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THE IL.MNO: JEM A X I) L A S A L LE 0 O U X T Y C O M 31 E It C I A J. A I) V E It T 1 S E It . OUR C 0 U N T R Y H E R C 0 M M E R C E A N D HER FREE INSTITUTIONS VOLUME 1 1. ri'HLiHiien wtiKLr iit GEORGE F. WEAVER & JOHN HISE, La Sslle street, one ihmr from the north-west corner of the Public S.juarc. TKRMS! Two dollaro ami llfiy routs per unnum, if paid in advance; Three dollars if ant paid More tlic expi ration of tUn first six mouths; And three dollars mid twenty-live cents if delayed until the eml ol the vrar. Advertisements inserted at $1 per tscnuue for the first insertion, and 85 rents for each suli i'(ucnt insertion. A lilieral tliscount made to those who ndverti.e lv the vrar. (Jj.N'o paper discontinued until all arrearaf-os aro pant, unless at the option ol the euttorx. rT No cii'ididates' names will hereafter he an nounred the Free Trader, unless the sum of one doll' is paid in auvanck for raeh name. All ooiii'niiuieatious, to eusureattrntion, must lie p jst paid. 1 JOB WORK Of every description, executed in the nealrsl manner, at the usual prices. OTTAWA is the seat of justice of l.a Nitllt county; in initiated at tin junction id' the 1'ox river with the Illinois, 2:10 miles, lv water, Irom Mint Louis, and mid-way between Chit-ago ami Peoria. A 11U lor I he I'rrr Trailer. M. Mott, ,, T(U s.llK, C0UIItv in. J. HllFFMAX, S C. (. Millkh, Dayton. A. O. Smith, Smith's mills. 11 let, I roy drove, llrvar 1'iiillii's Munson, (Indian creek.) U. W. Kkinomis, 1'. M. l'outiae. Hkks Mono an, Morgan's mill. William IU kt, near Van lluri-u, 111. Willmm K. Han w., Suiiliury, Illinois. HKnr Hii ks, Hicks' mill, l)e Kalh Co. III. W. W. Wiix, Oswego, Kane Co. III. AffTiuifff l'l r.KH, llooneslioro', OyloCo. Ill, A tiii b 1-oi.T. The author of the following stanzas, which arc published as original in a re rent number of the Madison (W. T.) Kx press, rank upon the very highest specimens of Ameri can poetry. In fact, there is not a poet living, eitht in this country or in (treat Hritain, who can fcurpass them in many of the most importaat es sentials of true poetry. There is pervading them throughout the gold without the glare the in tenseness of deep feeling without egotism the gracefulness of imagery und truth of expression which characterize the very purest gems of poesy. We have never seen the lines hefore, and, for the honor ol the correspondent of the Express, we hope they are original. Their extreme beauty alone makes us doubt. The author, whoever he or she is, should not cannot, remain unknown. With such powers as this little morccau gives us glances of, the author may well attempt u high and noble llight. St. Louis Pmiiunt. From the Madison Express. 'IO THK M'lltlT. Spirit unseen but felt, sleeping or waking, Dy my tranced soul, as feels the ice-bound earth The burning summer's sun, its fetters breaking, And bringing all its beautiful to birth; Hnni-r! what art thou, and why thus o'er mo Steals, with so deep a power, thy angel minstrelsy! The cradled lake has rocked itself to sleep, And on its bank each gentle shrub and (lower An deep, as motionless a silence keep, As though they held their breath, lest its slight power Should stir their moon-lit mirror, and thus hide Troin their enraptured gaze, their image in the tide. I gazo upon the occur, and thou dost come From out each silent leaf und ray of light, And nestle to my heart us 't were thy home, With all thy weird-like visions of delight; Then dost thou whisper to me hopes of bliss, In tours as sweet as those when wind und harp strings ki.s. A wave of air comes rolling to my car, Laden with melody ; quick us a thought, I feel thy subtle, living presence near, Waking my heart-strings to a strain to fraught With music joy that I can scarcely tell If in the uir or in my heart the music dwell. Say, dost thou dwell with me, but calmly sleeping Till something beautiful, a glance, a tone, Bids thee awake and be thy revel keeping, With subject joys now clustering round Un throne! Or art thou from without, a living thing, That feels uu answering lluill for pleasures thou dost bring ! I'm not content to call thee joy, hut socl Is tho full name I give; and when this light Is taken from its lantern, the control Of this dark casket from the diamond bright, Shall I not be what thou art now, a bliss A rapture a sweet thought! say, is not spirit this! IONK. From Graham's Magazine for July. The Mistaken Choice, Or, Three Yrars of Married life. n r bmma c. EMninr, "So you arc really going to be married, Charles ?" "Yes, undo; ami I hope you will agreo with mc in thinking thai I have made a very prudent choice." ''I hat remains to be seen yet," said Mr. Waterton. "In tho first place who is the lady f "Miss Laura Tarleton." "I know