to inculcate; nevertheless he persisted in showing it both by precept and example. 'You seem mighty particular,' said Frank, with those little sisters; they must think you a regular plague. I warrant they will get along very well, without doing as they are bid, and all that; it is what nobody in this country finds necessary any how.' That is very true, more the pity. Do you know, Frank, I am quite sure both the country and the children would be much better if they did? We have fine fruits, beautiful flowers, plentiful crops; we are nipped with the cold as we were in the old country, and have meat whenever we want it; but with all these advantages, and not having thankful hearts, there is little enjoyment. I can scarcely find a boy but yourself to play with, because they never obey their parents, or think of taking any way but their own, and they laugh at me for doing it. They call their impudence and wickedness freedom and liberty and such like; but I mean to 'honor my father and mother, that I may live long in the land to which God hath brought us ;' and I wish my little sisters to follow my example.' You are always right, James, and have taught me what is right, so that I not only take my father's advice because I love him, but also for the reverence I owe him; and many's the boy at Lexington that shall know what I think about that same rudeness of theirs. Who knows the good we may do on the banks of the Elkhorn, my boy?' And great indeed was the good produced by their example, so that the increasing village where they resided was spoken of at Lexington as the most civilized spot in Kentucky; and some gentlemen of consideration, anxious to benefit the country, sought to stimulate and also reward our young emigrant. For this purpose they placed him in a school, which would employ only a certain portion of his time, and leave him the power of pursuing his business, but would enable others to benefit by his teaching.— The many hours consumed by boys of the lower order, in large towns, could not be allowed, consistently with the prosperity of the community, consistent with the general welfare; nor could it be expected that those used to a mixture of play and labor, of a bustling nature, could long remain sufficiently quiet for purposes of study; therefore short lessons, taken as a curiosity or a rest, were in the first place assigned, and found to answer extremely well, so that even the most uncivilized soon desired to exert their faculties, and show they had the same talents as their neighbors. In this community James was absolute master, and all were informed they would be expelled if they behaved ill, as all contention was out of the question. This answered fully to the scholars, who repressed their rudeness from shame; and it had no bad effect on the young master, who considering that as humble attention to his parents in fancy had been his best quality, it became him to increase it as Indeed the older and wiser he grew the more fully did he comprehend the value of their conduct, in having, notwithstanding their poverty and their anxiety to leave home, spared the means of gaining him some learning, and that they had, even in the worst of times, taught him his duty to them, and instructed him in his duty to God; they had even been kind and loving to him, for he was then their all; but they had likewise insisted on implicit obedience to their dictates; and he now saw this was the source both of happiness and prosperity. he advanced to manhood, and was more others formed them into every species of worthy of being an example. utensil and furniture, or constructed vessels in which to navigate the Ohio for purposes of commerce. They built a church in which to worship God, who had thus spread them a table in the wilder ness'; and projected many institutions which only required time to be carried into full effect. They were a small but sacred band, who had married women of various countries and acquirements, whom they treated with a kindness that elicited their virtues and encouraged their energies; so that in this settlement the warmhearted hospitality of the Irish character, the prudence and foresight of the Scottish, the industry and perseverance of the English, and that determined exertion and undaunted vigilance which belongs to the enterprising American, were all assembled. In a few years the good uncle, who had invited them over, saw his brother a more flourishing man than himself, and he also found his greatest pleasure in witnessing the comfort and happiness of his family circle. His own children had formed connexions, and gone out from him on every side, with little regard for the feelings of those parents who had labored so hard for them; but when, in their turn, these persons became parents, their early affections were recalled, they saw the value of their young cousin's exam ple, and became desirous that their children should resemble him and his sisters. The lately scattered dwellings were now become a wide connected village, in which every species of industry and ingenuity was prosecuted. Some cultivated the earth, which every where reward ed them with abundance; some felled the noble trees to clear the ground, while Such was this rising settlement become, when, some years after the commencement of our tale, a worthy descendant of that truly great man, Col. Boone, made an expedition to this country, which had been known to his ancestor as the bloody grounds,' a place where he had dwelt in all the desolation of solitude, subject to Indian irruption, and parted as by a great gulf from