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BY GARDNER & BARROW X2IE ftEORGIA MIRROR, Is published every Saturday, in Fwuwb, county, Ga. at FLUKE DOLLARS a year, if paid in advance, or FOUR DOLLAKS > not paid until the end of the year. \dvertisements will be conspicuously inserted • •One Dollar per square, (13 lines) the first, and cents for each subsequent insertion. Nothing ~ \er 13 lines will be considered less than a A deduction will be made for yearly ad vertisements. \ll advertisements handed in for publication iiout * limitation, will be published till forbid, ~„,1 charged accordingly. Sales of Land and Negroes by Executors, Ad ministrators and Guardians, are required by law Li be advertised in a public Gazette, sixty days previous to the day of sale. ‘ The sale of Personal property must be adver in like manner forty days. Notice to Debtors and Creditors of an estate must be published forty days. Notice that application will be made to the Court of Ordinary for leave to sell Land and Ne irroes, must be published weekly for four months. I ir*> A ll Letters on business must be post I v-i Si'UD to insure attention. JOB PRINTING. ■ CONNECTED with the office of the MIR -1 V. IvOlv, is a splendid assortment of I And we are enabled to excute all kind of Job work, in the neatest manner and at the shortest notice. „f every description will constantly be kept on hand, such as INDICTMENTS, DECLARATIONS, RIJRPCENAS. J URY SUMMONSES, EXECUTIONS. COST EXECUTIONS. SHERIFF’S BILLS OF SALE, do DEEDS, LAND DEEDS, JUS. SUMMONSES, do EXECUTIONS, MORTGAGES, I,ET. ADMINISTRATION, do TESTAMENTARY, do GUARDIANSHIP, I And a great many others for Justices of the ■peace, Administrators, Executors, tVe. AN ACT ■ rpo incorporate the town of Florence, in the I l county of Stewart, and appoint Comniis ■ sioners for the same : I Sec. 1. Bn it enacted by the Senate and House ■M Representatives the State of Georgia, in gen- Wir.rf Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the Manthority of the same, That from and after the pas ■ sage of this act, Asaph R. Hill,Thomas Gardner, ■ AselP. Rood, Joseph M. Miller and Benjamin ■ Gardner are hereby appointed Commissioners tor ■ the Town of Florence, in the county of Stewart, Baud they, ora majority of them, and their succes sors in office, shall have power and authority to ■ pass all lavs and ordinances which they, or a ma- Hjority of them may deem expedient and necessary Blur the well government and good order of said ■ Town: Provided, said bye-laws and regulations (Hare not repugnant to the Constitution and Laws lof this State. j Sec. 2. And be it further enacted by the author h’fy of the same, That on the first Saturday in Jan uary, the year eighteen hundred and thirty-eight, and iu each and every year thereafter, all free white male persons in the corporate limits of said town of Florence, as hereafter prescribed and lim ited, who are entitled to vote for Members to the J State Legislature, shall assemble at the Commis- Hs.oners’ room in said town, and by ballot elect five ■commissioners who shall continue in office for one ■ year, and until their successors are elected, at ■ which election one or more magistrates shall pre lude; ant incase of resignation, removal or death |"t any of said Commissioners, the remaining ■ Commissioners shall have power to fill such va ■ cuncy for the time being. [ Sec. 3. Andbe it further enacted by the authori ■ ('/ aforesaid , That the corporate authority and ju ■ risdictiou of said Commissioners shall include the if "hole of lot No. ninety and all of fractious Nos. ■ eighty-nine and eighty-eight. I Sec. 4. And be it further enacted- by the authori- B'V aforesaid, That the said Commissioners shall E lay and collect a tax for the support of 6aid town. ■ Sec. 5. And be it further enacted by the author |'v/ aforesaid, That the inhabitants of said Town ■ small be free from road duty without the limits of ■ s aid Corporation. All laws and parts of laws mil ■ stating against this act be and the same are hereby ■ repealed, ’JOSEPH DAY, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ROBERT M. ECHOLS, I , President of the Senate. I Assented to, 14th December, 1837. GEORGE R. GILMER, Governor. Secretary of State’s Office, ) j Millcdgeville,\oth April, 1838 $ 1 certify that the foregoing is a true copy from I the original of file in this office, ■ Given under my hand and seal of office. \VM. A. TENNILLE, 6 Secretary of State. ATTENTION! ; rjEORGIA GUARDS, parade at Lumpkin. I *on Saturday, 23 iust. armed and equipped | a s the law directs. By order of the Captain. June 9 u J. P. MATTHEWS, O. S. __p From the Philadelphia Visiter. THE GROOMSMAN, A talc founded upon inciden ts in real life. BV 11. N. MOORE, AUTHOR OF “MART MORRIS.” ( Continued.) CHAPTER 111. Mrs. West’s absence from the breakfast table was immediately noticed by her husband on the following morning, lie instantly despatched a servant to her chamber to see if she was there.