her name, well enough, for you have scarcely uttered any other these six weeks." was the crusty reply : "but I want to know something of her family "Her father was a southern merchant and died four or five years since, leaving only two daughters to inherit his large estate 5 one of these two daughters mar rtcd about two years since, mid is now in Hurope; the other I hope to introduce to your affections as my wife." "M is she no mother ?" "Her mother died when she was very yotllirr." "Where was she educated .'" "At the fashionable hoarding-school of Madame Finesse, and I can assure you no expense lias been spared in her edu cation." "I dare say not : llicsc new-fangled establishments for the manufacture of man-traps, don't usually spare expense. How old is your intended wife .'" "Just nineteen." "Where lias she lived since she left school ? for 1 suppose she was fini vtci,' as they style it, some years since." "She has resided lately at the Astor House, under the protection of a relative who boards there." "Then she cannot know much about housekeeping." "I dare say not," replied Charles, with a alight feeling of vexation, "but all that knowledge will come by practice, uncle." "If her time had been divided between a boarding-school and a hotel, where is she to learn anything about it?" "Oh, women seem to have an intui tive knowledge of such things." "You are mistaken, boy," said the old man, "if a girl has been brought up in a good home, and sees a regular system ol housekeeping constantly pursued, she will become unconsciously familiar with its details, even though she may not then put such knowledge in practice ; the con- I. .1 1 1 . ,1. sequence will oe mat wncn sue is uie mistress of a house, her memory will as sist her judgment a quality, by the way, not too common in girls of nineteen. Hut how is a poor tiling who has seen noth ing but the xkhnhle.-iskambk of a school-1 household or the clock-work regularity of a great hotel, to know any of the machi nery by which the comfort of a home is obtained and secured J" "Oil, I am not afraid to trust to Laura," replied Charles with animation, "she is young, good-tempered, and, 1 believe, loves me; so I have every security for the future. When there's a will there's always a way." "True, true, Charles, and I only hope your wife may have the will to find the right way ; what is her fortune ?" "Keports vary respecting the amount some say eighty, others, one hundred thousand dollars "Don't you know anything about it ?" "I know that her fortune is very con siderable, especially for a poor devil like ine, who can barely clear two thousand a year by business, answered Chailes with some irritation. "When your father married, Charles, he was master of only three hundred dol lars in the world." "That may be, and the consequence was that my father's son lias been obliged to work like a (lop; all his life." "The very best thing that could have happened to you, my dear boy." "How do you make that out: lor my part, I see nothing very desirable in poverty." ".Nor do I, Charles; poverty is cer tainly an evil, but it is an evil to which you have never been exposed ; compe tence was the reward of your father s in dustry, and he was thus enabled to bestow a good education and good habits upon his son. The limited range of your own experience will convince you of the dan ger of great riches. Who are the per sons in our great city most notorious for vice and folly ? Who are the horse joek- ies, the gamblers, the rowdies, and the fools of high life? Why, they are the sons of our rich men, and how can we expect belter things from those who from their very childhood aro pampered 111 idleness and luxury ? 1 know you will tell me there are exceptions to this swee ping censure, and this I ant willing to allow, for there are some minds which even tho influence of wealth cannot in- 1 .1 1 jure ; nut now lew are tney, compared with the number of those who are ruined in their very infancy by the possession of riches. Depend upon it, Charles, that learning, industry and virtue form the best inheritance which any man can de rive from his ancestors." "It is a pity the world would not think so, uncle. "So it is, hoy : but the fact is such that I have slated, whatever the majority of neon 0 may think. 