yi "WE OO WHERE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES POINT THE WAY WHEN THEY CEASE TO LEAD, WE CEASE TO FOLLOW.' BY JOHN G. GIVEN. EBENSBURG, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1819. VOL. 0. NO. G. iff si II J 1 II II w 1 11 I I V Heart! acd Homes. Hearts and Horn eg, sweet words of pleasure, Muiic breathing; as thej fall, Making eacb the othor's treasure, Once divided losing all; Homes, jo rcay bo high or Iowlf. Hearts alone can make you holj, D the dwelling e'er so small, '- flaring1 Lore it boaatsth all. Hearts and homes, sweet words of pleasure, Mcsic breathing as ye fall. Making each the other's treasure, Once divided losing nil. Hearts and Homes, Hearts and Homes! MXSOIILLANSOUS THE M1RRUGE CRUCIBLE. A Tbilling Talc of High and Low Life. I was born in one of those little hamlets situated in lha neighborhood of Montel raart in the south of France. My father had made many a fruitless effort to raise himself above indigence. His last resource in his old age arose from the execises of a talent which he had acquired in hi3 youth that of bellows mending. This, too, was the humble profession which I was des tined to follow, Beingendowed by nature with quick and lively faculties, both of mind and body, I soon grew skilful in my trade, and having'an ambitious spirit, set off for Lyons, to prosecute my calling there. 1 was so far successful, that I became a great favorite with the chamber-maids, who were my chief employers, and whom my good looks and youth interested in my favor. One evening, however, as I was return ing home after my day's round, I was ac costed by four well dressed young men, who threw out a few pleasantries on my profession which I answered in a style of good humored railery that seemed to sur prise and please them. I saw them look significantly at one another, and heard one of them say this is our man.' The words alarmed me, but my fears were speedily dispelled. 'Rouperon,' said one you shall sup with us. We have a scheme which may do you good. If you do not agree to it, we shall not harm you, but only ask you to keep our secret. Do not be afraid but come with us.' Seeing all of them to be gentlemen in appearance, I did not hes itats to accept the offer. They conducted me through a number of cross streets, and at last entered a handsome house, in an apartment of which we found six other j young men, who nppeared to have been waiting impatiently for my conductors. A few explanatory words passed respect ing me, and soon afterwards we sat down to supper. Being young, thoughtless ana . light-hearted, 1 gave away to the employ-! ment of the houT, and vented a succession of pleasantries which seemed highly to please my chance companions. But they all grew silent and thoughtful ere long, and finally one of them addressed me thus: 'The ten persons whom you see before you, are all engravers and citizens of Ly ons. We are all in good circumstances, and make a very handsome living by our j occupation. We are all attacneu 10 one another and formed a happy society, till love stepped in to disturb us. In the street of St. Dominic there lives a picture mer chant, a man of respectable station, but oth erwise an ordinary personage. He has, however 2 daughter, a creature possessed of. every accomplishment, and endowed with every grace, but all those amiable qualities are shaded by one defect--pride. As an example of the way in which this feeling has led her ro treat others, I will own that I myself paid my addresses to her, and was approved by her father, as one by birth and circumstances much their superior.; But what was the answer which the insolent girl gave to my suit? 'Do you think sir, that a young woman like me, was born for nothing better than to be the wife of an engraver. 'Her great charms and her pride have been equally felt by us all, continued the speaker, ahd we would hold that she has cast a slur on us and our profession. We therefore have resolved to show this dis dainful girl that she has not indeed been born to the honor of being the wife of an engraver. Now, will you (addressing me) venture to become the husband of a charm ing woman, who to attain perfection wants only to have pride mortified and her vani t ty punished?' Yes,' answered I, spurred on by the excitement of the moment; I comprehend what you would have me to do, and 1 will fulfil it in such manner that you shall have no reason to blush for your ' rupd-' The three months that followed this strange scene were wholly occupied with preparations for the part I was to perform. Preserving the strictest possible secrecy, my confederates did their best to tranform rae from a plain bellows mender into a fine ca:leman. Bathing, hair-dressing, Sec., i brought my person to a fitting degree of refinement, while every day or two one of the engravers devoted himself to the task of teaching me music, drawing and other accomplishments; and nature had furnish ed me with a disposition to study, and a memory so retentive that my friends were astonished at the progress of their disciple. Thoughtless of all else, I felt the deepest delight in acquiring these new rudiments of education. But the time came when I was to be made sensible, for the first time of the true nature of the task I had entered upon.