sounds, and soon <
acquired a tolerable execution on the pia- 1
no. Now the great secret of her genius 1
ivas discovered, and was to rival the Son- t
lag and% Malibran, and the whole troop of 1
syrens of the opera, from Naples to New i
?ork; and it is to be confessed thnt ?br? 1
lid make some improvement, by dint of, t
exertion and the force of flattery, tier !
nother thought that Ilyacinthia had an I
exquisite taste in dress, but she always r
ippeared gaudy, flaunting, and cxtrava- i
pint. She was never in equable in spirits, r
either melancholy or extatic. Her con- ?i
fersntion was offensive to a man of sense, i
\n uncle of hers came to the city to seejl
lis brother, and was well received. Ile j'
tvas a lawyer in the interior, a sensible f
nan, with an affectionate heart. He was s
;oon at home with all the rest of the fa- j i
nily, but Ilyacinthia had not determined 1
whether it was genteel or not to be socia- <
jlc with an uncle from the country. !!c 1
was disgusted with her on a lew minutes' | i
conversation. She quoted all the modern t
lovcls and senliincntal poetry, thinking | i
t would be quite acceptable to a literary 1
nan. In the first place, he could not I
iud out the meaning half the time, and c
vhen lie did catch a glimpse of it, he con- ;s
lidered it as the moat wretched affectation Jl
n the world, and could not help treating 1
, ?.,?K 'in._ .i
? ,.o auisii i nt; moiMcr saw tlie disgust js
lie lawyer felt at her display, but con-if
oled herself by saying to her husband, 1
These country folks, if they are ever so a
mart, have no notion of what the wife of t
i city gentleman should he. They want t
omehody to take care of the farm. Luy
or Jane would make good wives for v
iountry gentry; but llyucinthia shall never r
jo into the country." S
Lucy and Jane soon had offers of mar- r
iage from substantial business men, and 1
vere happily settled. liyarinlhia now 1
lad the whole attention of her parents, t
She was diesscd like a tragedy queen in |
he street, and attracted those drones of 1
ociety who watch hours in the day to see j
vho passes. It was not dillicult to get ' i
m introduction to her, and it was well |
.nou n thai her mother handed round an 1
xcellcnt glass of wine and fresh house- t
inked cake. The honest citizen, Mr. i
'one, had no small difficulty to cat his
tinner in pence, as Hv acinthinVa lionnv . i
--J ? ~ * 1
ame at one o'clock, as a most fashionable t
lour to visit. It was a sad business, but I
I was decided that the family should dine r
t three o'clock instead of one. They x
offered much from this change of hours c
or dinner ; but their daughter's wellfarc f
ras paramount to ail inconveniences, a
Svery evening until a late hour, the parlor I
i/as filled by every dandy cit or foreigner j h
ti the city, but no one made advances to 1 c
diss Helen Myacinlhia Zone. She grew c
inpatient, pouted, scolded, and put on 13
irs ; the loungers about her understood j s
i K..i ,i:.i : - 1 * 1
vj uki uiu nut am sill ItlCfl* 11 WAS WII IS- | II
icrcd that the grocer was heavy in purse, ii
nil that his favorite daughter would he ii
in ply provided for. This set sonic of the In
angers on, to thinking that a comfortable
iving might he made out of a match like
his. Two young men who called them- A
elves Louisiana merchants, but who pro- b
ably were never citizens of, or inhabi- e
ants of New Orleans, made love to Hya- h
inthia. She favored one lover, the pa- h
cuts the other. After long negotiation Ii
dlh each other, one drew oO', and the v
emaining one was soon accepted ; it was g
fter this stipulation was made with him h
fho absented himself, that he who was 'I
lie successful candidate should give the '1
ther one-third oi all that he might receive c
y the bargain. The marriage was sol- a
mnized with no small parade, and it was v
nlimated that Mi. Simcotc had an uncle u
trho was a baronet, and that Alfred Sim- l
otc was the heir to the title uiul estates, u
ind in the autumn Mrs. Simcote was to
50 south with her husband, to Uko possession
of his large plalutions near New
Orleans; until that time Ilyacinthia was
nvitcd to make her home at Iter father's
fiousc. This, Mr. Simcote consented to,
is he did not wish to tear her from her
lear mother, until such time as she should ;
jc ready to embark for the south. Mr.
Simcote brought to Mr. Zone's house a)
jreat many visitors, but he did not intro
luce one to Mr. Zone's family. At times'
ihcse gentlemen sat late at tlie card table,
md deep imprecations were sometimes'
lieard, as they retired, but Mrs. Zone
bought it was one of the forms of fash-1
onablc life. The parlor occupied by
Mrs. Simcote was strewed all around with
elegantly bound novels and poems of a
fashionable cast?with prints that would'
liavc suited better for a Papfiian saloon,;
than for a parlor of honest people.?
