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Article THE HIDDEN BOND. ← Page 2 of 2
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The Hidden Bond.
not from any vice or folly of his own , nor from any extravagance or absurdity , but from an absorbing predilection for " carrying out his own plans . " At the peace of Amiens , Mr . Vance was induced b y the specious representations of a plausible foreigner , and by a conviction always too cordially cherished within his own bosom that none knew better than himself how to make the most of capita ] , to set up a paper-mill in the
vicinity of Liege . While the show of amity was preserved between the two countries , Mr . Vance ' s scheme seemed full of promise ; but ere long came the outbreak of passion , ivhich developed itself in Buonaparte ' s interview with Lord Whitworth at the Tuileries—the rupture of amicable relations with England and the renewal of war . Mr . Vance stayed till the very last , in the hope of making some arrangement about his property by sale or transfer . But those about him knew well the dilemma ivhich environed him .
They were prodigal in civil speeches , but sparing in whatever related to positive tenders of specie . They kept poor Vance on the confines , as he hoped , of a beneficial arrangement , till the edicts of Napoleon against English residents were on the eve of being issued , ancl the sole choice left him was that of sacrificing liberty or property . He chose the latter alternative , and regained his native shoves—a beggar . The little seaport of Tide-waters received a saddened , disappointed , disconsolate old without
man— resources , without relatives , far advanced in the evening of life , aud at intervals , from an excruciating malady , a cripple . There was one , however , in Tide-waters who compassionated him , and whose kindl y feelings were not limited to words . Mr . Staindrop , a scholar , of retired and studious habits , recognised the poor weary wanderer , and cared for him . Finding that the pennyless
fugitive had some knowledge of history , and some relish for its striking episodes and strange reverses , he assisted him iu drawing up a clever little Historical Chart ; and then brought his purse and his connections to bear in procuring for it purchasers . No line of conduct could possibl y be more delicate ; Staindrop ' s wish was , to spare the fallen merchant the sense of painful dependence and consciousness of pecuniary obligation . But be did more . Vance was irritable , and and soured
peevish , ; he presented that painful , but by no means rare spectacle—a disappointed man , who had not sufficient self-respect to disguise his annoyances from the gaze of others . Staindrop felt lor him , and bore with him . Under the pressure of personal suffering , when Vance was more than ordinarily peevish , sarcastic , and exacting , and wound up every lengthened enumeration of his wrongs by a bitter diatribe against " the monster Buonaparte , " Staindrop , the accomplished student , would leave his own pursuits to read with , to soothe , to amuse and calm tbis unreasonable man .
People wondered " What was the bond between them ? How happened it that Staindrop ' s patience never wearied , and that his friendly sympathy never flagged ? Old bailee was the veriest torment ou the earth ' s surface , " so said the idle , and the flippant , and the hard-hearted ; " but Mr . Staindrop , it seemed , had yet to make the discovery . What principle , in common , was there between them ? There must be some hidden bond ? If so , —its nature ?"
( To be concluded in our next . ) VOL . I . E
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Hidden Bond.
not from any vice or folly of his own , nor from any extravagance or absurdity , but from an absorbing predilection for " carrying out his own plans . " At the peace of Amiens , Mr . Vance was induced b y the specious representations of a plausible foreigner , and by a conviction always too cordially cherished within his own bosom that none knew better than himself how to make the most of capita ] , to set up a paper-mill in the
vicinity of Liege . While the show of amity was preserved between the two countries , Mr . Vance ' s scheme seemed full of promise ; but ere long came the outbreak of passion , ivhich developed itself in Buonaparte ' s interview with Lord Whitworth at the Tuileries—the rupture of amicable relations with England and the renewal of war . Mr . Vance stayed till the very last , in the hope of making some arrangement about his property by sale or transfer . But those about him knew well the dilemma ivhich environed him .
They were prodigal in civil speeches , but sparing in whatever related to positive tenders of specie . They kept poor Vance on the confines , as he hoped , of a beneficial arrangement , till the edicts of Napoleon against English residents were on the eve of being issued , ancl the sole choice left him was that of sacrificing liberty or property . He chose the latter alternative , and regained his native shoves—a beggar . The little seaport of Tide-waters received a saddened , disappointed , disconsolate old without
man— resources , without relatives , far advanced in the evening of life , aud at intervals , from an excruciating malady , a cripple . There was one , however , in Tide-waters who compassionated him , and whose kindl y feelings were not limited to words . Mr . Staindrop , a scholar , of retired and studious habits , recognised the poor weary wanderer , and cared for him . Finding that the pennyless
fugitive had some knowledge of history , and some relish for its striking episodes and strange reverses , he assisted him iu drawing up a clever little Historical Chart ; and then brought his purse and his connections to bear in procuring for it purchasers . No line of conduct could possibl y be more delicate ; Staindrop ' s wish was , to spare the fallen merchant the sense of painful dependence and consciousness of pecuniary obligation . But be did more . Vance was irritable , and and soured
peevish , ; he presented that painful , but by no means rare spectacle—a disappointed man , who had not sufficient self-respect to disguise his annoyances from the gaze of others . Staindrop felt lor him , and bore with him . Under the pressure of personal suffering , when Vance was more than ordinarily peevish , sarcastic , and exacting , and wound up every lengthened enumeration of his wrongs by a bitter diatribe against " the monster Buonaparte , " Staindrop , the accomplished student , would leave his own pursuits to read with , to soothe , to amuse and calm tbis unreasonable man .
People wondered " What was the bond between them ? How happened it that Staindrop ' s patience never wearied , and that his friendly sympathy never flagged ? Old bailee was the veriest torment ou the earth ' s surface , " so said the idle , and the flippant , and the hard-hearted ; " but Mr . Staindrop , it seemed , had yet to make the discovery . What principle , in common , was there between them ? There must be some hidden bond ? If so , —its nature ?"
( To be concluded in our next . ) VOL . I . E