- The confederate at length thought me perfect and in the character of the rich Marquis of Rouperon, proprietor of large estates in Dauphiny, I was installed in the firs: hotel in Lyons. It was under this title that I presented myself to the picture dealer in St. Dominic street. I made a few purchases from him, and seemed anx ious to purchase more. After a little in tercourse of this kind, he sent me word one morning, that he had received a superb j collection of engravings from Rome and j begged me to call and see them. I did so, and was not received by him but by Au- j rora. This was the first sight I got of i the lovely girl, and for the first time in my J life, my young and palpitating heart felt , the power of beauty. A new world un- folded itself before my eyes: I soon forgot ! my borrowed part; onesentimentabsorbed j my soul, one idea enchained my faculties, j The fair Aurora perceived her triumph, j and seemed to listen with complacency to j the incoheient expressions ot passion which escaped my lips. The interview j fixed ray destiny forever! The intoxica-i tion of enjoying her presence hurried me on, blind to everything else. For several ! months I saw her every day and enjoyed a state of happinesss only damped by the self-accusing torments of solitary hours, and by the necessity I was under of regu larly meeting my employers, who furnish ed me with money, jewels and everything I could require. At length Aurora's father gave a little fete in the country, of which j I was evidently the hero. A moment occurred, in which, thoughtless of all but my love, I threw my self a suiter at her feet. She heard me with modest dignity, while a tear of joy, which dimmed for a moment her fine eyes, convinced me that pride was not the only emotion which ag itated her heart, yes, I discovered that I was beloved! . I was an importer, but heaven is my witness 1 deceived her not without remorse. In her presence I remembered nothinsr but herself; but in the stillness ot solitude, sophistry and passion disappeared, leaving j i.. f r nri IV r - - - ... . . i a ureadlul perspective Deiore me. v neni associated the idea of Aurora with the mis erable fate -which was soon fall upon her delicate hands, employed in preparing the coarsest nourishment, I shrunk back with horror, or started up covered with a cold perspiration, liut sen love wouia come to mv aid, and I thought if she truly loved me she yet might be happy! I would de vote my life, 1 swore to the tasic ot strew ing flowers along her path. But all my hopes, all my fears cannot be told. Suffice it to say, that her father believed me wnen represented my estates as being in Daunhinv. a distant province. I would not allow a farthing of Aurora's portion to be settled otherwise than to herself. So there was one baseness of which I was not guilty. We were married. At the altar, a shiv ering ran through my veins, a general trep idation seized my whole frame, and I should infallibly have sunk to the earth in a flood of tears had not some one come to ray rescue. The silly crowd around mis took the last cry of expiring virtue for an excess of sensibility. h. fortnight after the marriage, as had been arranged by my employers, at whose mercy I was, we started for Montelmart, my unfortunate bride believing that we were going to a far distant place. Several of the engravers were themselves jour at tendants, disguised and acting as courtiers to our magnificent equipage. The awful moment of exposure arrived; and when it did come, it proved more terrible than ever I had anticipated. The engravers made the carriage be drawn up before a mean and miserable cottage, at the door which set my humble but venerable father. Now came the awful disclosure. The poor, de ceived, and surprised Aurora was handed out. The engravers came up; they pulled off their disguises; and he whom Aurora had so pointedly refused, exclaimed to hen 'No, madam, no, you have not been born or brought up for an engraver, such a lot would have done too much honor to you. A, bellows mender is worthy of