— The answer returned was in the negative, at the announcement of which he relinquished his cof fee, and started ;o his feet, pushing back the chair in surprise!” “Not iu her chamber!” “No, sir,” replied the servant!” “Where then? where is she? Go—quick—tell Manuel to come here,” he hurriedly said, evident ly alarmed at the circumstance, but endeavouring to conceal his anxiety from observation. At his side w ere three or four domestics in attendance.— “Go you to the nursery,” he continued, speaking to one of them—“see if she’s there. If she is not, ask tile nurse where she is—quick.” lie ordered the rest out of the room, and up and dowu the apartment strode, with one hand thrust into the bosom of his vest, and the oilier pressed against his forehead. Manuel enter d— hastily—with an appearance of concern in his countenance, and a look of surprise assumed for the occasion. Use had made it second nature to him, and he could be sorrow ful or glad at a mo ment’s warning. “What, my mistress gone !” lie exclaimed, as if he knew nothing of it. “Y es gone !” cried his master. “Gone—gone; and I am left to sorrow and shame!” At this moment the servant sent to the nursery re-entered, and announced tiiat Mrs. West was not there, aiid that the nurse knew nothing of her. “Th mi this confirms it,” vociferated the enraged husband—“she has eloped with her seducer—By ard!”—emphasizing the name of his relation w ith a bitter tone, whilst his very teeth grated w ith the energy of his passions. “I saw the villain about the premises but yesterday, and told him to be gone—or that I would bluvv liis brains out if 1 found him here again!” “The—the child,’ —hesitatingly articulated the servant, wishing to speak, but afraid to, discon certed by the vehemence of-her master's lan guage. Faint as was her utterance, it was heard by the ear lor which it was intendeo. Drowning men will catch at straws; and Mr. West eargerly uttered the word. “The child—what ot that!— speak!” “’Tis aslegp in i* s cradle with the nurse,” was the hasty response of the servant, crow ding the words together as fast as her utterance would permit, for she was actually alarmed—her master, iu the eagerness of the moment, having seized her by the wrist, fixing his eves wildly upon her. “Asleep in its cradle, say you?” “Yes—ves, sir” —she replied, trying to discu gage herself from the grasp of her questioner, who now burst out into a loud laugh ol exultation, mechanically letting go his hold ot the maid at the same time, whilst a ray of satisfaction beamed through his sorrows, and lighted up the expres sion of his face. “Then i have wronged her,” lie cried; “she has not goue. That child she loves as fondly at ever a mother loved her babe; she would not leave it-—no, she never could—no, never so much forget the sympathies ot woman’s heart!” Confident of what he asserted, and cal ling the domestics together, he gave orders for them to seek her about the place, which they did thoroughly, but after an hour’s search, it was dis tinctly ascertained that she w as neither in the man sion or neighbourhood. A horse was saddled, and Manuel sent to the city to inquire among her relatives—perhaps she was there. All the time during the absence of Manuel, his master strode backwards and forwards, with a hur ried pace, anxiously and impatiently looking out for his servant's return, llis eyes frequently bent to the floor, but at the slightest noise they would glance towards the road, expecting to en couuter the object they desired to see. The lon gest day must have an end; and at last Manuel came. Mr. West hurried dowu the gravel walk to meet him, and instinctively taking hold ot the bridle, stopped the horse, w hilst he demanded in haste of the rider, if lie lrad seen or heard any thing of his absent wife. “No, sir,” wa- Manuel’s reply. “I have neither seen nor heard of her.” “What—they know nothing of her?” “Nothing.” “Then gone she is,” said the husband, emphat ically giving utterance to his words’ “(tone! gone!” he exclaimed, beating his breast in the violence of his emotions. “Gone, and left her child-—deprived the iufant of a mother’s care. ] thought her incapable of such an act, but find I gave her credit for sensibility