Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-02-08
THE WOOD CARVER AND CHESS MEN
A STORY OF HUMBLE LIFE.

The magisiracy and hall of iudicature in
which Mr.. Beaseley usually held the scales Of
justice, was large and formal room, with a
few pondernns, straight. backed chairs ranged
along the sides Of the apartment. writing
table, with a row of serious. looking volumes
upon it, a few packets Of paper, tied with red
tape, together with proiu>ion nf letters strewn
over lis surface, comprised almost every thing
worthy of comment in this temple oi Justice
On the occasion of unr introducing the read
e5 into this provincial court house, NJ. Bpase.
ley was setting in is clair, with his back Ia
large wood fire that r"arpd gnod-hu,nnrndly nm
III" wide chimney making II lusiv chorus with
the black Drcrnbpr wind that prunbled and
clustered around the house anI over head. a.
u bent on resisting the genial ascent of the
hearty anr bnt hcked lis wary wav upward
! IN despite of his snrlv opp,stlnn, and Gej ween
IN two kept up rumbllng warfare in the ca.
pacons fue. Mr.. B'aseirv. we said sat with
his back to tie era king fire, making caicnla.
tons on his fingers, and lnnkny ab<iractpdIv
throngh the opposite winnow on the shower nf
sleet and snow that drove past in incessan,
whrIs, and kept up a cea>eless peltiny on the
Large glass panes, AS if knocking to be admitted
to the CHEEKY tresidp.
Mr. 'aseley was aroused from his state of
mental abstraction BY his servant announcing
that the poor woman, who had called twice be.
lore, wished 10 see him TO obtain some relief
Mr.. Beaseley gave orders to have her shown
up
The individual who presently entered tho
apartment was palp euaclated female of Fl %
ar -andiwen,y, bu, WHO, judged by her hal.
low and anXiuuS cUdnIpnance. would hayc weu
passed for lory. thin calico dress hunu wei
cnglnt t" her ancles ; ner shoe, nv Inny spI
vltiid" worn bare, were fastened bv tapes across
her lns'ep. and "a she crossed the ruun lrn The
broad natks oi her feet on the m,dS while
the water oozrd al every mrtirn from the s,tu
rated leather. Round her ne, k wa, mined :,
,canly triangular shawl, that barely ind her ho-
som, and only partially projected It from th,.
invading nrm. An nll born I. 50 laire ,h,r
1t almost hid her shrnnkcn f.aturr4. c.Iun ted
the meagie habllinen,s of ths once neat and
3 mrly woman.
Alter some questioning ia reply to which th,
,""r woman explained that her hd,b,nd wa.
'ylng at home etaivng. aud thai the object of
ntr apDlica'i";i was to ob'ain mare imn. .dIar,
r llei than possible hy the II ces-arv. sin,y L.r,.
pr"crss, She "blalntd from Nj. Bra,ley ira
al money, aud an order FIR Il Gallon of II ,ur.
VIII 81 irnmhIr"g hunh ",,I ,n,rliuv i,cu,,.
-ioi her wet clothes had struck "A c.ulI T., nor
very bluOd-ihe woman undld the heavy latrh
and, closing the p"rlal behind her, t,ud aya,u
~ the p'lilc>s storm aud nnprnIrcied wtv. Par
Ing Inc 'n"rKery ni shawl over her b 'Sun -l.
nurrle quickly down the avenue mat led from
the magI,trates E"u-e, aud just reached tc
gaies mat opened on the vllliy. street. when
carriage, driven with speed. RAPIDLY turned the
angle aud before the driver, wnu krm ms head
down To shield his face from The violence Of Tin.
! -lcel, coud see lie coming igurA, or arrest hi,
horses, the poor woman was dashed To the
ground by the pole OF the vrhcIe and thrown
several yards from the wheel iutl pnul of Wa
ter that had cuIlrcted al HE park enrrance.-
rhe carriage vas instantly stopped, and zen
| .iruian anEned, FASTENED forward, and ra,S,u >
lne ttu,lt from the srouud, eXpres-rd in Il,,.
/ knit. nanher, his regret and pain at lne mis-.
fortune.
i am not very much hurt, thank YOU, sir,
only very irghlenrd,' >he said family a. the
gent enau led her To The steps oI the carr aue
Peur creature she is wei through !rxc,a,in
e., >oll aud mi.ati'z ng voice from the coach
{ Tell Us Where you i've my good ~oiiiai aud
we will drive y"n home
On no, thank, you madam! 1t is not very
far, and tmns can walk nov. Don't let M.
keep tuu in the ram, madam rnlnk Won,
am better now
Poor creature! am sure sic is hurt. Send
terra surgeon c a ir-, and lei her he TAX n
care ui ui can ,-u her myself 70 be ,ul
"n such day a. tins! and - lh,nIy dress.u
, ! am certain you are lIur
o., dear, M, madam! don't think ,h,
horse touched the at all, and must 90 home |,
my poor husband, Thank you, IN dam
Then come to my house lu-,norrnw at twelve
wish particularly To see sou-Mf. Chester
fields, at the elms. But are You sure you cal
walk 2
Oh yes thank you, madam. quite WE'LL
Dn not forget Ms. Che,l,,lirld'- wish tu
morrow, added the gentleman. kindly, as h
took out his purse !; bui alter a moments he>i
ialion, IA il fearing 10 hurt Tie poor wumtli'
feelings, he returned il uhnbServed To his pnck
ei and repeating his ladl's inuncinns, Siel
ped into the carriage and was rapidly dri, @
away in the direction of the magistrates hall.
Pressing her hand tightly on her side, an
drawing her breath wlth short Inspirations
for she was much hurt, tnnngh from drlirai
motives all"glng 'he conlrarl-tae poor olna
slowly prncerdrd dawn the Struggling srrte
and ultimately reach, h' MI, rabIe abod. n
the outskirts of The village. Pau>ing mone
al the door, she pulled the string that lifted tn
wooden latch, and crossed the dreary dwelling
and more melancholy chamber than thai sn
now entered, penury never call. d 'hone.'
: Just enough ofthe cheeress December lIght {
reveal, in chilling colors, the few Japdate
pieces OF household goods that constituted III
scanty furniture.
On a stump bedstead, in the nearest cnrnt
to the huge chimney and long exrnguishe
fire, sat the altenutted form of SICK maj
whose shrunk features and large, lu>lrnu> eye
bespoke too plainly the reyages of disease al
want. An old coat, drawn over his shoulder
= shielded his body from HE keen wind that how
ed down tive chimney, aud found a hundr'
'. mouths through the br,,ken plaster and rltl,
door, whirling the sand n on the Dricked flo
in sweeping rddieS round the room.
Before hlm on the drnggct Of the b ID, rest
an old tray, with II small chlSel. kn'te and file
gT few chips Of wond, and the carved figure "f
&C. king in armur, cut from a little block of I
Ills whiiest a-h. With his long, skinny fingers
all had just sci the finished workmanship upon I
la' tray aS his wife entered and he turned
gralhed gaze from his completed task, W