you and such is he whom you have made your hus band!' Trembling and boiling with rage, I would have replied, but the engravers entered the coach, and like the shifting of a scene in the theatre, all our grandeur disappeared with them! Poor Aurora scarcely heard what had been said. The truth had flashed upon her and she sank back in a swoon. Recolleci that I had now acquired a considerable share of sensibility and delicacy from my late life. At that cruel moment I trembled alike at the thought of losing the woman I adored, and of seeing her restored to life. I lavished on her the most tender cares, yet almost wished that those cares mirht prove unavailing. She racovered at length her senses, but the moment her frenzied eye met mine, 'Monster!' she exclaimed, and was again insensible. I profitted by her condition to remove her from the sight of those who had gathered around, and to place her on an humble straw couch. Here I remained beside her till she opened her eyes; mine shrunk from her glance. The first use she made of her speech was to interrupt the broken exclamations of love, shame and remorse, which fell from my lips, and beg to be left alone for a time. The niece of the curate of the parish how ever, who chanced to be by, remained be side her and the poor young victim of my villainly. for she was but eighteen,"seemed glad of her attentions. How shall I describe the horrible night which I then passed? It was not on my own account that I suffered or feared. She alone was on my thoughts. I dreaded above all, for my love was still predomi nate, to see that heart alienatod whose tenderness was necessary to my existence, to read coldness on that eye on whose look my peace depended. But could it be oth erwise? Had I not basely, vilely darken ed all the prospects of her life, and over whelmed her with intolerable shame and anguish? That night was a punishment which would almost have wiped out any lesser sin. Frequently it may be believed I sent to know how Aurora was. She was calm, they told me; and indeed, to my surprise she entered in the morning the room where I was. She was pale, but, collected. I fell before her on the ground ; and spoke not. 'You have deceived me,' said she, it is on your future.conduct that j my forgiveness must depend. Do not take the advantage of the power you have usurped. The niece of the curate has offered me an asylum. There I will re main till this matter -can be thought of calmly, Alas! there were soothing but deceitful words! Within a day or two. after the event, the interval of which I spent in forming wild hopes for the future, I recei ved at once two letters. The first was from the engravers, the cause of my exultation and my fall. They wrote to me that my aquaintance had begot in them a friendship for me; that they had eacli originally sub scribed a certain sum for the execution of their plot; and that they would supply me with money and everything necessary for entering into some business, and ensuring the credible support of myself and Aurora. The other letter was from Aurora 'Some jemains of pity, she said 'which I feel for you, notwithstandingyour conduct, induce me to inform you that I am in Lyons. It is my intention to enter a convent, which will rid me of your presence; but you will do well to hold yourself in readiness to appear before every tribual in France, till I have found one which will do me justice, and break the chain in which you have bound your victim. This letter threw me into despair. I hurried to the curate's but could hear noth ing of Aurora's retreat, although I became assured that the curate and his neice, aes pising my condition, had been urgent ad visers of the step Aurora had taken. I now hastened to Lyons where the affair had now created a great sensation. I lived unknown, however, and obscure, and saw only the engravers; who, notwith standing the base plot which they had through me effected, were men of not un generous dispositions. As they had driv en me out of my former means of liveli hood, 1 considered myself at liberty to accept a sum which they offered me to enter into trade with. They told me how to dispose of it at once, and I laid it out in a way which speedily and without trouble to me augmented it greatly. Meanwhile, the father of Aurora had made every pre paration for annulling the marriage. This could only be done by publicly detailing the treachery which had beCn practised. Never, perhaps, was a courthouse more crowded than that of Lyons on the dayr on which the case was heard. Aurora her self appeared and rivited the eyes of all present, not to speak of my own. Un known and unseen, I shrunk into a comer like a guilty thing. The counsel for Au rora stated the case, and plead the ictim's cause with as much eloquence as to draw tears from many eyes. No counsel arose for me, and Aurora, .who merely sought a divorce without desiring to iuflict that pun ishment she might easily have brought down on the offenders, would have at once gained the suit, had not one arisen for me. It was one of the engravers, the one who had been refused, as mentioned by Auro ra. He made a brief pleading for me, ho praised my character, he showed and con fessed how I had been tempted, and how I fell. At last he concluded by addressing Aurora. 