1011 have not now to learn that the wise and good arc always in the minority in this world Hut tell mo one thing, my dear boy ; if Miss Tarleton was poor and trioiulless, instead of being rich and fashionable, would you have fallen in love with her ? "Why yes certainly I don't know ," stammered Charles, confusedly, "but that is uuppn&ing so improbable a ease that 1 cannot determine. "Suppose she were suddenly to be de prived ol her fortune," said the pcrscver OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY, AUGUST -JO, lfMl. iug old man, "would you still be so de sirous of wedding her V "Why, to tell the honest truth, uncle, I do not think 1 should, for an excellent reason. Laura has been brought up as a rich man's daughter, and, therefore, can scarcely be expected to have had proper training for a poor man's wife. If 1 were compelled to support a family on my pal try business, it would be necessary to have a more prudent and economical com panion than Laura is likely to prove ; but, thank Heaven, that is not the ease." "All are liable to reverses of fortune, Charles, and should such hefal you in future, you might chance to find that a prudent wifo without money is a better companion in misfortune than an extrava gant one w ho has brought a rich dowrv." "My dear uncle, do not imagine all kinds of unpleasant contingencies; the idea of what you call a prudent inunim is shocking to my notions of feminine character ; it always conjures up in my mind an image of a sharp-voiced, keen eyed creature, scolding at servants, fret ting at children, and clattering slip-shod about the house to look after candle-ends :ind cheese-parings. Hefore a woman can become parsimonious she must in a measure tinsex herself, since the foible most natural to the sex is extravagance the excess of a liberal spirit." "You are mistaken, Charles; that there are such woman as you describe, bustling, notable house-wives, who pride themselves on their ability to miiiiiige, as they term it, and who practise cunning because unable to use force, I acknow ledge; but they are chiefly to be found among those who have been placed in an unnatural position in society women, who having neilhcr father, brother nor husband to protect them, have been obli ged to struggle with the world, and have learned m jostle lest they should be jostled in the race of life. Hut bachelor as 1 am, I have had many opportunities of study ing the sex, and I can assure you that economy, frugality and industry are by no means incompatable with feminine de licacy, refinement of thought, and elegant accomplishments." "Well it may all be true, uncle," re plied Charles, utterly wearied of the old man's lecture, "but it is too late to relied upon the matter now, even if I were so disposed. I am to he married next week, anil I hope when you see Laura, you will think, with ine, and give me credit for more prudence than you seem to be lieve I possess." Charles Watertoii possessed good feel ings, and, as he believed, good principles ; yet, seduced by the ambition of equalling his richer neighbors, he had persuaded himself into choosing a vv ile, less from ifi'ectioii than from motives of interest. Had Laura Tarleton been poor, he cer tainly would never have thought of her, since, pretty as she was, she lacked the irilliancy of character which he had sd- wavs admired. Hut there was a bin upon lis conscience, known only to himself and one other, which often clouded his brow, even in the midst of his anticipated triumph. There was a young, fair, and gifted girl, whom he had loved with all the fervor of f incere attachment, and he knew that she loved him, although not a word on thi' subject had been uttered by itlier. He knew that his looks, and tones, and actions had been to her those of a lover, and he had little reason to doubt the feeling with which he had been met. He had looked forward to the time when he should be quietly settled amid the comforts of a peaceful home, and the image of thill fair girl was always the prominent object in his pictures for the future. Hut a change came over the spirit of the whole nation. Wealth pour ed into the country or al least wiial was then consideied wealth and with it came luxury an 1 sloth. The golden stream came to some like a mountain torrent, and others began to repine at receiving it only as the tiny rivulet. People 'made haste to be rich, and Charles V atei ton was infected with the same thirst after wealth. He met with Laura Tarleton, learned that she was an orphan heiress, and instantly determined to secure the glittering prize. Ambition conquered the tenderness of Ins nature ; he lorsook tho lady of his love, and after an acquaint ance of six weeks, succeeded in becom ing the, husband of the w ealthy votary of fashion. Not long after his marriage, he discov ered one blight error in his calculations, and found out that his wile's hundred thousand dollars had in reality dwindled down to thirty thousand. Hut even this was not to be despised, and Charles, con scious that he had nothing but talent and industry when ho commenced life, felt that he had drawn a prize in the lottery. (! rateful to his wife for her preference ol him, and conscious that he had bestowed on her his full affection, he determined to make all amends in his power, by lavish ing every