she never possessed.” As he finished speaking he dropped his hand from the bridle, and walked back towards the house sorrowful—dejected. Manuel rode to the stables, put the horse up, and went into the draw ing-room where his master w as seated. “So,” said the latter, as he rose and commenced pacing to and fro, “her relatives have not seen her?” “No, sir.” “Nor heard of her, you say ?” “They have neither seen nor heard of her, but are as much surprised as yourself at her disap pearance. In fact, they are alarmed, and purpose visiting you today.” “Visiting tne! I’ll not see them! If they conic, tell them I’m absent—or if you choose, tell them lam at home, but wont be seen. Oh, Manuel, my dishonor is now complete! made public to the world! Little did I think, when at the alter I made her mine, that I was reserved for a fate like this!” As bespoke, he clasped together his up lifted hands, and the tears of agony drenched his cheek! The tears of a woman are not unusual, FLORENCE, GA. SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1838. and we may expect them on many occasions—but when man weeps, when the sterner heart is sub dued, we may of a certainty infer that the cause, w hatever it is, must be painful indeed. “Sir,” said Manuel—“let me advise you to for get it, to thiuk of her no more, but take another iu her stead.” “Another!” ‘Yes—another wife—Get a divorce from the first, marry agaiu and you can again enjoy the advantages and comforts that your wealth af tords.’ *A divorce!’ “Y es—why you echo me, and seem amazed that I should propose it—’tis hut au every-day occurrence. Many like you, sir, have married w ith hopes of perfection in the choice they made, and have experienced a like disappointment Many there are in the world that live together, nominally man and wife, bound by the rites of the church, but who would willingly be sundered.— They w ould, but can’t—you cun—your wife has left your bed and board, and if you but ask a di vorce of the authorities, they cannot refuse.” “Ask a divorce ? of the authorities?” “Y es—by all means I advise you to do so.— YVed another. There are many as fair as she is; marry one of them, and let the wife that has de serted you, see that vou yet can live, and happily 100. As for her, Ist her go—let her bask in the arms o ' her paramour, ’Tis but an accident that has happened to you, and you should look upon it mno other light. We are all liable to misfor tunes. Why should you be exempt? Pardon my plain speaking, but I consider it my dutv. Jf you marry again, the same may happen again, or it may not. Like every tiling else, it is chance. One man escapes the gallows that deserves it, while another that is innocent, hangs. One man is suddently thrust to the steeple top of fame, without even desiring it; whilst others that have toiled their existence for it, fall short of it, and sink forgotten to unheard-of graves. ’Tis chance! chance! —l say again, get a divorce and marry another.” “No, Manuel—no! Ido not wish the knowl edge of my dishonour more public than it is.— Tou talk of marriage as a matter of business—as a merchant would speak of a bargain. But to me, there’s something noble iu the nature of it— more pure, mure holy, than the thoughts you en tertain of it. ’Twas not for the gratification of sordid appetites I married Julia—no—but because 1 loved her!” “Loved her! nonsense! you were dreaming! This love ol which you taik may answer well enough for the rhymes of poetry or the exagger ations of romance, but if analyzed, it falls beneath the test of criticism. ’Tis an ignus faluus that dickers in the youth of almost every one, leading them into difficulties, if not to actual ruin. For example, your own case, sir—” “Nay speak not thus—you torture me!” “No! you torture yourself—by letting it vex you. lam giving you good advice, if you’ll but lake it.” flere a pause occurred in the conversation fur a minute or two, which was resumed by Mr. YVest. “I u her I bad centered all my joys,” he exclaim ed, “and in her my happiness is wrecked ! I am now an object for the finger of scorn! The w orld v. ill sneer as it points at my disgrace—as it teils the tale, ami in mockery pities me!” Ap proaching a mirror, and viewing the reflection of himself in the gk ss—“see here, how I am altered,” lie continued ; “cadaverous checks s;:d a hollow eye for the bloom of health and the flash of tire!’ For a moment he paused, whilst liis bosom heaved with the thoughts that oppressed it within, then dashed from his eye the tear, and railed for wine. “Wine! wine!” with a vehement voice he cried. “Give me the glass—l'll drink—drink—and drown my recollection iu the sparkling fluid!