The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-01


lie spirit" as these. even If he had, a. no one
pretended to deny, kept greg shop in days
gone by, and sold rum to his neighbors until
their fine farms passed into bis hands, and
they and their children into the street or aims
house Such things were customary in those
days Somebody else would Fave done it if
he hadn't; and they ought to be thankful that
the property fell into the hands of one who
would put it to such good use Say! why,
nothing; that is, nothing which had any weight
with the majority for we would not wish to
have it inferred that anything could stop old
Job and Widow Miner from having their
say or Deacon Dudley from speaking what
he averred to be @ the everlasting truth
Never, perhaps, had Squire Repperells popu-
larity been greater than on this same old festi-
val day. The one drop needed to fill his cup
of earthly blessings to overlooking. had been
granted His on " child, William, who was a
LAWYER of fair practice in a neighboring State,
had very unexpectedly been elected to Con-
gress. That son had, for the first time for
many years, come home to eat his festival din
ner at his fathers table He ,.al duly attend
ed church, where his ready recognition Of old
acquaintance was considered quite remark
able by many, though why his memory should
have been supposed to be less tenacious than
theirs. it would be difficult to tell and they all
assured him that they should have known
him anywhere" His political honors, his wife's
costume and manners, the beauty of his little
boys, formed a piQuant sauce for the Thanks
giving dinners of the congregation and how
ever people might differ in their opinions on
these topics, there was one with regard to
which they manifested n delightful unanmity,
viz: that the people of Maplehurst were quite
rs eligible to the highest political Offices rs any
body else.
Squire Pepperell had not lived among us all
his DAYS for nothing He had counted on ma
king this impression: therefore lis face was so
respondent with dissatisfaction as he leaned
over the gate to shake hands for the second
time with the Doctor and his newIy-marred
wife, as they passed, that the somewhat hard
temper of the lady melted beneath its intiu-
ence, backed by some very complimentary re-
marks about the ladies in general, which he
knew she would appropriate in Particular until
she could not help observing to her husband
as they turned away, that she wondered how
people could call Squire Pcppenll proud and
hard it must be all envy, for he certainly was
most agreeable man."
1t is strange how opinions differ. Little
Addy Greene had often seen the same express
sion ON his face, even more unctuous and be-
nign, when he had praised her scholarship in
the village school, flor our people, as is often
the case in village politics, when they found
him eligible to one Office, had nominated him to
all others in their power, school visitor among
the rest) and more especially did his counte-
nance assume this kind of radiant cffulgcnce
when she met him on her way home from
school, and he drew up his horse, and urged
her to take a seat in his carriage, rs he was
going right past her house while he scanned
her slight but beautifully rounded figure, until
the bright blood rose unconsciously to her
cheek and temples, and she involuntarily
shrank away from him. But, then, Addy was
a simple, ignorant village girl-nobody but old
blind Tim Greene's granddaughter if she was
beauty.
Really, friends it would have done your
hearts good, and given you a conception OF a
true festival face $50 to speak for all time, if
you could have seen the Squire, as he stood
there by his gate, and let his eye range slowly
over his broad acres, from Spencers to the
river But ~ his slanoo swept alAne tho wind
ing course of the river, II change came over hi'
spirit. There must always be some alloy il
the most perfect earthly success-some drop o
bitterness in the sweetest cup and if Solomon
of Israel found it so in the by-gone ages. why
should Solomon Peppcrel be exempt! Life il
pretty much the same thing now as then, VIZ
trow. And there, n full mile Off but just as
plain to his eve as if it made n part of his
door.yard, lay the small green meadow, the
very thought of which filled him with heavi
ness and displeasure, and made his other pos
sessions seem almost valueless in his eyes II
was like the vineyard of Naboth to Ahab, and
he coveted it, not because it was NEAR his
house" but because it notched right into his
territories, and the possession of it would bring
them even with the river, to say nothing abou,
it's being a most excellent bit of land There
it lay its sere, brown slopes looking even sunny
and cheerful in that wintry atmosphere and
the dark frown dccpened on his brow as he
discerned, even at that distance, the figure of
its owner, Nat Turner who poor and plagued
and shiftless rs he was, had had the impu-
dencc, more than once, not only TO refuse his
large offers for it, but to stand up and take
an oath, to his very face, that " so long as he
lived, never should he or any of his race possess
that sunny remnant of the inheritance of his
fathers; nor even after his death, if it lay in
his power to prevent it, Inefficient as he was
in most things he kept this oath with logged
Obstinacy. To be sure, when Mats whole tribe
Of children took the scarlet fever, there was II
fair prospect that he would be obliged to yield !;
but old Deacon Dudley stood ready to lend a
helping hand and the Doctor, like " soft
hearted fool, rs the Squire called him, gave
in most Of his bill, especially after little Nat
died, 20 there was nothing left for him to do
but irown and CRATE his teeth, and employ the
little pettioggng lawyer who had recently
come into the village, and rented an Office Of
him. to get hold OF some claim on Turner, if
possible The little man thought he had par.
TALLY succeeded and twas the knowledge of
this that partly noutralized the depth and
blackness of the Squire's frown, ms he made
his way into the house, and proceeded once
TO look over the papers, and calculate the
chances in his favor.
CHAP. H.
Dinner was over ut the aims ouse-Thanks-
giving dinner if the rack Of rather diminu-
tive goose, the remnants Of pudding, and the
broken vegetables, from which Sally Smart,
the matron, had satisfied her own appetite and
permitted her husband and chilnren to do the
same. before it was placed upon the paupers'
table, could be considered worthy Of that
the half dozen paralytic rheumat-
ic, broken-down souls, that made up the town
poor, hobbled away from the table, some
over the ashes, and mumblng with
toothless gums of the fine times they had when
they were young. Two OF three, who carried
thankful hearts under all LIES changes lin
gercd in the sunlight, 10 warm their frozen
blood and listen TO old Nehemiah Tyler's ac-