'Yes, madam, said he, 'the laws may declare that you are not his wife, but you have been the wife of his bosom! The contract may be annulled, and no stain may rest upon you. But a stain may be cast upon another. Can you, will you throw the blot of illigitimacy upon one even more innocent than yourself! The appeal was understood and was not made in vain. The trembling Aurora exclaimed, 'No, no!' and the tears fell fast as she spoke. The marriage was not annulled was no longer songht to be annulled. But while the contract which I had signed with my own name, believed by - them to be the family name of the Marquis de Rouperon) was declared valid, and it was also deter mined that Aurora should remain unmo lested by the adventurer who had so far deceived her. Every legal precaution was taken that I should have no control over her or her affairs. After this event I did not remain long in Lyons, where I heard my name everywhere branded with infamy. Master, by the means I have re lated, of a considerable sum, I went to Paris, where I assumed a foreign name, I entered into business, and, more to drown remembrance than from any other cause, pursued it with an ardor which few have evinced in the like circumstances. The widest speculations were those that attract ed me most, and fortune favored me in a most remarkable way. I became the head of a flourishing commercial house, and ere five years hadpassed away, had amassed considerable wealth. At times, however, the remembrance of my wife threw me j into fits of anguish and despair. I dared ! not think, nevertheless, of attempting to go j near her, until it chanced that I had it in my power materially to serve a banker in Lyons, who pressed me much to pay him ; a visit. . Alter mucn uneasiness anu anx iety, I resolved to accept the invitation. Once more I entered Lyons, and on this occasion with an equipage which was not borrowed, though as handsome as my for mer one. My friend the banker, on. being questioned, told me that Aurora still lived in the convent, and was admired for her propriety of conduct, and for her unre mitting, .attention to her child, her boy; but he told me her father had just died, leaving her almost dependent upon the charity of the abbess. This recital excited me in the most lively emotions. I took an opportunity' afterwards of visiting one of the engravers, who scarcely knew me, changed as I was, but who received me warmly. I requested him to assemble the creditors of the father of Aurora, and to pay his debts, giving him funds for that purpose. I told him to purchase some pieces of furniture which I knew to be highly prized by Aurora. Every hour of my stay in Lyons strengthened my desire to see my wife, and at least to fold my boy in my arms. The feeling became at length irresistable, and I revealed myself to the banker, be seeching him to find some way of taking me to the convent. His astonishment to find in me the much spoken of bcllows mender, was beyond description. Hap pily, however, he was acquainted with the abbess, and assured me that it was easy at least to obtain a sight of my wife. Ere an hour passed away my friend had taken me there. I was introduced as a Parisian merchant, and beheld with emotions un speakable, my wife seated in the convent parlor, with a lovely child asleep upon her knee, in conversation with her venerable friend. Aurora, now twenty-three years of age, seemed to me more lovely than ever. I had purposely wrapped myself closely up, and she knew me not, though I perceived an involuntary start when she first saw me, as if my presence reminded her of some once familliar object. I could not speak; my friend maintained all the conversation. But the boy awoke. He saw strangers present, and descended from his mother's knee. Looking at myself and my friend for a moment, he camo for ward to me. Oh! what were my feelings when I found myself covered with the sweet caresses, the innocent kisses of my child! An emotion which I had no power to subdue, made me rise hastily, and throw myself with my child in my arms at the feet of my pale and trembling wife. 