— Another—another glass—fill again—and another! I'll drink till my brain whirls, and my senses are steeped in Lethe’s wave!” As he said, so it proved. He continued to drink till completely inebriated, and actually stag gered as he ascended the stairs to his chamber. This was early in the evening, and the domestics of the establishment had not yet retired, when, about ten o’clock, tlie report of a pistol was heard from the room of Mr. West. The door of his room was locked —the servants kursted it open, and there they found their master upon the floor, drenched in biood, with the pistol at his side, and the appartment filled with smoke. “Is he dead ?” cried Manuel. “Y r es,” answered another w ho was in the act of raising the body tram the floor. CHAPTER IV. Life! what is it?—what else but a passage to the tomb, or else to the humbler mound where the long grass waves as the wind moans by—where decrepit age arrives at last, w ith crutch and tot tering step, to end his pilgrimage—where the middle-aged are sleeping, and youth lies at rest! For my own part, whilst bounding about in the insolence of health, and the buoyancy of youth, it seems as if I could never die—as if I must live. But reflection calls no back to reason. The fu neral train crosses my path daily, with its long line of mourners and the hearse, winding skiwly through the streets, where the active and the liv ing throng, upon its way to the burial ground— there to deposite its dead, 1 pause as it passes tnc, and the thought inevitably intrudes, that I too must share the common lot. Perhaps, too, ere 1 have gathered around my brow the laurels I anticipate, or drauk of the fame for which I thirst! Mr. West was not dead, as the domestics at first sight were led to believe ; for ou lifting him from the floor, respiration was perceptible, and the ef fusion of blood being stopped by Manuel, one of the servants was sent off for the nearest physician —not far distant—who luckily happened to be disengaged, and came at once. The wound, though serious, he did not consider mortal. liis first care was to wash off the gore, and have his linen changed. The sufferer was then put to bed, and other remedies applied to the wound i:i place of tile simpler applications of the servant. After icing put to bed, he was spoken to, but whether he heard or not, he returned no answer. The pre sumption is, that lie was completely insensible from the exuberant loss of blood, lie neither jpoke nor moved, but lay quietly upon his buck; »nd the only indication of life to be perceived, vas the low wheezing sound so peculiar to the respiration of the sick—and w hich must be fanril iar to the ears of each of my readers who has watched by the couch of an invalid. The whole house was hushed and rendered as quiet as possi ble. The domestics, upon tiptoe and with a noiseless tread, went through their ordinary duties. For nearly a w eek he lay in a kind of torpor, with out once speaking and scarcely ever moving— ta king no sustenance but the little that was forced into his mouth, and swallowed with the reception of the air upon his lungs. His eyes were almost all the time closed; when opened, it was but fora lew seconds, with a spectre-like glare—then shut again, like the faint flickering of a candle con sumed to the wick, as simultaneously it revives and goes out. The physician was constant in his attendance, evincing the greatest concern for the welfare of his patient, and eventually had the disinterested satis faction of finding him convalescent. In a short time the wound began to heal rapidly, and the invalid recovered strength enough to sit upright in bed. At the end of the second chapter, in the pro gress of our narrative, w e left Mrs. West on board of the schooner, w here she had been entrapped by the w ic'ti and ait liees of her own cousin. Two mouths had now passed—nothing had yet been heard of h< r—inquiries had been every where set afloat, suit], it Hail even Uecu advertised in the daily pa pers. Part of the time, on the night of her de parture, was spent in writing to her husband, it will be recollected. She left the letter upon a table in her chamber, w here, as a matter of course, she expected it would be immediately noticed upon tiie discovery of her (light. As it turned out, however, it was not observed until the second mottling after she left. One of the female ser van ■ who entered the’apartment to sweep it, upon approaching the table saw the letter—the first that had noticed it. Owing to the fact of her master’s having