Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1844-07-19
THE HARD MAN.
a MAN SEVERE WAS He"

riginally poor. had, first from necessity
and afterwards from habit became penu
rious man. Prosperous in all his uncer
taking. he believed that poverty was invs
riably the result Of idIeness, & cosequenl
~, felt no sympathy in the wants Of other
and was never knowR 10 extend his han.
in charity to. anys ~, q
Archibald had imbibed and acted upo,
the erroneous conclusions Of his father.
Inhere,ing handsome fortune a, hi
death. sufficient for the independence 0
his limited wants and views, be still con
linued plodding on and increasing hi
store.
1 Two years after he had succeeded TO The
business, he married-not for lore. FOL
that was sentiment he possessed as lit
tie Of as he did of charity-no it was
merely bargain-and, like the most o.
his bargains settled upon change Ma
A rich merchant who had five daughters
offered him the choice, and a certain sum;
and when he had made his selection, the
transfer was made and accepted with all
the coldness and Formally Of CONNER
cia! transaction. -...
A daughter was the issue-,he only ISIS.
ue, for the wife died three months after
wards. and was buried with all the hons
ors' usually paid 10 the wealthy.
Archibald grieved exceedingly tina. his
better half had not lived 10 bring up the
child, as he was compelled 10 put the
child out to nurse.
Notwithstanding this Indifference. how
ever the little Maria grew up and when
she had attained the age of five, he began
10 take notice Of his only child, and had
expressed himself rather pleased with her
winning ways and ar.lcss pra,,le. His
business however engaged The larger por-
ton of his time at the Office, occupied
much of his thoughts at home. He con-
sequenlly had little intercourse with the
representative Of his house
Of late years. TOO, there rose compe-
ti,ion in mercantile affairs, which gradual
L. ------~-i - - -sclAi:.,.a ~Ahai- III a.
very distas,eful to the old fashioned mer-
chant, bu, he still persevered although he
found that he had not unfrequen.ly found
himself at fault.
Time progressed. and Maria was ls-
a pretty. lively and intelligent girl. with
more common sense than accomplish
menls her great virtue in the estimation
Of Archibald Merton, being her strict obe-
dience to his will.
He contemplated. however. putting it
to the severest test TO which parent can
submit his child. a.-.-.s
Having no son TO continue his business,
he had specula,ed' upon taking junior
partner, in the shape Of SON n-law and
having compared notes with brother
merchant who had an only son, he propo-
sed the affair upon conditions, &c.
After mature deliberation the match was
agreed upon, provided the young couple
were ready and willing 10 ra'ify the agree
ment. Archibald on his part smiled at the
idea Of demur on the part Of his daugh-
ter: and the introduction took place, the
father and SON dining with Archibald.
Strange to say The young people were
mutually pleased /; for stranger still, they
had previously met promiscuousIy at The
house Of mutual friend !; on which oc-
casion young MIR. Bolton had been partlc.
ularl in his attentions to Maria, who had
been particularly pleased; was quite the
observed of all observers. and Maria nao'
!. mus, be confessed, a little vanilyiin her
comnosi,ion. and felt rather like carrying
him off, on that occasion. although sue
had never seen him since.
OF course she complied with her pa
ren,'s reoues,, that she should receive Mr.
ReI,on as her af1ianced husband, wi.hou,
murmur, although the little rogue d'd
exhibi, an apparen. Indifference on the &C.
casion. which was naughty, perhaps, Ds
pardonable.
Letters were exchanged by the mef'
chants. setting forth an agreement una
one month from the date thereof, lO,OO'
mounds should be advanced by each on th'
dav of the marriage of Frederick bel'on
ESQ, Junior. the son Of JOSIAH be!on
ESQ, 10 the daughter Of Archibald Mer
ton, &c. &c.
The Young couple in the meanwhile
nassed a delightful time in the interchang'
~ The tenderest sentiments. sanctioned D!
their parents, and. unalloy ed BY any pecu
n;.rv considerations, which were lett en-
,;rely to the discussion Of the original con
tractors, enjoying felicity that was 'ro'!
enviable. h,
Man,ua makers and milliners were ou
sily employed in preparing for the nal app
event, and Maria was in me ah,c'Pa"o
Of eyery earthly enjoyment wnen on
week before the proposed nupnais' A'cn
;hald returned from Change an hour DC
fore his accustomed time. =,
Tho-e ,y.s a cloud upon his brow. TIA