From the Norfolk Herald. TO GAMBLERS. At the tavern where he put up in Story of Tom TITTLES, of Cul- Tom was the only son of his doating parents; the promised staff of their declining years.—— Rarely was a youth so much caressed; and seldom one so little spoiled. His soft blue eyes rolled always in tenderness on his parents; and his countenance, in conversation with them. expressed a charm beyond the painter's art. His attention was instantly caughtSuch heaps of gold and silver he had never seen before, and to see such shining heaps so soon and so easily won, appeared to him in the highest degree astonishing. Rivetted on the glittering stakes, he rolled his thoughtless eyes sparkling alike with admiration and longing-Alas! an evil spirit had fired the fancy of the youth with the lust of wealth. Aye! See there Tom, (thus the Demon whispered)- See there my Lad, what gold! what silver! what precious treasure! And suppose now all this was yours, Tom!! O Dear! what a world of fine things you might carry home! and how Daddy, and Mammy, and Sis· ter would throw up their arms and stare and with their eyes of joy set the whole room in a blaze! And Confiding too much in his son's prudence, his father sent him down to Fredericksburg with a waggon load of flour. His mother and lit-then only think how you would pass tle sister put in their ventures of butter, eggs and poultry. Furnished with a long list of gloves and gown-patterns, and laden with 'God bless ye's,' and many a tender lengthened kiss, Tom cracked his whip, and with a light heart and faithful dog behind him, set off; a little dreaming, poor fellow! That he was to see his father mother and sister no more.chen all these shining heaps are for one of the cleverest fellews in all the parts and might marry, aye that you might, the finest Girl of the nation! And don't be afraid, Child, don't be afraid! Pshaw ! it is the easiest thing in nature; just as easy as to kiss your hand. It is only to try your luck, Tom ; and if luck be for you and why not for you as well as for another? why yours, Tom, and your fortune is their last stake, to throw down made forever! Such was the voice of the tempter. Poor Tom listened : and was ruined. Young gentleman,' said one of the gamblers artfully, 'have you a mind to bet ?? YoUNG GENTLEMAN! YOUNG GENTLEMAN! repeated Tom to himself, and began to feel his promised consequence. He had never been called YOUNG GENTLEMAN before. The promotion which the Devil had whispered to him, appeared coming on very fast. Young gentleman,' it was again asked, have you a mind to bet ? Why,' replied he, I don't care much if I do. A body can but loose: and faint heart they say, never won a fair Lady.' Having said this in an evil hour the poor thoughtless boy broke in upon the sacred trust committed to his honor. He first ventured the money which his Father had given him for the journey. This, dollar ofter dollar, he soon had the pain to see all taken from him. With aching heart he then ventured the 2 dollars which his Mother had secretly given him at parting. These also were quickly snapped up. Miserable at loosing so much, but still hoping to recover it, he betted a barrel of his Father's flour! This also was soon lost-growing more and more desperate, he betted a second--a third-a fourth-and so on, until the whole was gone. Young gamesters have sometimes been known, after loosing - their cards and burst into tears But even this poor satisfaction was denied him. For while his last barrel was tottering to its fall, he attempted (in the distraction of his mind) to recover it by a finesse, which, even the wretches at a gaming table affect to scorn.——— Whereupon, one of the gamblers, starting up from the table with well counterfeited rage, seized the poor lad by the nose, led him to the door, and kicked him into the 138 THE LADY'S MISCELLANY; / From His mother from the window look'd With all the longing of a Mother;; His little Sister, weeping, walk'd The green wood path to meet her Bro. ther. No longer from thy window look, Thou hast no Son, theu tender Mother, No longer walk, thou lovely Maid, Thou hast alas! no more a Brother. The next day, a neighbouring waggon which startad in company with poor Tom, came in sight. Supposing that he was now clase at hand, the family all ran, in transport to the door, to enquire after him. "Well, neighbour, how do you do, how do you do? how far is Tom behind?” The waggoner turned his head a side and wiped a tear. A deadby heart sickness seized them all. For God's sake what is the matter where is my Son?" After much delay the waggoner told of his death, and the manner of it. Poor horror-struck victins! what pen of man or of angel can express your feelings or describe your looks! Faintly shrieking, 'O my Brotber,' his sister seized her swooning mother, and fell with her, nearly lifeless to the ground. The old man stood speechless with horror, shivering through all his aged limbs like one who had received his fatal stab. The shock was too great for his feeble nature to bear. He was taken to his bed, from which his grey hairs were soon borne with sorrow to the grave. Bitter were his reflections on himself for the untimely death of his son. Lifting his aged eyes, swimming in tears, and wringing his withered hands, he would cry out, Oh Tommy my son! my son! why did I put your tender years to such a cruel trial! Why did I send you into that fatal temptation! But on me is all the blame it was I who murdered you my son, it was I who murdered you. But forgive your poor old father this first, this last, this only harm he ever did you. Never shall I rest more until I hear your forgiveness. I am coming my son, to seck it-I am coming to seek it." And so it happined unto him; for he presently died of a broken heart, refusing all comfort. These, O gambiers, are your barbarous deeds. And shall notGod visit for crimes like these? Yes, he will visit. He