Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-08-21

0O''A0 HSNiNt AOllIO3 Jul NlluRG ul OllG IlIu
rejoiced in a gold-worshiper whose history i
worth relating. While still young, and takln
our daily walk with our nurse, we observed al
old man working at the repairs of some mser
ably dlsmanted houses. He was a tall, gaun
parsonage, painfully meagre, and very ragged
His jawbones protruded dstressingly, and hi
poor thin elbows looked SO sharp, that one coult
have fancied they had cut their way through the
torn coat that no longer covered them. We
pitied, and with childlike sympaty and freedom
made acquaintance with him; always pausing
to speak to him when we passed the spot on
which he labored Sometimes a little boy, a
fair and delicate child was with him, assisting
in the work as far as his age allowed; and with
this young creature, we grew intimate, and were
at length led by him to the old mans home 1t
was very large old fashioned farm-house, but
SO much out of repair that only three or four
rooms were habltable. These, however, were
kept in exquisite order by the wife, who was
very pretty, sad looking woman, many years
younger than her husband. BY her care the
antique furniture, which must have counted its
century at least, was preserved brightly polish
ed +; the floors were so clean, that the lack Of
carpeting was scarcely perceptible; and the
luxurlant jessamne she had trained round the
windows was indeed charming substitute for
curtains.
There was one peculiality about the dwelling,
of striking kind, when its apparent poverty
and the character of its owner were considered
it contained music room in which was a tol-
erably large church. organ, MADE and used by
the miser himself To the debasing and usual
ly absorbing passion which governed him, he
united wonderful taste and genius for music,
to crafty which he had constructed himself the
instrument we have named, on which we heard
him perform, in style of touching, and at times,
sublime, expression, the compositions of Purcell,
Pergolesi, Handel &c. We have always tho't
this love of harmony in miser more singu-
lar and inconsistent Characteristic than the ava
rice of Perugno or Rembrandt, since, in their
case, the art they practised fed their reignng
passion for gold; nevertheless, so it was old
Mr. Moncton would 60 without NEAL see his
wife and family want common necessaries with
plenty of money at his command, and yet So
lace himself by performances on the organ,
which frequently went far into the night, start
ling the passing stranger by bursts of solemn
midnight melody; for he never played till the
faded daylight rendered it impossible for him to
work at the various little jobs by which he ad-
ded to his boards.
He had two sons: the pretty child we first
knew, and an elder one, slim, delicate youth,
sioev Se W. nswaver g "' rendered dff6cdt hdtter
Tor MIN TO procure materials for the exercise OF
his art, which was wholly self-taught and it
was wonderful to witness the effect he could
produce from a bit of common lamp black, or
an ordiary drawing-pencil, His genius at last
found aid in the loving heart of his mother, who
secretly and at night-often while her strange
husband filled the house with solemn music -
worked at her needle to procure the means fol
purchasing paints, canvas, brushes, &C., for hel
boy toiling secretly, for, if she had permitted
the father to know that she had possessed ever
few shiings, he would have extorted then
from her. 1t was all she could do to help he
son in his eager self teaching; for she posses
sed no other knowledge than that acquired at
village school during her childhood. Her owl
Fof hoA honn Il
borer's daughter, betrothed from early girlhoo
to sailor, who was her cousin; but during on
Of his voyages--the last he was to make befor
their marriage-her beauty attracted the adm
ration of the rich Mr.. Mcnckton, and he ohel
ed to make her his wife The poor girl woul
fain have refused him, and kept her promise
her absent lover, but her family were hattere
and dazzled by the idea of her wedding ma
known to be so wealthy, and she was not pro
against their cntreates and their anger ST
married him her relatives, however, derived I
benefit from the match their selfshness had mad
The mser's doors were closed against their
and lest his wife should be tempted to asst
their proverty at his expense, he forbade her e
er seeing her parents. A weary lot had bee
poor Mary's from the hour she married. HI
only comfort was derived from her children
and even these became a source of sorrow
they grew past infancy and she found that h
husbands avarce would deny them even II
advantage she had enjoyed as a poor cottag
child. They received no education but SUI
, as she could give them; nay were made to tc
| at the lowest drudgery in return for the scan
food and clohing their father bestowed. 81
taught them to read and write and anerwar
Richard, the eldest, became his own INSTRUCT
There were many old books in the farmhous
and of those he made himself master. T
f villagers, who had few volumes, were williI
to lend them to such clever lad and, at leng
as we have said, his genius for painting deyt
oped itself, and was ministered TO by his moi
ers industry We remember seeing his fiji
. attempt Ot original composition. 1t was bold
: conceived and we-executed, considering
, difficulties under which he labored the subjt
. was Pheton driving the chariot of the sun.
was shown to the clergyman of the village
, man of great taste, ald connoisseur in pail
ing. He was SO much pleased with it, that
became a warm friend of the young artist, al
, as far as circumstances permitted, his instruc
. in literature and painting. The younger bro
er inherited bis fathers taste for music, and "
quiet, thoughtful child, passonatoly aItacf
to Richard, on whom he looked as prodigy
: learning and talent Nothing, in fact, could
e more touching than the attachment of these
e brothers: at their leisure hours they were
c ways together; their pleasures or sorrows W
IT mutual. The prvatons, injustice and resra
y to which they were subjected, appeared to b
II .,.l. 1a,,