shot himself the night before, it was not practicable to give it into his hands, so she w ent to Manuel with it, in whose keeping it remained until his master was judged able to bear the excitement consequent upon the perusal ofit. The contents of the letter were as yet unknown to any but the w riter, but their tenor could easily be guessed, and it was the physician’s desire that the showing of it might be deferred a while longer; but to the pressing solicitations of Manuel, he at last gave a reluctant consent. Mr. West was out of bed, when the letter was handed to him, seated in a cushioned chair, made lor his convenience while sick, upon rollers, and capable of being moved with ease from one part of the room to another. “Here’s a letter, sir, for you,” said Manuel, as ho delivered it to ilie hands of Mr. YVest with a respectful obeisance. “For me. from whom ?” said the invalid, as lie gazed at the superscription, endeavouring to identi fy the writing—it however had evidently been w ritten by a trembling hand, and was not very in telligible. “From your wife I believe,” said Manuel, “but Pm not certain of it. 1 ’ At the mention of his wife, the bloodless cheek of Mr. West faintly coloured. Having broken the seal, he unf.dded the letter, and read as fol lows : ‘ At Nigiit, October 10th, 1826. My h ustand —l will yet venture to address you with emphasis by that endearing name.—The name—alas!—is all that 1 have left of you ! Be fore this meets your eye, l shall have escaped far enough to elude the possibility of being overtaken, should such a step be .decided upon by either yourself or any of my relatives. Into a detail of the causes which have induced me to pursue this court e, I will not enter—it w’ould be but upbrai ding you, and I have not the heart to do that. My cause I place in the hands of Him who sees into the secrets of the soul—-and there is comfort yet In the hope you will in time be convinced of my in nocence. I weep to think you should ever for a moment have doubted it! After an hour’s intermission, 1 resume the pen; with a hand still tremulous with emotion, but a heart resolved to brook its fate. My child—our child!—take eaie of it I charge you! By ail the love with which you mice caressed me, and which you felt—by that, and by the tears that now 1 shed—l entreat you to cherish and protect her. — Bea kind father to her—be to her w hat her moth er would have been—and every night when you kneel in prayer, if you only remember her, you cannot forget me! If the time passes on. and we ; are doomed to never meet again—oh ! let her not | know Imr mother’s story—let her not know it till grown to womanhood, but speak of me to her, when you speak of me, as of dead! These tears! these fears! how fast they fail Farewell—but not I hope forever. Julia.” Back on his chair, with closed eyes, Mr. YY’est sunk as he finished the perusal of this letter.— : Manuel, as he gazed upon the agonized expres sion of his master's countenance, saw the tears steal down liis eyelids, whilst his bosom heaved, and the heartfelt groan of anguish was audible. “Read it,’ he said, handing the letter to Manuel, who took it, and after the perusal bluntly denoun ced it as hypocrisy! “Hypocrisy!” “Y'es—a mother with the feelings which she pretends to possess, would never have deserted her child as she lias done.” “By the by,” said Mr. West, “where is the child ? 1 should like to see it. Go, bid the nurse bring it here, ’if it’s awake—if it’s asleep, dis turb it not.” Manuel went to the nursery and delivered the orders to the nurse, who followed to the chamber of tiie invalid with the little Julia in her arms Mr. West took the child, and raising it to his lips, imprinted a kiss upon its blooming cheek. It was VoL. I.—No. 12. smiling, and seemed grateful for the attenti : bestowed upon it. For an hour and better tl.e parent fondled with it—he appeared delight ed with its infantile caresscss, nor resigned it into the hands of the nurse till the child i:scif grew tired. “What a resemblance between the babe arid its ahsetft mother,” he uttered, addres sing the remarks to Manuel, who admitted the truth of it, and added himself, “.die is indeed her mother, and is as she is called, the ]. ha.” “Julia!” said, or rather exclaimed ;; v with a voice in which were min-lcd t] regret and affection. “Ah ! k hat ~ * tions the sound of that rcuicn.bti conjure up! Over the preset i I atnback again amidst the when in sunshine and shad and foliage, th< hapj % hot existence was but h the cup of joy! . they will never return !” ■*“*'■*» “Y\ by speak of them?” said Move) ~T