does visit No gambler has ever been a happy man. Never on any sinner. was more awfully fulfilled that curse,' no peace to the wicked' than on the Gambler. As of blackest die, his sin not only leads to hell in the end, but is a hell on the road. See him hanging over his detested tablea large, pechaps a last stake depen-. ding on his skill. Never did a wretched gradiator on the stage, fighting for life, exhibit deeper. marks of agony and his distress.. Oh what dark bows! What dreadful looks! But all in vain. Fortune is against him, and his skillful ad, versary improves her smiles twarts his finesses-trumps his best suits and withers all his hopes. IIe writhes-he twists-be fifteen times successively at a tilt gnashes his teeth-and, soon as his exulting antagonist, thwacking match. He afterwards went ing down the victor trump, shouts to Rome, and disputed in the prethe game and sweeps the gold, sence of the pope and the cardiconvulsed with rage he leaps from nals but Boccalini mentions him the table; he hurls his cards into with affected contempt, and inti. the fire, and his wig upon the mates that he left Rome in dis floor: then on bended knee, with gust. He then repaired to Vehard clenched fists. stiffened up- nice, where he was well entertainraised arms, and eyes wildly darting ed by Aldus Manutius, and other their fiery glare to heaven he curs- learned men. He had many dises both God and Devil, and the putations in that city, and overgambling authors of his ruin. threw the followers of Aristotle. At Mantua he slew a formidable gladiator, who was become odious from the numbers he had killed in combats. In that city, he also wrote a comedy and performed a character in it himself. The Duke of Mantua admired his talents, and appointed him preceptor to his son, who was a very licentious BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES CRICHTON. A Scotch gentleman, born in 1650, in the county of Perth, of whom so many wonderful things are recorded as to have procured fatal to our hero; for one night, as he was passing through the streets in carnival time, he was assailed by six men in masks. He beat them off, and disarmed their leader, who p oved to be his pupil. Crichton, perceiving who it was, presented him his own sword, on which the ungrateful wretch plunged it immediately into his heart. From the improbability of this story, many are inclined to disbelieve it, though many of Crichton's biographers relate it.-It is very probable, however, that he fell in a midnight revel. This event happened in 1582. Crichton was blessed with the most ex him the appellation of The admi-youth. This appointment proved rable Crichton.' He was descended by the mother's side from the ancient Scottish kings. He was educated at St. Andrew's ; and, at the age oftwenty, had gone through the whole circle of the sciences. He had also acquired the manners & address of the most accomplished gentleman. Thinking it ne cessary to improve himself by travelling, he went to Paris, where he challenged all the learned men to dispute with him on any point, or in any language. He managed the first disputation with great success, from nine in the morning till six at night, for which he was rewarded with a diamond ring and a purse of gold by the professors.traordinary endowments both of The next day he carried the prize body and of mind, and, though so From the Tennessee Herald Extra. MOST HORRID!!! We hasten to lay before the public the circumstance of the late inhuman mur. ders committed on the Tennessee river, on the 22d of April, Immediately after the acts of hostility by the Indians, the inhabitants of the frontier of Humphrey's county, thought it prudent, for personal security, that two or three families should live togeth. er. For this purpose John Crawley and his unfortunate family had gone to the house of Jessey Manley. The family of Crawley consisted of a wife and four wife and three children. The evening before this tra children Manley's, a A young Swiss recruit, when his regimentals were making had procured a round iron plate bordered with small holes, which he desired the taylor to fasten on the inside of his coat,above his leftbreast, to brevent his being shot through the heart. The taylor, being a humorous fellow, fastened it in the seat of his breeches. The cloaths being scarce on his back, when he was ordered to march into the field, he had no opportunity to get this aukward mistake rectified before he found himself engaged in battle. Being obliged to flee be-gical event, Manley and Crawley were fore the enemy, on endeavouring to get over a thorn hedge in his way, he unfortunately stuck fast till he was overtaken by a foe, who, on his coming up, gave him a thrust in the breech with his bayonet. It luckily hit on the iron plate,and pushed the young soldier clear out of the hedge. This favourable circumstance made the Swiss honestly confess, that the taylor had more sense than himself, and knew better where his heart lay. MAXIM. Nothing shews more the folly, as well as fraud of man, than cliping merit and reputation. both called from home,taking Crawley's eldest son with them.-They had em ployed C. Hays, a promising young man. to stay with their families until their return. Early next morning, he had geared his horse and proceeded about 100 yards from the house, when the In.. dians, who were concealed behind a fence, fired upon him. He received two mortal wounds. Whilst one of the Indians was scalping him, the other tworan to the house; they found one of Manley's children outside of it, whom they tore to pieces with their dogs and scalped. With savage fury they now forced the door, and commenced a scene of still greater barbarity. They snatched. Mrs. Manley's child, only 8 years old, from her mother, scalped it, and threw it into the fireplace, yelling at a horrid/ rate. An indiscriminate butchery of the children now took place before their mo. |