'Au rora! Auiora!' I exclaimed in broken ac cents, 'your child claims from you a la ther! Oh, pardon!' The child clasped her knees and seemed to plead with me. Aurora 'seemed ready to faint. Her lips quivered and her eyes was fixed as if in stupor upon mc; a flow of tears came to her relief, and she answered my appeal by throwing herself into my arms. '1 know not,' she sobbed, 'whether you again de ceive mfi, but your child pleads too pow erfully! Aurora is yours! This event closes my history. I found Aurora much improved by adversity, and have tasted a degree of happiness with her such as no penitence for the past could ever make me deserving of. One only incident in my history after my reconcili ation with Aurora seems to be worthy of attention. I took my son and her with me to Paris, but at tne same time, seeing it to be my wife's wish, bought a small country house for her near Lyons. Some times we spent a few weeks there, and on one occasion she invited me to go down with her to be present at a fete for which she had made preparations. Who were our guests? The ten engravers, who were the original cause of all that passed! It was indeed a day of pride to me, when I heard Aurora thank them for the happiness which, under the agency of a wonder-working Providence, they had been the means of Conferring on her. A Core for Sparking. Some months since, a joyous, coura geous young woman, residing in this city, the daughter of highly respectable parents found herself somewhat intentionally de tained at the house, one evening; and be fore she was aware of the fact, scarcely, night had set in. The distance to her own home was but a few blocks, however, and as she expected a little gathering of ladies and gentlemen that evening at he father's, she determined upon returning homeward unattended; and bidding her friends good night she hurried along upon the walk, to wards her residence, into which her fami ly had quite recently removed, from ano'h er part of the city. Upon turning the first corner, she was suddenly startled by the approach of a well dressed young man, who accosted her with a 'good evening,' and offered his services to escort her home! Alarmed, for an in- stant she would have avoided the stranger; but as he 'advanced to her side, she ven- lured to turn towards him, and a glance satisfied her she recognized the young gentleman, as a familiar acquaintance. Disguising her voice, and replying in a timid tone, she accepted the profiered gal- lantry, determined at once to administer a lesson toner vounr menu, wnicnne snouiu not forget. The conversation which pass ed was brief, and the beau suspecting nothing as he was aware that ;he familv had changed their quarters, tripped along at the voun? ladv's side, - apparently very i well pleased with his companion. In a J. few minutes, they halted before a modest brick house, in a somewhat retired street, 1 at the west end, and the lady relinquished j her attendant's arm. . 'Will you come in?' whispered the lady softly. 'Thank you,' was the reply; and his fair companion opened the frort door. Clos ing it carefully they found themselves in me emry in loiai uarKuess. Y ait a moment, said the young wo man, and be perfectly quiet. I will ie- turn instantly;' and with these words she ascended the stairs which led to the par- lors. The first thought of the young man, as she retired, was to open the frontdoor and move; for he suspected ail was not as he at first anticipated. He turned to the door it was fast. He fumbled for the latch, or lock, or whatever secured it was not to be J found; and an instant afterward, he heard footsteps appoaching in the darkness. His heart thumped against his ribs, and he be gan to wish himself safely out of doors again; but he was quickly reassured by the encouraging whisper of the new made ac quiantance, who approached him, appa rently with great caution. 'Hush!' she said, 'ail is safe. Be qui et now, a moment remove vour boots from your feet I will return in an in stant. Our hero was content; and drawing off his boots, he secured them together, and held them in his hand, to await the return of his lady friend, who again ascended the front stairs. Entering the parlor a moment after wards, the female rogue found some half a score of young lady friends with thoir bvpthersand beaux present to whom she quickly and briefly communicated the ad venture. 1 have got him in the entry down stairs,' she said. 