Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-08-05

4
contact with rough faces. Every thing
seemed lively and cheerful, and I took my
post BY the front window ofthe tayern.bar.
room, that might mark, at once, what wa,
I going on within and without. The land
| lord happened to be the brother of the groom
in the course Of the morning the Sprouts
assembled there pretty generally, to drink
punch, and smoke cigar, with the was-to-
be happy man. e..<
Towards noon q venerable pedestrian,
clad in a thread-bare coat, stained velvet
breeches, soiled waiscoat, and hat and shoes
at least as venerable in appearance as him.
self, armed with a rough walking-stick,
and seeming much fatigued, was seen tray
cling down the street towards the inn.
The novelty ofthe sight attracted every
eye, but the unknown, having arrived op-
posite the inn, deliberately uncased pair
of old spectacles, and having surveyed the
sign asfew moments, made for the house.
The way was cleared for him, aud when
he reached tee middle Of the room, he en-
quired for Charles Sprout, the landlord
Charles came forward. ssCousin Charles .
said he, 81 amvery glad to see you, reach
ing forth his hand at the same time. Cous
in Charles, however, appeared wholly in.
disposed to this familiarity with one who
did not look like having loose sixpence in
his pocket, and replied, abruptly drawing
back. "Who are you? don't know YOU u
"Not know me?" replied the old man; 81
am Nicholas Sprout, your fathers owr
brother, and am come down, that may SEE
my dear relations in this pleasant town
before l die" 81 guess said Charles
smiling contemptuously, it would have beer
as we'll to have died at home;-but how
are we to know who you are? Assertions
DO not pass current, here, when coming
from men of your appearance" I here
was general litter at the coloquy among
the young gentlemen, but one Of the ole
/ Sprouts who1At inthe corner, having look
ed sharply all the while at the stranger
left the room, and calling one of the boys
said, "This is bad business for some ol
you; sure as the world, it is Nicholas
Sprout, and he'll be easier admitted than
gotten clear Of my word for it; pool
soul, he's come down for maintenance
no doubt. and the disgrace of our family
comes with him. Pll be off however; see
that you don't send him to me-" saying
which, he took his way and soon disap
peared. ... ....- ...
A general whisper was spread around
and operated like shot among flock o
/. quails. In fifteen minutes there were bu
three Sprout faces remaining. They toll
him of the wedding, and advised him, as h
could not be entertained in the village, t
go down to old granny Scarum's, by tn
Crossroads, where he could, for trife
stay until the busy time was over.
The poor old man, however, wished to e
to the wedding: they objected to the dis
tance, and the bad road-his clothes, hi
mean appearance, and still persisted in hi
going away, until, at last, the tears role
down his furrowed cheeks, and with a fu
. heart he turned and went out of the house
Compassion and curiosity induced me
follow him, which | did, leaving the trio {
young Sprouts, highly tickled with the ide
of having gotten clear Of their troublesom
s visitor. But was struck when | reache
n the street, to find every door where Sprol
$ lived, shut: every soul gone from the stree
}, | stood and saw the old man 60 to three
!. their doors in succession, and knock ar
V go away. At last he came back and 81
If down on the curb-stone opposite the taverl
d and confess my heart was too full to go
o him, as he hung down his head and wipe
+ the tears away with an old handkerchief.
il He had not remained there long, hoy
J. ever, before a gentleman on an eiegal
v horse rode up to him. disrnounted, sat dow
j beside him, and entered into earnest CO.
i. versation. There was something so sing
n lar in this, that the Sprouts, beginning
n suspect their relative might not be the POI
b ffiendless soul they supposed, one after al
h other half opened their doors, and stood u
0 ION their sils, while one or two ventured
i. strool down to the piazza of the inn, whel
d now the three young gentlemen whom v
/. left in the bar-room had taken their seal
n and were listening tothe conversation .oy'
J, the way. The respectful familiarity wi
Q WhtSu9 uiS Seiltleliial tTeuieu Vne 4oiu fio
y went SO y far to confirm these suspieioh
I that a good deal of manGuvering amor
d the Sprout party soon followed; the su
It mise was spread abroad, and in hal an ho
n dozen or more were. collected atthe in
} and several ventured togo over to the stra
II ger. s.< .f.s 4ss sses Dee .s,-,
'el lust at this crisis, a splendid gig dro'
yInp, and an elegant young man sprung Q
j. Of it, eyclaiming, sAh, father what's /
pt matter here2' "Nothing, my son" was t
). reply, senly our good relations, for {
ir most part have forgotten us, land the
s. who do remember US, are sosbusy that \,
K must go over tothe Cross roads and put
a for the night. The secret revealed,