Sometimes the other daughters would
>pcak plainly to their mother and throw
nit doubts of their sister's good fortune.
Mr. Simcote would be gone whole weeks,
ibsenting himself on sonic excuse of busttess.
After one of the absences lie reurncd
full of money, having, as he said,
men a journey to a distant city to collect
nonies due him: One excuse after another
,vas given for his not repairing to the south,
o see his cotton and sugar plantations,!
tut as he was llusli of money the good
VIrs. Zone thought it arose from delicacy
to Ilyacintliia's feelings that he coninlied
to stay with her. The family
;ould not hut remark how few of the
aces of Mr. Simcote's friends were (
mown to the merchants in the city, fori
hey made many enquiries of New Orcans
merchants about them. One gentle- i
nan told one of the young merchants j
ately connected with ttie Zone family,
hat Alfred Simcote, who once was dis-1
inguished in the south, had several years,
tcfore hern murdered and robbed, in the;
nounlains of Spain,., as he had always J
inderstood, and since he heard that his
elations had administered on his estates,
md sold them. Simcote's confusion!
vhen this was stated to him, was great,
>ut recovering himself, he exclaimed, (
'Good God! is this the report? so much,
or staving from home so long. I must
soon get ready to visit Louisiana, and!
show them that they have been deceived." ;
lie made preaarations to leave at once,!
excusing himself from taking his wife, as]
ie might have difficulties tiiere, and chose i
lot to have his dear IJyaeinthia share
hem; but he would go, put down all these
tile rumors, and return as soon as possi>le.
He soon took passage for that stale.
11 the course of a few months Mrs. Siin:ote
received a letter from her husband,I
raying, that he was getting along with I
lis suits of ejectments against those who
lad purchased his Plantations of his conins,
who came into possession of them
?n his supposed death. This letter was
ully accredited by Mr. Zone and family,
i$ the same vessel which brought the leter,
brought him a consignment of coton
for Mrs. Simcote's bcnelit.
Soon after her husband commenced his
oyage for the south, his friend, Mr. Trc1011,
was more attentive than ever to Mrs.
sirucote. lie took her to all public places,
tnd his attention were noticed with pain,
>y the mother, and other members of the
amily, but upon the slightest remonstrance
Mrs. Simcotc rose to a towering
>assion, and said it was too hard to be
orever annoyed by tbc narrow and vulvar
views oi' lier family. It must be rcncinbeicd
that she and Iter linsband were
icoplc of the world, and led, instead of
oil owing, in society. She repeated all
bat had been told Iter of the freedom of
nanncrs in France and England, and the
grandees of these nations were the only
icople to be thought of. The good 1110her
heaved a sigh, but found she had
ost all control over her daughter. The
umors increased, and on investigation
verc found to be true. One evening one!
i
>f the gentlemen who were allied to the ;
amily, insulted Alexander Trenon, esq.
t a public garden, by calling him a blackcg.
It was thought a duel would follow,!
>ut the devoted friend of Hyaeinthia,
ould not condescend to light with a man
if common standing. Mr. Zone forbade
dr. Trenon bis house; but still the procribcd
was seen with bis friend's wife,;
11 many parts of the city; and it was be-'
ieved the}' bad private intercourse, even
ii her father's housc.w Tiie family wore j
stouishcd at hearing nothing from Mr. j
iimcote for several months.
One morning it was rumored that Mr.!
tlcxandcr Trenon, esq. was found stabed
'o the heart, in the tipper part of the
ity. A single blow had been struck at
itil with a dagger, which had readied
is heart, and instantly deprived him of
fe. It could not have been a robber,
/ho did the deed, for his money, watch,
old snuff-box, and rings. were still about
is person, when found by the watch,
'he whole affair was involved in mystery.
Plie sober and discret men who had beomc
son-in-law to Mr. Zone, were above
11 suspicion of such a deed. The only
lue they had to the discovery of the
nurdercr was but a slight one. The vieirn
was seen after midnight by the watchnan
in company with another not far
from where he fell. All the guardians of
the night were examined, and one of
them acknowledged that about eleven
o'clock, the night the murder was perpetrated,
he found a gentleman inebriated,
who called upon him for assistance, and
asked him to hide him in the watch-house,!
for a short time, and he should get over!
his infirmity. To the watch house he
was taken. The gentleman seemed to get
hotter soon, and was liberal with his ptifso,
giving the officer something handsome for
*
his trouble, and said to him, "I will doze
a few minutes and then make towards
home." The watchman fell into a sound
sleep, and alien lie awoke discovered that
the stranger had taken an old coat, hat
and weapon, the badge of office, belonging
to another. The guardian of the
night awaked before one o'clock, but the
gentleman had gone. At a short distance
from the body of Trenon, these articles
r.inn/l 1? .1 ' '
< viu uiuiii) (111*1 luciiiiiicu uv iiiu whichman;
but he could not remember a single
feature of the person lie look with him fori
a short repose, but 011 reviewing nil the
circumstances, he was fully of opinion,
that the drunkenness was feigned. No
farther progress in discovering the assassin
was made for some time.
