University of South Carolina Libraries
'FORTUNES OF A COUNTRY GIRL. One- day, I trill not say how many years ago, for I intend to be very rnyste rious for a time with my readers?a young woman stepped from a country wagon which had just arrived at the yard gate of the famous Chelsea Inn, Goat and Com? passes, a name formed by corrupting the pious original. "God encompasses us." The young woman seemed about the age of eighteen, and was decently dressed, though in the plainest rustic fashion of the times. She was well formed and well looking, both form and look giving indi? cations of the ruddy health consequent upon exposure to the sun and air in the country. After.stepping from the wag? on, which the driver immediately led into a court yard, the girl stopped lor a mo? ment in apparent uncertainty whither to go, when the mistress of the inn. who had come to the door, observed her hesitation, and asked her to enter and take rest. Tbe young woman readily obeyed the in? vitation, and soon, by the kindness of the landlady, lbund herself by the liicside of ?a nicely sanded parlor, wherewithal to re? fresh herself after a long and tedious journey. . "And so, my poor girl."' said the land? lady,, after hearing in return for her kind? ness, the whole particulars of the young woman's situation and history, "so thou hast come all this way to seek service; and hast thou no friend but John Hodge, the wagoner? True, ho is like to give thee but small help towards getting a place/' "Is service ttan difficult to bo had ?" a*ked the young woman, sadly. "Ah, marry, good situations, at least arc laard to find. Bat you have a good heart, child," said the landlady, and as she con? tinued, she looked around with an air of pride and dignify; "thou seest what I have come to myself; I left the country, a young thing like thyself, with as little to look to. But it isn't every one for cer? tain, that must look for such a fortune, and in any case it must bo Avrought for. my poor old Jacob, Heaven rest his soul, made me mislressof tbe Goat and Com-, passes. So mind the girl?" The.landlady's speech might have gone on.a long way : for the dame loved well the sound of her own tongue, bui for the j interruption occasioned by a gentleman, when the landlady rose and welcomed him heartily. ? ? . "Ah, dame," said the new comer, who was a stout, respectable attired person of middlo age", "how sells the good ale? Scarcely a drop left in the cellar, I hope." "Enough left to give your worship a draught after your long walk,*' and she rose to fulfill the promise implied by her words. "1 walked not," was the gentleman's reply, "but took a pair of oars, dame, down tho river. Thow knowest I always come to Chelsea myself to sec if thou lackest anything." "Ah, sir," replied the landlady, "and it . is by that way of doing business that you haVe made yourself, as the city says, the richest man in the Brewer's corporation, if not in all London itself." *%cl\ dame, the better for me if it be 60," said the brewer, with a smile; "but let us have the nmg^und this quite pretty friend of thine, sl-^/' ^tsare us. mayhap, by tasting with Ui^B^ The landlady was not long in procuring a stoop of ale, knowing t hat her visitor never set an example hurtful to his own interest by countenancing the consump? tion of foreign spirits. "Right, hostess," said the brewer, when he had tasted it, "well made and well kept, and that is giving both me and thee our dues. Now, pretty one," said ho. filling one of the measures or glasses, which had been placed beside the stoop, "wilt thou drink this to thy sweetheart's health?' The j)oor country girl, to whom this was addressed, declined the proffered civ? ility, and with a blush, but the landlady exclaimed, "come, silly wench, drink his worship's health; he is more likely to get thee a service, if it so pleases him, than John Hodge, the wagoner." "This girl has come many a mile," con? tinued the hostess, "to seek a place in town, that sho may burden her family no more at homo." "To seek service !" exclaimed the brew? er; "why, then, perhaps it is well met with us. Has she brought a character ?with her, or can you speak for her, dame?" "She has never yet been from home, but her face is her character;" said the kind hearted lady; "I'll warrant slice will be diligent and trusty." "Upon thy prophecy, I will take her in? to my service; for but yesterday my j housekeeper was complaining of the ; want of help, since thisdeputyship brought me more, in the way of ehicrtaining the people of the ward." Ere the wealthy brewer and deputy left tho Goat and Compasses, arrange? ments wcro made for sending the country girl to his house in the city on the follow? ing da}-. Troud of having done a good action, tho garrulous hostess took advan? tage of the circumstance, to deliver an immensely long harrangne to the young woman, on her new duties, and on the dangers to which youth is exposed in large cities. The girl heard her benefac? tress with modest thankfulness, but a more minute observer than the good land? lady might have seen in the eye and I countenance of the girl a quiet firmness of expression, and such as might have in? duced the cutting short of the lecture. However, the landlady's lecture had an end, and towards the evening of the day following her arrival at the Goat and Compasses, the youthful