The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-06-10
WESTERLY. R. l.. THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1862.

both hands in profound astonishment,
exclaimed, "Gracious, Lord, Elder
Trotter, is that you? Where in crea-
tion do you hail from now 7" Then
rising, he seized the Elders capacious
right hand in both of his, and giving it
a hearty shake, almost pulled him down
into one of the chairs which he had so
lately occupied while he seated himself
in the other, all the time putting so
many hurried interrogations to him that
the Elder had not chance to answer
one Of them.
"Come, you havn't told me how you
came back to Yankeeland, nor given me
a chance to tell you how l got here"
said Elder Trotter, at length, interrupt
ing the torrent of questions that poured
from Fairfcld's tongue.
"Why, know just how it is with
you, Elder Trotter," answered Fairfield,
you are always strolling about the
world, and there amt many places in
Brother Jonathan's part of it, at least,
worth seeing that you havn't seen some
time or other, and it would be strange
indeed if you didn't in the course of your
travels, fetch up here but as to myself,
why, its quite a different thing, for l
have lived in the west SO long that its
like coming to a strange land to come
back here and live where my childhood
was spent-every body dead and gone
that use to know, or scattered abroad
in distant lands, or as good as dead with
sickness and old age. You see I am
now above sixty years of age, my head
is as grey as an old rats and 1 begin to
feel as if I'D got pretty near to the last
station on the railroad of life; though
it isn't so much old age as hard labor
that has broken down my constitution.
I've worked hard in my day, Elder
Trotter, and Pm old before my time. II
lived at St. Louis long time after you
left there, and of course made consid-
cradle money, but finally thought that
I'D sell out, throw up business and come
back here to the old homestead to spend
the remnant Of my days, which suppose
won't be many at the most, and so here
l am living where my father and grand
father died before me, with ne'er chick
nor child to trouble me-"
"What live here all alone Havn't
you any relations in this part of the
country 7" inquired the Elder.
"Only two, and one of them's grand
enough for half-a-dozen-that's Amina-
adab Gripe, old Ben Gripe's son. 1
suppose you've heard of him if you've
been in these parts long"
81 have been in Gripeville only a few
weeks, but few days only, spent there
is long enough to hear all about him.
But who is the other one 2"
"Mr. Ely Goodwell. He too lives
at Gripeville, and I am great uncle to
him and Gripe. 1 suppose one or both
of them will have my property, as have
no nearer relations living that l know
of; but I mean to be master of it while
I do live, and so I have not made any
advances toward an acquaintance there
yet"
"But," asked Elder Trotter, "are
you sure that you have not a nearer
heir to your property than those two
distant ncphews who are both well Oft
without it!"
"What the ID do you mean 20 ex-
claimed Fairfield, half rising from his
seat, and his keen grey eyes flashing
with the fury of gathering tempest.
"Be calm, my dear sir" and restrain
those profane words of yours, and will
tell you. Have you not child--a
grandson who" g
"Zebedce Trotter," cried Fairfield,
rising to his feet with an impatient ges-
ture, you have done me great services,
for which / shall ever remain indebted
to you, but" and here his countcnance