The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman PotterAdams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
General
The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman Potter
Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
Political fiction
much pain, that I sought relief for my distress in frequenter
interviews with Milando, who, seeing himself ill treated for his
poverty, resolved to quit a profession in which neglect and distrust
too often repay its votaries, and take to one that would at least
afford him money; which, according to the fashion of the day, was
the only passport into what was called good society.
"'Mr. Sparks quarreled with Mr. Primrose, who was in arrears for
board with Mrs. Marmaduke, and let it out that he was only a knight
of the needle, who had formerly resided in Bermuda, which he left
for a cause it is not worth while to mention here, though he was
skillful enough at making breeches, and getting up odd liveries for
ambitious families. He was missing one morning, and as his friend
Sparks had taken the precaution to precede him, there were so many
inquiries for him at Mrs. Marmaduke's, that it soon became clear he
had left to escape the importunities of his creditors. In truth, he
was declared an impostor, and the whole affair got into the
newspapers, the editors of which set about ferreting out a few of
his exploits, when it was found that the deception practiced upon me
was only one among many, for he had gained a victory over the
affections of several widows, and left no less than three wives to
sorrow. And so skillfully were his exploits performed, that each
victim imagined him the most sincere and devoted of lovers.
"'This sad occurrence, and its publicity, so mortified my mother,
who was harassed with debts she had contracted to keep up
appearances, that she survived it but a month. I was then left like
a hapless mariner tossed on a troubled sea, and with no friend near.
Mrs. Marmaduke made me a mere vassal in her house, and the inmates
treated me as if I were born to be scorned. Milando was my only
hope, my only true friend-the only one to whom I could confide my
heart achings, to whom I could look to save me from a life of shame,
to which remorse had almost driven me. And will you believe that he
invoked a curse, and resolved to leave his profession, (for he could
not live like those shabby men of the newspapers,) to seek means
whereby he could live without struggling in poverty and want. True,
the wealthy gave him orders for paintings, affected great love for
his art, of which they held themselves great patrons when they had
bought two pictures. But, as a general thing, they had most excuses
when he called, and were least ready to pay, which so tried his
proud spirit, that he more than once resigned the pictures to them
rather than be a supplicant for his pay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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