rustic found her? self installed as housemaid in the duel ling of a rich'brewer. The fortunes of this girl it is our pur? pose to follow. The first change which took place in her condition subsequent to that related, was her elevation to the va? cant post of housekeeper in the brewer's family. In this situation, she was brought more than formerly in contact with her master, who had ample moans of admi? ring her propriety of conduct, as well as her skillful economy and management. By degrees he began to find her presence necoss?rjrto his happiness, and being a man of both honorable and independent mind, be at length ottered her his hand. It was accepted, and she who but lour or five years before left her homo barefooted, became the wife of one of the riches! citi? zens of London. For many years 3fr. Aylesbriry, for such was the name of the brewer, and his wife lived in happiness and comfort to? gether. He was a man of good family and connections, and consequently of higher breeding than his wife could boast, but on no occasion had he to blush for t he partner he had chosen. Her calm in? born strength, if ;;ol dignity, of charae- j of perception, made her i?l hcr^wi?J at her husband's table with as much grace and fr? dt? as if she had been born to tin itaiii . And us time ran on. the vt si ??? :???> iiii ? ilr. Aylesbury'sposition received a gradual increase. Ho became mi alderman, .aud subsequently a sheriif of the citv. and in consequenceof the lat? ter elevation, w as knighted. Afterwards, anil now part of the mystery projected at the commencement of this story must he broken in upon, as far as time is concern? ed?afterwards the important place which the brewer held in the city, called upon him tho attention and favor of the King Charles the First, then anxious to concili? ate the good will of the citizens, and the knight received the further honor of bar? onetcy. Lady Aylcsbnry, in the first year of her married life, gave birth to a daughter,' who proved to be an only child, and around whom, as was natural, ail the hopes and wishes of her parents entwined themselves. This daughter had only reached the age of seventeen when her father died, leaving an immense fortune behind him. It was first thought that the widow and her daughter would be? come the inheritors of this without the shadow of a dispute. But it proved oth? erwise. Certain relatives of the deceased brewer set up a plea upon the foundation of a will made in their favor before the deceased became married. With her wonted firmness, Lady Aylosbury imme? diately took steps for the vindication of her own and her daughter's rights. A young lawyer, who had boon a frequent guest at her husband's table, and of whose ability she had formed a high opinion, she fixed upon as a legal asserter of her cause. Edward Hyde was indeed a youth of great ability. Though only twenty four years of age at the period referred to, and though he had spent much of his youthful time in the society of the gay and the fashionable of the day. he had not neglected the pursuit to which his fami? ly's wish, as well, as his own tastes had devoted him. But it was with considera? ble hesitation, and a feeling of anxious diffidence that he consented to undertake tho charge of Lady Aylesbury's- case, for certain strong, though unseen and unac? knowledged sensations, were at work in his bosom, to make him fearful about tho responsibility and anxious about the re? sult. The young lawyer, however, became counsel for the brewer s widow und daugh? ter, and by a stinking exertion of elo? quence and display of legal ability, gain? ed the suit. Two days after, the success? ful pleader ^is seated be&dc his two clients. Lady Aylesbury's manner was quiet and composed, but she now spoke warm? ly oi lier gratitude to the preserver of her daughter from want, and also tendered a tee?a payment munificent indeed for the occasion. The young hamster did not seem at ease during Lady Aylesbury's ex? pression of her feelings. He shifted upon his chair, changed color, looked at Miss Aylesbury, played with the purse before him, t ried to speak, but stopped short, and changed color again. Thinking only of best expressing her gratitude, Lady Aylesbury appeared not to notice her visitor's confusion, but arose, saying, " In token that I hold your services above compensation in the way of money, I wish to give you a memorial of my grati? tude in another shape." As she spoke thus she drew a bunch of keys from her pocket, which every lady earned in those days, and left the room. What passed during her absence be? tween the parties whom she left together will be best known by the result. When Lady Aylesbury returned, she found her daughter standing with averted eyes, but her hand within that of Edward Hyde, who knelt on the mother's entrance, and besought her to consent to their union. Explanations of the feelings which the parties entertained for each other ensued, and Lady Aylesbury was not long in giv? ing the desired consent. "Give me leave, however," said she to the lover, "to place around your neck the memorial which I intended for you. This chain (which was a superb gold one) was a token of grati? tude from the ward in which he lived to my dear husband." Lady Aylesbury's calm, serious eyes were filled with tears, as she threw the chain around Edward's neck, saying, "these links were borne on the neck of the worthy and honored man. May thou, my son. attain- to still higher honors." The wish was fulfilled, though not until danger and suffering had tried severely thc parties concerned. The son-in-law of Lady Aylcsbuiy became an eminent mem? ber of the English bar, and also an im? portant speaker in Parliament. When Oliver Cromwell brought the king to the scaffold, and established the common ?smith.'RS i-'d.i-ii- l H.vdc? ?