The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-05 00:00:00

PIERREPOINT AND PLUMPTREE.

Now, the gulf between Sybarite and Spartan, between
Spurgeon and the Archbishop of Canterbury, between
Times and Telegraph, is as a water-furrow to the Avernus
dividing Pierrepoint from Plumtree. Pierrepoint repre-
sented to the Plumtree eye so many money-spending, free
and easy, six feet two in height, roystering, white-handed,
well-mannered men, and so many—a great many—tall,
proud, book-learned, and dignified women. You might as
well have tried to find a careful, well-to-do Pierrepoint as
an extravagant Plumtree ; a Pierrepoint who had not fin-
poverished himself by all sorts of imprudent generosities,
or a Plumtree who had ever given anything more expen-
sive than advice. Again, the Pierrepoints wore free livers,
had warm blood, and liked to make it warmer ; while the
Plumtrees rejoiced in nothing so much as in small econo-
mies of diet, and hadn't a superabundant pound of flesh
among them. The Pierrepoints fattened and grew happy
to see money going out—the Plumtrees grew leaner but
ecstatic to see money come in. Both families were good
church-people, but the Pierrepoints always came late,
stumbled over hassocks, fidgeted if the sermon exceeded
half an hour, and tossed a sovereign into the missionary
plate ; whilst the Plumtrees opened their books as the
clergyman emerged from the vestry, provided themselves
with fourpenny-pieces in case of a collection, and made up
for want of liberality by excess of good meaning. Then
the Pierrepoints were sure to change their occupations as
often as once a year, while the Plumtrees had been farmers
every man and woman of them, from time immemorial.
You couldn't name a business or profession that one of the
late handsome Pierrepoint brothers had not tried, made
money in, borrowed in, lost in, and given up ; and though
the sisters carried themselves like queens, and spoke
French, painted, wrote verses, and played the " Battle of
Prague," not one could do up a pat of butter, or make tt
dumpling, for the life of them.

On his wife's death the well-meaning farmer, in
spite of his sister's prudential warnings, resolves "to
bring up his little ladies as their Ma was brought
up," and Lisabee and her sisters have an education
beyond the dairy and the farmyard. As to the
main event which gives its title to the book, we shall
not betray the secrets of Lisabee's love-story to the
uninitiated. Suffice it to say, that Lisabee is one
of those who love after the fashion of Shakspere's
incidents of the narrative,
We might be inclined
Juliet,otoni yfint
find
aaftta oncefault
nt andwaituhsisofoonmr
eto ever.
them
might diminish the
which we can readily
interest
life,esed as iv
tno f the
and a g
gstoinry glimpse of English
country
narrative of a true and
tender affection. aa
faithful
hlßeftwaosray nt

THE SCOTCH IRON TRADE.--Glasgow, April 4.
A ld in meeting,
representing the Glasgow malleable
ironworkers,Glasgow last night, it was resolved to
t a larg o
held
adopt the arbitration scheme as the best mode of settling
the present dispute. Tho District Council was requested
to take immediate measures to carry it out, and, further,
to recommend the ironworkers of the country to pass a
similar resolution.

RE-PAVING OF COVENTRY-STREET, PICCADILLY.
—The Board of Works of the parish of St. Jame's,
Westminster, intends to take up the granite pavement in
Coventry-street and Piccadilly, and to have the whole line
of thoroughfare macadamised. The inhabitants of the
neighbourhood several months ago memoralised the Board
to that effect, alleging that in Regent-street the roadway
there was much approved of in consequence of so little noise
being caused by the traffic. A contract has been taken for
the execution of the work, which is to be completed by
Easter; and the contractor has taken it for seven years,
and to be allowed £1,400 per annum, for scavenging and
watering, and the old stones to be used for conversion.