all the civilized creation. Every thing which his present descendant saw appeared as if 'Paradise was opened in the wild,' for forests once impervious were opened, marshes drained, quays formed on the river, and streets in the town. Proceed ing onward he found inhabitants worthy of man requires culture, as much as the of the bold-featured country around him; land he lives by. As his quick eye never had he beheld such fine athletic glanced round approvingly on the tall men, such lovely active women, such in- forms of the younger men, the fine countelligent well-behaved children. tenances of their fathers, the modest dignity of their matrons, and the innocent gaiety of their maidens, his eyes shone with tears of delight and admiration, as he exclaimed, 'This is far beyond my hopes. Who can have made ye what ye are ?' Ah,' cried he, how different are these people from the beings I have heard described as half-horse half-alligator,' the 'snags of Kentucky'! these are men in the highest sense of the word—men, free but not savage-brave but not overbearing; in short, christian men, dutiful to their parents, kind to their neighbors, compassionate to the suffering, just to every one.' No sooner did this interesting body of people learn that the representative of their most efficient founder was come amongst them, desirous of witnessing their progress and sharing in their joy and gratitude, than they hastened, one and all, to welcome him with honor, the oldest inhabitant leading the procession, and the young ones following with branches and flowers in their hands, indicative of the produce of the country where it was most valuable. It was a simple and hasty, yet beautiful tribute of good-will, which kings might have envied as the homage of the heart; nevertheless, it would never have been thus offered if a civilized and polished mind had not gone hand in hand with a manly industrious spirit. Of this their present visitant was fully sensible, for he knew the nature of mankind, had seen different parts of the district, and was well aware that the heart One emigrant-one young boy,' cried the old man at their head; ‘he taught our children to be dutiful and obedient, and set the example; this created love and union in families and neighborhoods, and we all began to pull together, the abilities of individuals becoming riches to the community; so it was; a scattered village is grown into a town, and a rock into a church; planks are ships, sheepskins handsome coats, and fens gardens; all from the same happy cause.' 'And has this friend left you after doing so much good among you ?' 'O no! that is his garden with the curious trees; he never leaves us willingly; but he could not be a boy always, you know? he is now a man, and we have the honor to send him to Congress as our representative, where he speaks for our benefit, and is listened to by all the great of the land. Mayhap you have heard of James Simpson?' 'Indeed I have, for he is my esteemed friend, and was the very person who indirectly induced me to come hither.You have a right to be proud of him; he will be a great man some time un- himself, we should still love him best in doubtedly.' We believe it, we believe it; nevertheless, if he lived to be the president Ar that sweet hour of even, his early days, when, in our log cabins, he struggled so much to help us, and was our own dear 'young emigrant.' LIFE'S MATINS. And many a flattering friendship find Well mayst thou weep, fond mother,— SECOND VOICE. "Rejoice, rejoice, fond mother, That thou hast given birth To this immortal being, To this sweet child of earth! The pearl within the ocean, The gold within the mine, Have not a thousandth part the worth Of this fair child of thine! O fond and anxious mother, Look up with joyful eyes, A boundless wealth of love and power In that young spirit lies! Love to enfold all natures In one benign embrace; Power to diffuse a blessing wide Bless God both night and morning; For the child of mortal parents hath, The stars shall dim their brightness; The earth shall fade; but ne'er shall fade O then rejoice, fond mother, To this fair child of earth!' HOWITT. THE ROAD TO LEXINGTON. YOUNG folks, in reading American history, are apt to form their judgment of old revolutionary times, with regard to localities and travelling, by those of the present period. In particular cases, however, this is very wrong, alterations to a great extent having been made. In those days, for instance, Boston was almost surrounded on all sides by water; its population was only about equal to that of Lowell at the present moment. There was but a single road from the city-that is, the street over Boston Neck, (now the southerly part of Washington-street.) At that time this road was without houses. In winter it was a capital place for skating, the whole Neck being sometimes a sheet of ice, and the air nearly as keen as that of Greenland. During spring and summer both sides of the road, for the distance of a mile, from South Boston bridge nearly to Roxbury, was bordered by marshes, across which a narrow track had been gradually made solid. In some parts, creeks and bays advanced close to the road, filled at high tide with water, the spray from which, when the wind was fresh, was often thrown across the street. Many a drenching have I seen received by boys, even in ordinary tides, whilst running in the middle of Washington-street, from this grand engine, or squirt, as they called it, playing its hundreds of buckets of water at each plash of every wave against a picket fence on the side of the west bay. |