No news was heard from Simcotc for a
year or more, when a ship from New Orleans,
brought Mrs. Simcotc letters and
some drafts. She opened her letter and i
read it?she uttered a scream-, and the j
mother entered the room found her (laugh-j
ter in convulsions. A physician was sent
for, but all to no avail?Mrs. Simcotc,
expired the next day at noon, having
broken a blood vessel in her paroxysms.
The father took up the letter from Sin cote
and read as follows:?
Dear Wife,?(I still will call you so, J
though lost to me forever.)?Siiif-Hoard. !
41 When this shall reach you, no trace
of the wretch, once your husband, will
be found on earth; my body will be in the
bosom of the sea. Several days Miice, 1
fractured my leg, and mortification has
taken place. 1 do not regret it; mourn J
not for inc?I am not worthy of a tear.
You will never know who I am, but it is
but jOsticc that I should make you no-1
quainted with some things in my life.
While a clerk in New Orleans, I became
acquainted with the man who calls himself
Alexander Trenon. I had spent
more money than 1 could honestly coin- J
mand, and on making known my situation
tr. him, he assisted me to make all
quiet, but hii. apparent generosity was
the basest sidfishne.-s^ fur it uas not longi
afterwards that he proposed to nie to join
in robbing a bank, he coaxed and threatened
me, and I at last yielded. From
that time we were together, as successful
plunderers of the public. lie gave me
the name of Alfred Simcutc, the name of
a man he was supposed to have murdered
in Spain. When we made our appear
- K--I ? ; ? - !
uui <- in > mil 11( ? r iiiui iiiiii'ii treasures j
in New Orleans ami in the West (tidies.1
When I frst saw you, 1 was pleased with
you, and my intentions were honorable, j
as far as such a man's intention could he !
honorable. I honestly intended to make .
yon my wife, and to shake oft'Trenon,
and settle down as a domestic man. This
Trcnon opposed, called rne a fool; but
finding my determination fixed, waved
the subject, lie intended *lo make you
his victim at lirst, and never ceased his
machinations until he had ruined us both*
When I left you to go to New Orleens, to;
dispose of some hidden treasure, with j
mv part of it I purchased cotton, which 1 '
shipped to your father, and his part was
transmitted in hills on your city. He
then induced mc to go to the West Indies \
to dispose of some concealed treasure;
but when 1 reached the Island, I discovered
l!mt ^nme mm tia.t Iwr.i, lhn?o
fore me, ami had disposed of all I went
to find. 1 had not been on the island two 1
days, when I was arrested on a false suit,
brought in the name of a Spaniard 1 had j
never heard of, and thrown into prison, i
where I remained nearly six months, i
When the trial came on my lawyer unra- i
veiled the whole mystery, and traced all i
the deception up to Trcrion. The in- <
duecments for his villain* Hashed across
my mind, and I h>.stoned home.?
For nearly a fortnight 1 kept myself out
of sight?rumours to your discredit were i
then atlont and I soon fathomed the whole!
affair?I swore a deep and bloody revenge j
I have had it?I saw Trenon admitted to ;
your house, by yourself, the last night of
his life?I then went to the watch-house,
as was described by your papers, and obtained
the dress as stated, and walked
near your bouse until about midnight, i
sow him come out. I knew one of his
places of retirement, in an obscure part of i
the city, and saw that be dirictcd his steps
towards that quarter. I followed him ?
with my disguise, and as he was turning a I
dark corner, 1 slopped, seized him by the I
collar, and struck my dnggar to the heart i
announcing my real name as lie fell. lie t
knew me, sprung upon his feet and dmp- <
ped dead. I uttered a fiendish laugh, at I
hearing his last groan, and left him, and I
on passing a street or two, threw off my
disguise, and moved on in security. I
was in no danger of being caught, for I
did not care a straw for my fate. IJuul
glutted my revenge. I pitied you, for 1
? ??. ?^
knew that you Imil Wen pre pa ret] by a ; ^
wretched education, to become ail easyprey
to such u designingVtffoiti n&Trenofr.