kindness upon her, ami submit ting implicitly to her wishes. Having intimated to him that she should prefer boarding during the first year of their married life, he accordingly engaged a suite of apartments at the Astor House, where they lived in a style of splendor and ease, exceedingly agreeable to the taste of both. Mrs. Watertoii was ex tremely pretty, with an innocent, child like face, and graceful figure, and Charles felt so much pride in the admiration which she received in society, that he forgot to notice her mental deficiency. Their time was passed in a perpetual round of excite ment and gayctv. During the hours when the counting r join claimed the husband's attention, the young wife lounged on a sofa, read the last new novel, dawdled through a mor ning s suoppmg, or paid lasliionamc vi sits. The afternoon was spent over the dinner table, while the evening was soon passed in the midst of a brilliant parly, or amid the pleasures of some public anincincnt. Hut living in the bustle of a hotel, with a large circle of aequainten ees always ready to drink Mr. Water ton's wine and ihrt with his pretty w ife, they were rarely h it to each other's so ciety, and at the termination of the first twelve mouth, they knew little more of each other's tempers and feelings than when they pledged their vows at ihe al tar. Charles had learned that his placid Lauia was somewhat pertinacious and very fond of dress, w hile she had been deeply mortified by the discovery that Charles' deceased mother had, during her widowhood, kept a thread and needle store; but this was all that they had as certained of each other's character no opportunity id' practicing that adajitution so necessary to the eomfoit of married life. They had lived only in a crowd, and were as yet in the position of part ners in a quadrille, associated rather for a season of gavctv than for the changeful scenes of actual life. The commencement of the second year found the young couple busily engaged in preparing for housekeeping. A stately house, newly built, and situated in a fash ionable part of the city, was selected by .Mrs. Waterton, ."11111 purchased by Ik r ob sequious husband in obedience to her wishes, though he did not think it neccs sary lo inform her that t iru-t.hirtlx ol the purchase money was to remain on mort gage. They now only awaited the arri val of the rich furniture w hich Mrs. Wa tertoii had directed her sister to select in Paris. This nine at length, and with all the glee of a child she beheld her house lilted with carpets of such turllike sofincs.s that the foot was almost buried in their bright flowers ; mirrors that might have served for walls to the palace of truth; couches, divans and faiilcmls, inlaid with gold, and covered with velvet most ex quisitely painted; curtains, who.-e c ostly texture had been quadrupled in value by the skill of the ciubt oidere-s ; tables of the finest mosaic; lustres and girandoles ol every variety, glittering with their wealth of gold and crystal; and all the thousand expensive toys w hich serve to minister to the liivolous tastes of fashion. The arrangement of the sleeping apart ments was on a scale of equal magnifi cence. French dressing tables, with all their paraphernalia of Sevres ihinaaud crystal ; Pvscho glasses, in frames of ivory and gold ; beds of rosewood, inlaid with ivory, ami canopird with gold and silver, were among the decorations. Hut should the reader seek to a'cend still higher the upper rooms the seivants' apartments, uucarpcti.d, unfinished, desti tute of all the comforts w hich are as ne cessary to doi.'icstics as to their superiors, would have been found lo all'o.'d a striking contrast to the splendors of those parts of the mansion which weie intended for display. Willi all his go, nl sense, Charles Wa tertoii was yet weak enough to indulge a feeling of exultation as he looked round his magnificent houc, ami felt himself "master of all he surveyed." His thoughts went back to the lime when the! death of his lather had plunged the fami ly almost into destitution when his mother had been aided to open a little shop, of which he was chief clerk, until tho kindness of his old uncle had procur ed for him a situation in a wholesale store, which had finally enabled him to reach his present eminence. He remembered how oiteu lie nail stood heliinil a little counter to sell a pennj bail of thread or a piece of tape how often he had been snubbed and scolded at w In 11 subject to the authority of a ptir-c-proud employer and, in spite of his belter reason, Charles felt proud and tri'iuiphaiit. His self-satisfaction was somewhat diminish ed, however, by the sight of a bill drawn upon him by his brother-in-law in Paris, for the sums due on this great display of elegance. Ten thousand dollars one third