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

William Miner, and Deacon Dudley say to
such undeniable proofs of the SOURCES pub
lie spirit" as these. even If he had, as no one
pretended to deny, kept a grcgshop in days
gone by, and sold rum to his ncighbors, 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 kave 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 "thcr
say" or Deacon Dudley from speaking what
he ayerred to be /" the everlasting truth
Never, perhaps, had Squire Repperclps 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 only child, William, who was n
LAWYER of fair practice in neghborng 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
acouaintances was considered quite remark
able 10y 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 $
costume and manners, the beauty of his little
boys, formed 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 nnanimity,
viz that the people of Mapehurst were quite
as eligible to the highest political Offices as any
body else.
Squire Pepperell had not lived among us oil
his days for nothing He had counted on ma
king this impression; therefore Lis face was so
respondent with self.satisfaction as he leaned
over the gate to shake hands for the second
time with the Doctor and his newly married
wife, as they passed, that the somewhat hard
temper of the lady melted beneath its infiu-
encc, 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,
rs they turned away, that she wondered how
people could call Squire Peppenll 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 expires.
sion ON his face, even more unduous and be-
nign when he had praised her scholarship in
the village school, flor our people rs 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 visiter among
the rest) and more especially did his counte-
nance assume this kind of radiant cffulgencc,
when she met him on her way home from
school, and he drew up his horse, and urged
her to take seat in his carriage, as 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
a beauty.
Really, friends, it would have done your
hearts good, and given you conception of IA
true festival face $50 to speak for all time, il
you could have seen the Squire, as he stood
there by his gate, and let his eye range slowly
over his hroad acres, rruin Spencer's to tn,
river. But his slanoe swept alaas tho ,rina
ing course of the river, change came over hi
spirit There must always he some alloy II
the most perfect earthly success-some drop G
bitterness in the sweetest cup and IT Solomon
of Israel found it so in the by-gone ages. VIII
should Solomon Peppcrell be exempt! Life i
pretty much the same thing now as then, w
trow. And there, full mile off, but just a
plain to his eve as if it made part of hi
door-yard, lay the small green meadow, tn
very thought of which filled him with heayi
ness and dispeasure, and made his other pos
sessions seem almost valueless in his eyes. ]
was like the vineyard of Naboth to Ahab an,
he coveted it, not because it was "near hi
house." but because it notched right into hi
territories and the possession Of it would bring
them even with the river, to say nothing abou
its being most excellent bit of land. Their,
it lay, its sere, brown slopes looking even sunny
and cheerful in that wntry atmosphere, ant
the dark frown dccpened on his brow as h,
discerned even at that distance the figure o
its owner, Nat Turner. who, poor and plagued
and shiftless rs he was had had the impu,
dence, 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 80 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 rs 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 u
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 as 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 frown and CRATE his teeth, and employ the
little pettiiogging lawyer who had recently
come into the village, and rented an Office Of
him. to get hold OF some claim on Turner, il
possible The little man thought he had par.
tally succeeded, and twas the knowledge OF
this that partly nsutralzed the depth and
blackness Of the 'Squire's frown, rs 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 at the aims house-Thanks-
giving dinner, if the rack Of a rather dlmlnu-
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 chinren to do the
same before it was placed upon the paupers'
table could be considered worthy Of that
name--and the half dozen paralytic, rhcurat-
ic, broken-down souls, that made up the t'wn
DOOR hobbled away from the table, some
crouching over the ashes, and mumbling yith
toothless gums of the fine times they had yhcn
they were young Two or three, who carried