-~*~*~? govern men I post., ami had been knight? ed?v. as ox- ? 'imY.'. nt a member of the rovalisl narf\ to csY.'.pe the enmity of the new rulet . id was obligor! to. reside ui> on the continent till the restoration. When abroad, he was so much esteemed by tiie exile prince (afterwards Charles 11.) as to be appointed Lord High Chan? cellor of England, which appointment was confirmed when the king was restored to his throne. Some years afterwards, Hyde was elevated to the peerage, first in the rank of baron, and subsequently as Earl of Clarendon?a title which he made famous in English history. These events, so briefly narrated, occu? pied a large space of time, during which. Lady Aylcsbuiy passed her days in quiet retirement. She now had tho gratifica? tion of beholding her daughter the Coun? tess of Clarendon, and seeing the grand? children she had borne to her, mingle as equals with the noblest of the land. But a still more exalted fate awaited the de? scendants of the poor friendless girl, who came to London, in search of service, in a wagoner's van. Her grand-daughter. Anna Hyde, a young lady of spirit, wit and beauty, had been appointed, while her family stayed abroad, one of the maids of honor to the Princess of Orange, and in that situation, had attracted so strongly the attention of James, Duke of York, and brother of Charles II., that he contracted a private marriage with her. The birth of a child forced on a public an? nouncement of "the contract, and ere long, the grand-daughter of Lady Aylesbury was openly received as Duchess of York, and sister-in-law of the sovereign. Lady Aylesbury did not long survive this event. Hut ere she dropped into the grave, at a ripe old age, she saw her de? scendants heirs presumptive to the British crown. King Charles had married, but had no issue, and accordingly his broth? er's family had the prospect and right of succession. And. in reality, two immedi? ate descendants of the bare-fooled coun? try girl did fill the throue?Mary, (wife of William III,) and Queen Anna, prin? cess both of illustrious memory. Such was the fortune of the young wo? man in whom the worthy landlady of the Coat and Compasses was fearful of en? couraging too rash a hope by reference to the lofty position which it had been her own fate to attain in life. In one asser? tion, at least, the hostess was undoubted? ly right, that success in life must be la? bored for in one way or other. Without the prudence and propriety of conduct which won the love and esteem of the brewer, the sequel of the country girl's history could never have been such as it Btltttib ||arfrj. The Last Good Night. Close her eye-lids?press them gently O'er the dead and lcailcn eyes. For tho soul that made them lovely, Ilath returned unto the skies; "Wipe the death-drops from her forehead, Sever one dear golden tress, Fold her icy hands all meekly, Smooth her little snowy dress; Scatter flowers o'er her pillow? G cntlc flowers, so pure and white? Lay the bud upon her bosom, There?now softly say, Good Night. Though our tears flow fast and faster, Yet we would not call her back, We are glad her feet no longer, Tread life's rough and thorny track; We are glad our Heavenly Tat her Took her while her heart is pure, We arc glad he did not leave her All life's trials to endure : We arc glad?and yet the tear-drop Ifallelh; for, alas! we know That our fireside will be lonely, We shall miss our darling so. While the twilight shadows gather, We shall wait in vain to feel Little arms, all while and dimpled, Round our necks so softly steal; Our wet checks will miss the pressure Of sweet lips so warm and red, Arid our bosoms sadly, sadly. Miss that darling's little head Which was wont to rest there sweetly; And those golden eyes, so bright, Wo shall miss their loving glances, We shall miss their soft good night. When the morrow's sun is shining, They will take this cherished form. They will bear it to the church-yard, And consign it lo the worm : Well?what matter ? It is only The clay dress our darling wore ; God hath robed her as an angel, She hath ueed of this no more; F.ild her hands, and o'er her pillow Scatter flowers all pure and white, Kiss that marble brow, and whisper, Once again, a last Good Night. - Watt.?A young niun (says Sir II. Kant;) wanting to soil spectacles in Lon? don, petitions the corporation to allow him to open a little shop, without paying tho fees of freedom, and he is refused. He goes to Glasgow, and the corporation ancc with some members of the universi? ty. v;ho find him very* intelligent, and per? mit him to open his shop within their walls. He does not sell spectacles and magic lanterns enough to occupy all his time ; he occupies himself at intervals in taking asunder and remaking all the ma? chines he can come at. He finds there arc books on mechanics written in differ? ent languages; he borrows a