of hiti wife's fortune jm t Milliccd to furnish their new house. Thus seven hundred dollars w as cut oil' from their an nual income to be consumed in the wear and tear of their costly gew-gaws; another thousand was devoted to the payment of interest on the mortgage w hich remained on his house; so that, at the very outset of his career, Charles found himself, not withstanding his w ife's estate, reduced to the 'paltry two thowutnd a )e;," which he derived lrom bis business. Hut lie had too much false pride to confess the truth to his wife, and at once to alter their style of living. Fai h had been deceived in their estimate of the other's wealth. Laura's income had been large enough, while she remained single, to allow her indulgence 111 every whim, and Charles, ambitious of the reputation cd'a man of fashion, after slaving ;dl the morning in his office, had been in the habit of driving fast trotting horses, or sporting a tilbury and tiger in Uroadway, every afternoon, spending every cent cd his income, and giving rise to the belief among the young men that he was very rich, while the old merchants only looked upon him as very imprudent. They were now lo learn that their combined fortunes would not support the extravagancies of a household, but Laura, accustomed to the command of money from childhood, knew not its value, because she had never Know n its want, and her husband shrunk from the duly of enlightening her on the subject, by informing her of their real situation. Hy the time the arrangements of their house were completed ami had been ad mired, envied, and sneered at by her hear "dear five thousand friends," ihe season arrived for Mrs. Waterloo's annual ii to Saratoga. Her husband of course ac companied her, though with rather a hea vy heart, for he knew that only by a close attention lo business he could hope to pro vide the necessary fund for all such ex penditures, although he had not sullieieut moral courage to confess that he was so closely chained to the galley of commerce. The usual round of gayety was traversed the summer was spent 111 lounging at dill'eient watt ring places and the autumn found them reluming, heartily wcarh d, to their home. With the assistance of some kind siigmtor.i, Mrs. Waterton now planned a series of eulertaiinenls for the coming w inter, and Charles listened with ill dissembled anxiety to the schemes for balls, parties, soirees, musical festivals, and suppers. There w 4s but one way to support all ibis. Charles determined lo extend his business, and instead of confin ing himself lo a regular cash trade, he re solved to follow ihe example ol his neigh bors, and engage in spei ulaiiou. Accor dingly, he sold his wife's stoi k in several moneyed institutions, and, investing the proceeds in merchandize, commenced ma king money on a grander scale. This was in the beginning of the year ';t(S, and every one knows ihe excitement of thai momentous season ; a season not soon to be forgotten by the bankrupt merchants, the distressed w ives, and beggared child ren who can date their misfortunes from the temporary nutation of the credit sys tem, hy which that fatal year was charac terized. Mr.W atertou's books soon show ed an immense increase of business, and upon the most moderate calculation, his profits could scarcely be less than from eight to ten thousand dollars wilhin six months. Thi! was doing pretty well for a man who had formerly been content with a "paltry two thousand a ear," but as avarice, like jealousy, "grows by what it feeds on," Charles began lo think he might as well make money in more ways than one. lie therefore begfi'n to buy leal estate, and j.iiie iiils in .Maine, wilii I 'tart a in :; liana, and town I. it in Illinois, together with 'be thousand other schemes w hich then lilled the heads of llie sanguine and the pockets of the cunning, claimed his attention and obtained his mo ney ; w bile, at the same lime, the fashion able society of New ork were in rap tures with Mis. Wate rton's splendid par lies, her costly equipage, and her magni ficent style of dress. "Have you counted the cost of all these thing's, Charles ?'-' said his old uncle as he entered the house one morning, and be held the disarray 1 equent upon a large parly the pre ions night. "Yes, uncle, I think I have," said Charles, smiling, as he sipped his cofi'ee, at the old man's cimplicity. ''The fel lows lit manage these affairs, soon com pel in to count the cost, for whi n 1 i amc down this morning, I found on the break fist table this bill for nine hundred and lifty-four dollars." ,".iue hundred dollars, Charies ! You don't mean U) say that jour party last night cost that turn ! "I do, inyf".ih ,ir sir, and eonsidcrin I that hill includes e ny thing but the wine: ! 