I pitied your mother, because it was her
ati'eciiou ami bounty that placed you in
the power of such an adventurer as I was
'Your mind was light ami vitiated when
we met, nm! I was a fool for leaving you
a moment, if I expected security and happines-.
't he unkindest cut 1 felt, of all
the agony, \ves from hearing of your fomentations
u* the death of Trcnon. I
hope after you have shed tears for your
seducer, that you will shed none for mc;
for whatever have been my sins, 1 was
kind and indulgent to you, and was trying
to make myself am.l you better.?
However long you may live, you can ne
vcr enter society again. l:i truth, you
never were in socitey; you treated with
contempt your own family, and never
readied the fashionable world, you so
strongly desired to join. I feel liappy
in the thought that 1 have left you sniti- }
cicnt proprety to keep you from want.?
Never think of me again, but set about '
purifying your own mind, and preparing
yourself to sustain with fortitude the disgrace
you cannot shun.
' There were times in our lives, when
I was on the point of drawing the veil
from all the mystery which surrounded
us, and of making a full disclosure of
every thing, ami of going with you into
retirement, and of struggling together to
be happy in a humble situation; but I had
not the moral courage sufficient for the
task, or I thought you were so wedded
to the meretricious state you were in, that
nothing could reclaim you. Your mother
too, in the main, a good woman, had became
so poisoned with the sound of fashionable
iife, that she would not have aided
1)1 o determination. My hear1 was
Mvollen almost to bursting, to think how
wretchedly you were deceived. That
elegant Rrskine Russell, who boasted of
beiiur related In ilm <lnL*r? n
"? ? M..V VI "VUIW' ^
whose exquisite taste in dress you so
much admired, is one of the greatest villains
in the world. lie has been in various
situations?a servant to a gentleman
upon his travels?a head waiter at a hotel?a
notorious gambler?a keeper of a
gambling house?a jockey on the turf
among the fashionables?and a highwayman
within twenty-four hours. He has
been sent to Botany bay, and escaped to
the United States, "the asylum of oppressed
humanity," and the rendezvous or lust
refuge of every scoundrel under licaien
lie keeps a list of oil the females lie has
ruined, and s h n u; * iire"r?.rH ^pp}phgv7-a-?,t"
it, to his circle of infamous wrcV^he&v
every time they have a revel. Still his
language before females has all the scrupulous
delicacy of concealed vice, conveyed
in subdued and softened tones, always
fascinating to every car: but hear
him among his diabolical associates, and A
more iioinuinous, tout-mouthed blasphemer
docs not exist among men. llis
splendid appearance is supported in your
city, by frauds and sliiits of which lie is
the main spring. I dare say he is now
moving in the higher circles of society, a
star in the fashionable world.
"That quiet German, Gasper Ileidleburg,
who won so mnch money from you,
is not a u hit behind Russell, as a knave.
Uc has had a good education, but bis manners
have not received much polish, anil
lie plays a secondary part to Russell, who
is the chief of the banditti. Ilis chief
ingenuity is in making keys to unlock
banks, and other repositories of money#
and also in preparing chemical ingredients
to assist in altering and counterfeiting
bills for distribution through the country.
These arch fiends have many of our own
countrymen in training, through the medium
of agents. The minor agents have
but little to do with the leaders, and llicy
have no means of betraying thorn, if thoy
were SO di?rm?Pi1 Tliie ccrol n ivonpw
... t?... V . ^ J
jrcrvades every part of the United States*,
and while some of the awkward and ignorant
of the conspirators are caught
and punished, their leaders are movtng oil
in the most fashionable circles in throngad
cities.
"It makes my heart bleed to think what
your good father has suffered, lie is ail
honest, good man. Follow his advice in/
all things. Give him the charge of your
property, and live no w here but under his
roof. Never upbraid your mother for
her mistakes they were errors of the
judgment, not of the heart. Take this w
advice as from one who once cherished
as much affection for you as any one
could for a woman so volatile, vain, capricious,
and so full of spurious sentiment.
If I could have lived to have rc
r I I ? r 1
i w i 1111 ii mjniii, i rui?Hi IKU I! I I'lUniltU
you; but, alas, it is all over. I am calm,
mil destitute of pain; but the mortilicai<m
is npprorhing rny vitals, and in a few
tours all will be over with me. liolh of
is have been drawn from the paths of *ir?
ue by one of the greatest villains in the
w orld, but he now festers in bis shroud,
lie owed me bis life, and 1 took it: I wish S
for no casuist to settle this for me.?
Farewell. a. simcote."
Mr. Zone, read the letter in the room \
which contained his daughter's corpse,
and instantly gathered up her splendidly
bound books, novels, poems, etc.. nith
f: 1
''jk