Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1838-09-20


scrope; and also so ugly that his own
shadow wont follow him.
From the Gentlmaa's Magazine for juy-edited By w.
E. Burton.
II TABILIT Y.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "LAFITTE,'' "THE SOUTH
VEST, SC.
lie that hath trade hath an estate."-Poor Richard
EDWARD BELDEN was the son of a New
England country merchant. He had ten
brothers and sisters, the majority of whom
were younger than himself The head and
front of these offences was mere hant;
that is, he kept grocery, next door to the
principal tavern, at the corner of the stage
road and main street of a certain village in
the state of Maine. All persons who buy
goods to sell again across counter, are, in
New England, styled Merchants" not
tradesman or storekeepers, but emphatic
ally and arlstocratically- merchants. Mer-
chants are gentlemen; therefore, Mr. Bel
den was gentleman. In the land of stea-
dy habits, gentleman is one who is not
merchant or operative Mr. Belden had
never soied his hands with tools, although
he sold eggs and fish-hoolss, nuts and raj
sins, tea and sugar by the pound, and retail
ed at one of his dark crowded store, rum
at three cents a glass. He would sell oats
by the peck and strike" the measure him
elf,whiten his coat by shoyeling flour, and
meal from the barrel or 'sbin," into the
scales, aud grease his gentlemanly fin
fingers with the weighing of.butter, cheese,
and lard. Yet Mr. Belden was gentle
man! he knew no vulgar occupations! Mrs
Belden was, of course, a lady-her. hus-
band was merchant She gave parties,
and her entertainments were the envious
gossip of the village.
"Oh,' said Mrs Belden, confdentally
to the lawyers lady, who had limited in a
very neighborly way, that she thought Mrs
Belden was becoming somewhat extrava-
giant, "oh, my dear Mrs Edgarton, they
don't cost us nothing, at all, hardly-we gel
em all out o. the store. y ,s,a 80
Mrs Belden never visited mechanics
wives, nor allowed her children to associ-
ate with mechanics children
"Marm! what do you think Ned did.
comm home from SCHOOL," shouted little
Belden, boiling into the door, with eyes and
mouth wide open, his mo,her's iniunctions
fresh in his memory; she spoke to Bill
Webster he did, for seed him !" and the
little aristocrat's eyes were popped two in
ches farther from his head as he delivered
the astounding information.
edward did you speak to that Bill
Webster" inquired his mother in tone
OF offended dignity, as she scraped the
dough which she was kneading from her
lady-like fingers; 'sdidn't you know his fa-
Their was cabinet maker, aud hasn't and
your pa repeatedly told you not to speak
to such boys"
''Well, ma, only asked him about nv
lesson" pleaded the cuprt in defence.
About your lessonr' exclaimed the an
CRY parent, 6 and what had Bill Webster
ster to do either with you or your lesson ?"
"Because he's the best scholar at the
academy, and at the head of the class, and
even Judge Perkins son is glad to ge. Bill
to help him when he gets stuck
81 guess it his father knew it, he'd sti,k
him" exclaimed the injured parent, ssand
| shall go right over after dinner and tell
Mrs Judge Perkins directly. It's shame
that those mechanics children should be
allowed to go the academy, and associate
with gentlemen's sons. Here's your fa-
Their! now we'll see what he says about il. .
MIR Belden, short stout man incliaed
to corpulency. with half whiskers, blush
gray eyes, and rather pleasing physiogno-
my, entered from the store, which was sit
uated but few yards distant from his two
story white house, with green blinds, and a
front yard with flowers and stone steps. as
Mrs Belden was wont to descfibe it. His
coat was busted with -four, and greasy by
contact with various unguinous articles his
store contained.
"What's the matter, what's the matter,
my dear?" he inquired, in quick and
good humored tone, seeing the children
grouped around their mother, listening in
timid silence, while the placidity of her
features was considerably disturbed.
"Hase the boys been at any of their ca
pers?"
"Capers!" repeated his offended lady;
call lean do and say can't get these chill
dren to mind me. | wish you would take
them in hand, Mr. Belden,, for they have
tried my patience till cant stand il no
longer" And she looked as if she were
the most aggrleyed woman in the world.
| "Why, why, what have they done'" in
CURED the perflexed husband, stillsholding
the handle Of the door bywhich he hadlen-
tered 6 e 81
! i"Done! Here's Edward been speaking