Lafayette Moonshine 419 
feeble whiskers, too, were in a state of incipient growth, but of so 
sickly an appearance as to give but little prospect that they 
would ever reach maturity, without a total exhaustion of the soil 
that gave them existence. In shoit, Mr. Moonshine had made 
such advances in every thing toward becoming a city dandy, as 
all the means in his limited power would permit. Can you 
wonder, kind reader, under these circumstances, taking also into 
account the fondness of his weak but doting parents, that this, 
their hopeful son, who was to restore the family to a name and a 
place which nature had hitherto denied them, should be received 
to the parental roof with feelings bordering on idolatry? Could 
you blame that loving mother when she said that Lafayette must 
not do this, or that, because it would soil his hands? Could you 
pronounce that father in an error when, from the midst of toil he 
Avent to catch the horse for Fay-ette to ride out, through fear 
that one on whom such mighty consequences depended should get 
his feet wet? And can you blame the son, who had been so long 
absent from rural sights, rural sounds and rural labors for not un- 
derstanding how to place the harness on the jaded steed? Can 
you wonder then, one who for three long months had been almost 
exclusively engaged with weights and measures, had forgotten not 
only the uses but the vulgar names of such useless appendages of 
human labor, as hoes and rakes, and sythes and plows? All this, 
and more, Mr. Moonshine claimed to have done; indeed, had you 
heard him discourse upon these articles, you might well imagine 
that they were inventions that had sprung up long since the almost 
forgotten day when he began to emerge from the chrysalis to the 
butterfly state. " He is certainly improved" said the discriminat- 
ing mother to the no less discerning father," and I think the time 
wiil come when we shall see him in a nice store of his own and 
then Jefferson shall be his clerk, and Cornelia Elizabeth shall go 
and live with him and attend boarding school. Dear me, I don't 
see how some folks can bring up their children as they do, to live 
in the country and work in the dirt all their days. There is 
Charles Wiseman, who for aught I know, would be as smart as 
our Lafayette if he only had the chance, and Mr. Wiseman has 
money enough to set him up with a good store. But there he is, 
trudging after the plow, up early and late, summer and winter. 
But Charfes appears happy and contented after all. I wonder if 
you can't persuade his father, to let him go with son and be 
somebody. It is a real pity that such a clever boy should look for 
nothing better than a farmer's life. And as his father is rich, 
it might be a good plan for the boys to go into partnership in 
their tirst setting out. Do speak to him and see what he says." 
Meanwhile our merchant in prospect had almost forgotten his 
early playmate of the plow, but as the suggestion fell from his 