only makes their loss more keenly lelV i U had you not better get into bed again » ’ Y*ou 1 been up longer than you are aware of, pcThml” —speaking kindly, and apparently evmcn rl . great est interest in the uch are of his master V s W est was not insensible toil, but took l i, a i j ‘k ‘lf other kindly in that of hi S“°V»h iH* «ha, a friend hate 1 in you! She it have been with me, has gone_*ll„ f ./ h ° Uld whilst .none of my servants I /inti an only Sd' Lut fin you, amidst these trials w W u si;;* : >■< “Nay, sir, do not sneak of „ , win always be its own n tvnrd”—Fni, on his breast. Jn Dog his hand The next day Mr. West asked for child again, which when brought to he affectionately held out his and ccive, and tenderly fondled with it fir ■tdcrable part of the forenoon. Un theT’ lowing day the same was repcated-the ,-lt so on daily. He continued an inv hddm »;asrotalfclo lea,chi,3 Il|f link-Julia w , tlm , this time become so accustomed to the father ti \ it preferred being with him. The nmntl, r\! l T* passed away; April, with itss f Went was entirely recovered. Ili s i„ , , r * was thrown aside, and he even tool! imtice of® 1 on ty , tor, on the anniversary ut } - s independence—the 4th of July, 1827-hJ gL? a Ltgo party ot his acquaintances to dine with him. lie was sociable, affable -md , “ merry as the liveliest of guests. ’ AbLttffis'? : ‘ S .0,., liiaiHlc daughter expressible pleasure that this but ordinary oecurl mice afforded him was truly remarkable TIL whole soul seemed to be centered in his child- as m the mother it once w as. u Ji Another twelvemonth passed around and completed her second y,Lr. Bm stiil ot the a b! sent patent theie was nothing heard ti,,. r band ae kne] wedged to himself that there were mo ments when he wished she was at his side tn v-t ness the pride of his heart, and lee the bcamies of their cl,iW-their owu-ti.57 only child. ILs belief in her guilt would often waver a he gazed at the child, and mused upon the a »l sociations connected with it—its birth-and the tune preceding that. Her letter , 0 him he would lead over, and over, and “surely the heart that dictated such sentiments as thejp he would say “cannot be capable of crime. But yes, she mm be gud.y! ,f innocent, why leave her home and int . Ay—and with Byard, too—By"rd” Another year-and auothcr-foui years alto gether passed aw ay, and still l.iswife was not heard ot. \\ hat had become of her ? Was S ] lC dead > -he knew not-she might Lc-no tidings came, no account o. her. ° The little Julia rapidly improved. In her child ish pra.de the husaand listened ores more to the musical tones of his wife’s soft voice, and i tr ‘„ 1,1 th ' ; g r< * w (i*g features of liis child, the well-remembered lineaments of her whom once to see was never to lorget! By the hour he would v and with his arms folded, before the portrait of the absent one, and think ct other thu s—of lnr pier times !—when hope looked ever forward to a brighter scene, and every day went by in hap piness and peace—unclouded- by a single sor row ! ° CHAPTER V. Manuel Garcia, the servant we have so frequent ly had occasion to mention, was a Spaniard by birth. At the age of fourteen he emigrated with his parents from Spain to the West, Indies, w here they both died m a short time of each other, from the ctiects ot an epidemical disease. The boy wms himself attacked by the contagion, but sur vived it. Afterwards he shipped as cabin-boy iu a brig, and came to the United States, where he pas sed a desultory kind of life for several years. The lowest kind ol pilfering and dissipation he was i. miiiar with, and was finally accused of murder. A tavern keeper near Baltimore was found derad in his bed, and suspicion of the crime f upon Garcia. Guilty or not, lie evaded tnc m. suit ot the police, and had the address to insint himself into the service of Mr. YYcst. In J.cir' * he was below the middle-size, but thick '•r* • had straight black hair, saffron s i. , . : restless eyes. His lips were thin his forehead low, and when frowniu.' hi i hair eyebrows seemed to meet -But, whatever n: _ :.t have been the character of his life previous, Mr. West (bund him to beau attentive servant. lie was assiduous in his endeavours to please so much so that liis master singled him out par ticularly to wait upon himself. He performed with alacrity, and apparently with the greatest good-will, the duties incumbent on him. Event ually lie became his employers confident—more like bis companion than a servant. It was n.-w more than five years that he had been with Mr. West—suddenly he gave ti lice that he was going