dictionary and learns those languages to read those books. The university people wonder at him, and are fond of dropping into his little room in the evenings, to tell him what they arc doing, and to look at the qnoerinstruments he constructs. A ma? chine in the university wants repairing, and he is employed. He makes it a new machine. The steam-engine is construct? ed : and the giant mind of Watt stands out before the world?the author of the industrial supremacy of this country, the herald of a new force of civilization: But was Watt educated ? Whore was he ed? ucated? At his own workshop, and in tho best manner. Watt learned Latin when be wanted it for his business. He learned French and German; hut these things were tools, not ends. He used them to promote his engineering plans, as he used lathes and levers. The Teaks oe Oysters.?Glancing round this anatomical workshop, (the oyster.) wo find, amongst other things, seme preparations showing the nature of pearls. Examine them, and we find that there arc dark and dingy pearls, just as there are handsome and ugly men; the d irk pearl being found on the dark shell o::' the fish, the white brilliant ono upon the smooth inside shell. Going further in the search, we find that the smooth, glit? tering lining, upon which the lish moves, is known as the nacre, and that it is pro? duced by a portion of the animal called t ie mantle; and, for explanation's sake, vre may add that gourmands practically know the mantle as the heard of the oys? ter, When living in its glossy house, should any foreign substance find its way through the shell to disturb the smooth? ness so essential to its case, the fish coats the offending substance with nacre, and a pearl is thus formed. The pearl is, in fact, a little globe of the smooth, glossy sub? stance yielded by the oyster's beard; yiel? ded ordinarily to smooth the narrow home to which his nature binds him. but yielded in round drops, real pearly tears, if he is hurt. When a beauty glides among a throng of her admirers, her hair clustering with pearls, she little thinks that her or? naments are products of pain and diseased action, endured by the most unpoctical of sholl-fish.?Leisure Hours. Make Hora Attractive. It is a trua iudex or Lite ^?gress of | our race., to observe the regard paid to home: and it is a consoling reflection that its sanctity has attracted, at last, the attention it deserve?. To be loved as it ought, to awake the affection home should inspire, it must be beautiful, and worthy of being cherished. "When it is so easy a thing to beauti/y and adorn home, is it not a matter of surprise that so little attention, in this respect, is given to it in many parts of our country? !n deed, we may fear that this neglect will become "a by word of reproach." It is a mistaken idea that, home cannot be made beautiful, but b}- the most costly exotics. Incentives, of the highest character, are held out to induce men to plant and cul? tivate shade trees. No argument is need? ed to confirm the truth that shade trees promote health, that they are conducive to comfort and pleasure; and he is truly to bo pitied, who sees no beauty in treos, nothing majestic or grand in trees, Na? ture's waving "frowning Titans." If more is required to induce thegrowing of trees and shrubs for shade and ornament, compare the appearance of some of our villages, where, for near the full circle of | a mile, scarce a solitary tree intervenes its grateful shade to break the rays of a summer sun's roasting heat, or to invite the cool, refreshing breeze : compare one of these, (for there are man}- such.) with the neat and pleasant town whose streets and squares arc tastefully planted with handsome elms, maples, or locusts. Not only is .the aspect of the latter more pleas? ing, and the effect more delightful; but it is the safest criterion by which to judge of the virtue, refinement and intellectual cultivation of its citizens; for where Na? ture'* beauties are cherished, vice and sensuality cannot flourish. What is true of towns and villages, is equally true rel? ative to t he homes of men, except tho in? fluence of the former is more general, while t hat of home, whether farm hor.se or village residence, more directly affects the individual family. There is no in? vestment of labor or time that remuner? ates man with so much healthful onjoy shrubbery. These make home beautiful; beauty will endear it to his soul, and make it "part of him;" then, in truth, will it be his own "sweet Uomc;'' anU" hlF country? " The land of ilic myrtle, il;c cypress and vine, Where nil, anvc the spirit of man, is divine." The Young Woman's Influence.?The character of the young men of a commu? nity depends much on that of tho young women. If the latter are cultivated, in? telligent, accomplished, the young men will feel the requirement that they them? selves should be upright, and gentleman? ly, and refined : but if their female friends are frivolous and silly, the young men will he found dissipated and worthless. But remember, always, that a sister is the best guardian of a brother's integrity. She is the surest inculcator of faith in fe? male purity and worth. As*a daughter, she is the true light of the home. The pride of the father oftencst centers on his sons, but his affection is expended on his daughters. She should, therefore, bo