'Put out the lights.keep perfectly still, don't betray the slightest sound.and I will show you some sprrt in a moment.' The lights were removed, the party arranged themselves around the room the bu.lk of the party knew the victim intimately and again the lady descen ded the stairs, and approached her friend. Softly, now, she said, taking the baud which 'was unoccupied with the boots, softly. All is quiet up stairs all is ar ranged come!' and she led her gallant shyly along up the stairway. His boots dangled .against the railing hush!' ex claimed the fair "One; 'for pity's sake make no noise or all is loat!' The beau moved on, grasped his bcts more securely at his side, nor dreamed of aucht save bliss! Lcatt of all did he sus- pect the existence of a huge rent in his stockings but he was a bachelor, and this was but a trifle! They entered the parlor. All was darkness and silence. The lady closed the door behind them, and led her com panion into the centre of the room. Not a bieath was heard, and little did the gen. tleman suspect that he wax at that mo ment surrounded by a dozen of his ac quaintances. 'Remain here one moment, said the girl, 'I will get a light ' The gallant raised the soft hand which had conducted him thus far towards he knew net what! and ventured to press upon it a kiss; but it was dexteriously withdrawn, at the V6ry 'nick of time. and his lips came in contact with his own fin gers Wait a moment, added his inamorata, leaving him quickly and, then, passing through a door at the farther extremity of the room, she disappeared. A minute had scarcely elapsed, but it seemed a month to the little party, who were nearly choking with suppressed merriment it was an age to the victim. But gentle footsteps were heard again: he gazed anxiously towards the direction of the door it opened with a single movement, a b'aie of lightgushed into the parlor,and behind it ho beheld the face of an old familiar ac quaintance! Ladies and gentlemen, she said, 'thit is Mr. Smithr Such a lha, ha!' as went up from that little coterie, at that mo.nent, was seldom heard in the neighborhood before or since! Poor Smith stood for a moment, not ex actly paralyzed that would bo a feint term oi expression; he was frozen ac- tually stctiie-'ized, in his tracks, and he hugged his boots to his side, coughed j sneezed, choked then grinned a ghastly 'smile! As soon as the proxysrn of laughter Was over, the lady brought forward h ! chair, and placing it before the victim. saia Pray be seated Mr. Smith. ' He turned upon his tormentor a look cf comical recognition, and, like Fa'staff. his wits coming quickly to his relief, r.e replied: 'Did you think, Cally, did'nt know you?' Another roar followed this remark, and the company was very soon upon good terms. I This was his first and last effort nlpictc j ing up an acquaintance; and it proved a, cure lor 'sparking with him. Within six months he made ample apology for his error, by makinsr Miss Cally Mrs. Smith -L lu& Lj uur utitui. Conjitgation and Agreement. Iu a lesson in parsing tho sentence, "Man courting in capacity of bliss," &c, the word "courting, comes to a pert young miss of fourteen to parse. She commen ces hesitatingly, got along well enough until she was to tell what it agreed with. Here she stopped short. But the teacher syid Very well, what docs courting agree with? Ellen blushed and held down her head. 'Ellen, don't you know what it agrees with?" Ye ye yes, sii!1 Wei!, Ellen, whv doii't vcu parse that V m SH word? What does it agree with? Blushing still tno.e and stairmcring, Ellen says 'It a - agrees wilhali the girls sii!' Editor?. A cotenjporary very truly remarks that an editor's duties, e;en in a case comparatively unimportant, are enor mous and unthankful. Those he praises "love him less than their dinner, and these he finds fault with hate him worse than the devil." f he steps out manfully, he can scarcely avoid treading new and then on somebody's toes, who will make a point of never forgetting it: while those on whom he may bestow commendation (even if nothing more substantial,) during his journey, wili quietly place it all to the account of their own merits. I iike to see young women peep thiuugH the windows, or the cracks of half open doors, to catch a glimpse of the young men. and when they come in their presence ap pear over modest it is so admirable. One of the Holes. Oat west there ha long been known, on a -certain hill side, a larc hole, which is not au uncommon thin- in that section of country. The bank is said to have recently caved off. nnd left the hole sticking out about ten feet: 2n Insinuation. 'Mister, I don't fay that you stole my watch, but if I had heard any other watch tick like that which you carry in your pocket, I should have said that'it ticked just like minr .
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