1 ihi not consider it an exorbitant one ; Imui'wr. ill' i!iT-ini colored i'lnih'inail ............. o w ho takes all tliei trouble for me dueJ not NUMBER 13. charge me quite so much as he would if I employed him Jess frequently." The old man looked round and sighed. The apartments were in sad disorder, for the servants, overcome by the fatigues of the previous day, had followed the exam ple of their master, and stolen from the morning the sleep they had been denied at night. A bottle lay shivered in one cor ner of the supper room, the champaign .'.I .11 1 .... . . . wiiu wmcn 11 nan ueen tilleil soaking in to the rich carpet a piece of plumb-cake had been crushed by soma heedless foot into the snow-white rug which lay before the drawing room fire, the sweeping dra peries of one of the curtains was still drip, ping w ith something which bore a mar vellous resemblance to melted ice cream, and the whole suit of apartments wore that air of desolation w hich usually character izes a "banquet hall descto-d." "Do you calculate the destruction of furniture in counting the cost of j'our par ties, Charles?" asked Mr. Waterton. "Oh no that of course is expected ; lurniture, you know, becomes old-fashioned, requires to be renewed every three years, and therefore one may as well have the use of it while it is new. "You must have a vast addition to your fortune if you expect lo pay for all theso things. "My dear sir," replied the nephew with a most benignant smile at his uncle's supeilalive ignorance of his affairs ; "my dear sir, you do not seem to know that in the course of about three years, I shall bo one of the richest men in New York." "Do jou sell on credit?" asked the old man significantly. "Certainly; every body does so now." "Well, then, my boy, take an old man's advice, and don't count your chickens be fore they are hatched; don't live on ten thousand a year, when the sum esists on ly in your ledger. Call in your debts, and when your customers W.we paid, then tell me how inurh you have gained " ".My dear uncle, you are quite obsolete in j our notions. 1 w ish 1 could induce you to cuter with ine into a new scheme ; it would make your fortune." "I am content with my present condi tion, Charles; my3alary of eight hundred a year is quite sufficient for the wants of a bachelor, and leaves me a little for tho wants of others ; nor would I sacrifice my peace of mind and quiet of conscience for all ihe foilunes that will ever be made by speculation." "It is not necessary to sacrifice either peace or principle in making a fortune, uncle." "You have not seen the end yet, my dear hoy ; I have lived long enough to behold several kinds of xpenilafivr mania, and all terminated in a similarly unfortu nate manner. It is a spirit of gambling that is abroad, and I am old fashioned enough to believe that money thus obtain ed never does good to any one. It isliko the price of a soul: the devil is surd to cheat die unhappy bargainer." "How I hate to hear people talk about business," lisped Mrs. Waterton, as she sate listlessly in her loose wrapping gown at the breakfast table ;" I think no one ought to mention the word before la dies." The old 111:111 looked at her w ith ill-disguised contempt. "It will be well for you, joung lady," said lie, "if j 011 have never lo learn tho necessity of a knowledge of business." Laura put up her pretty lip, but was sib tit, for she was much too indolent, and rather too well bred to get angrj-. Charles Waterton had given his uncle what he believed lo be an accurate view of bij circumstances. Jlxcited beyond the hounds el his sober sense b' his seem ing sucecs--, be was as sanguine a dupe as ever bled beneath the leech craft of spe culation. His real estate, which he very modestly t stiinated at quintuple its cost, formed, nt mu lt jirirr.i, an immense for tune, llis hook ileitis were enormous, for his inoiit was scattered east, west. m.rih, and south, and, in consequence of giwug long ciediis, he was enabled to ubiain exorbitant profits. Hut the Lldo- iado, who.se boundaries seemed so accu rately dciiucd on paper, became exceed ingly indistinct as he fancied himself about lo approach its shores. The following year began to afford tokens of coining trouble. Credit was still good, but mo ney had entirely disappeared from tho community, and men who had I-arncd to make notes in order to urijuire fortunes, were now obliged to continue their manu facture in order lo avoid ruin. Humors of approaching distress arose in the mo ney niaikct ; men began to look with dis trust upon their fellows ; i-.nd as unlimit ed confidence in each ether had been tho foundation of the towering edifice of un stable prosperity, the moment that was shaken, the w hole- structure fell crumbling to the earth. ,'.s soon as doubt arose, de struction '.i at hand, and at length 0119