the sun and centre of all. "Wo can well pity tho "phoclings" of the stranger who was sent up stairs in a western hotoLto sleep with a backwoods? man, who gave him this welcome: "Wall, stranger. I've no objection to your sleep? ing with me?none in the least, but it seems to me the bed's rather narrow for you to sleep comfortable; considering how I dream. You see, I'm an old trapper, and generally dream of shooting and sculping Indians. At the place I stopped night before last they charged mo five dollars extra 'cause I happened to whittle up the headboard with 1113' knife while I v, as dreaming. But you can como to bed if you like, I. feel kind er peaceable to? night." In one of our courts lately, a man. who was called on to appear as a witness, could not be found. On the Judge asking where he was, a grave, elderly gentleman rose up, and. with much cmphais, said. ?Your honor, he is gone." "Gone! gone !" said the Judge, "where is he gone?". "That I cannot inform you," replied the communicative gentleman, "but he is dead." -* Bad Tkmper.?The greatest plague in life is a bad temper. It is a great waste of time to complain of other people's; the best thing is to amend our own. It is doing some service to humanity to amuso innocently; and they know very little of society who think we can bear to bo always employed either in duties or meditations without any relaxation. Death comes lo igcod man to relieve him j it comes to a ono to relieve soci? ety. ? The idle should no be classed among the living; they are a . sort of dead men not fit to be buried. Nothing is so endurin: and malignant as the hatred of a worn:* -who has once loved you; beware of vncgar jiiadc of sweet wine. Out of every twenty yung men in a quadrille at an evening prty. who pre? tend tQ be making love to ueir partners, ten are remarking that the Worn La very wann, f:vo are observing tba the polka is the grandest invention of theicro, and five are asking how the next fig;;e'commen? ces. -~ Nai-row-niinded people, who have no! a thought beyond the little sphere of their own vision, recall a Hindosaying:?"The snaii sees nothing but its own she'll, and thinks it the grandest in the universe." There is a man in New Jersey so lazy that he has an artist hired by the month , to draw his breath with a lead pencil. A printer's devil wanting to kiss his sweetheart, addressed her as follows: 1 Miss Lucy, can I have tho pleasure of placing my ' imprint' ' on your bill V The little mind, that loves itself, will think and act with the vulgar; but the great mind will bo bravely eccentric, and scorn the beaten road. A man who covers himself with costly apparel and neglects his mind, is like ono who illuminates the outsido of his house and sits within in the dark. There arc a great many beams in tho eyes of the ladies, but fhey are all sun? beams. Pride may decorate the abode of death as it will, but the worm below mocks at the masonry ahovo. Learn in childhood, if you can, that happiness is not outside, but Jnaidc. A good heart and a clean conscience bring happiness, no riches and no circumstances ever do. n ife'iSi^fe^li.HL!'^0 pcarj'"*'mc*b though ?i .i T ?? "f&me's upon the water ? rather thautho vapmw , . . and obscure, lifts itself to the clouds. It was said in olden time that the bdly v;as morejthan raiment: bnt now^) raimenTis often a great^frji?V^o1!ctnan the body in value, and full five as much in circumference. A good man who has seen much of the world, and is not tired of it, says: "Tho grand essentials to happiness in this life are, something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." Macaulay states, in his History of Eng? land, that no large society, of which tho language io not Teutonic, has ever^urniM Protestant: and that wJiejeyjir-Aja^^----^^ derived from ancient Rome is spoken, the religion of modern Rome prevails to this day. * For a fit of idleness?Count the ticking of a clock; do this for an hour, and you will be glad to pull off your "coat the next moment and go to work. No man is more miserable tha: that hath no adversity; that man i? hot tried whether he be good or bad; and God ??v er crowns those virtues which arc only -*1 faculties and indispositions; but every act of virtue is an ingredient into reward? God so drosses us for heaven. The bark of a willow tree, burred to ashes, mixed with strong vinegar and ap? plied to the parts, will remove all corns or excrescences on any part of the bod}*. What the world calls 'innate goodness,' Is very often t full stomach; and what it terms vice is euite as frequently an empty bread-basket. < When preachers grow proud of tho beauty and eloquence of their praye rs. Sa? tan himself might readily toll the bell to summon the congregation to church. Benefit }*our friends that they may iovo you still more dearly; benefit your ene? mies that they may become your friends. Modesty is to the female character what saltpetre is to beef: while it pre? serves its purity, it imparts a blush. It is better to havo your conscionco clean than your face, and to keep soul well clad in virtue, than your in broadcloth. There is no man but hath a soul; if he will look carefully to that, he: not complain for want of business. Rise early to your business, les things, and oblige good mcr three things you shall Rather pay wages^ ccpt the offered hj ants?such