The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-11-23
III stclla II y.
The Wandering Peasant.
ny JOHN MILTON sTEARNs.

There is no man without his estate.
and pride i'll the contemplation of this
estate makes up the aristocracy of life. -
A wise thought of old Stubs, as he rum
mayed over the budgets that had been
the kcepsakcs of his travels aud enter
priscs for twenty years" There are
few men of my age. who have succeeded
better, considering what [ have been
through in my time Now Pm old and
thin, and bear on my back cropped
Quaker coat, some ten years the worse
for the wear, and can find under the
folds of this old slouched hat, the knob
that bore a corporal's cockade in the last
war Yet Stubs is young in feelings
and sympathics, especially when he opeus
the bundle in which the choice memo
rials Of the past have been slowed away.
True, they may only tell him that the
brightest of lfe's hopes have faded for
ever, but in doing this they teach him to
cconomize the means Of happiness that
are left him Old Stubbs is au old clod
OF rough clad and poverty stricken man
hood, cared for by the passing throng
only as he is an cncumbrance on the
thoroughfares of life lie is dog with.
out the kindly protection of master.
noticed only to be insultcd or neglected.
But, if nobody cares for Stubs. he, in
his turn, cares for nobody. Indeed he
has nobody in particular to care for. out
side of his cottage home. but himself. so
he trudgos on in his quiet way. consoled
with the thought, that if he is beneath
the notice Of society he is also beneath
its calumny and envy" Such were the
muttcrcd iancies Of an old travelling TIM.
ker, known throughout three Counties
of the Green Mountain State. as he sat
partaking Of frugal lunch beside the
public road, beneath the shade Of large
beech that leaned over the way. The
meal was ended. but he remained still
sitting there, ruminating on the fortunes
of his life as he took from his budget
iavorite old book, and glanced his eye O.
yer its greasy pages.
1t was known that the old tinker
claimed to have home, far up among
the forest clad towers of the Green
Mountain peaks, but whether his associ-
ations were ETHEREAL or mundane, never
troubled the ameteurs Of fashionable
gossip among the ambitious sprigs of n
country aristocracy. Unless the houses
afforded old pewter. brass or coppcrware
to mend, Stubs received but brief at.
tentions and hasty adicus Still he went
on from house to house with cheerful
contcntmcnt, that we'll might have been
the envy Of many who affected through
fancied gentility, to despisc him for his
condition. But Stubs had world to
himscf-the poetry Of nature was his
the sunshine and shade. the flowers of
Spring. the luXuriant vegetation of Sum
mcr and the songs Of the fcathercd
choir were TO him sources of pgrer en-
joymeutS, than any sordid ideas of prop
crty aud estates can give. ii children
and fools were his only social compan-
ions at the farm houses. the auxions cares
and pcevish tempcrs Of his conccitcd
suspicious showed him the hearts of men
and of women rs the sources of their
miscrics
On the occasion | have referred to,
young man, who had seen him often, came
up while he sat reading his old greasy
book. under the old beech tree. that
Gray would have described as wreath
ing its old fantastic roots 50 high and
began to badger him ON his manner Of
life. After listening to his Jest for some
time. Stubbs turned to the youth and
said: " Ioung man, when you are at my
age you will know more of life and more
Of yourself than you seem to now. You
may have seen schools and books, but if
you have had instructions on the rules
of good breeding. | will only say, you
have been very dull scholar
The young man felt reproved for the
truth had moral power even when utter
ed by the neglected old tinker. |
have said Stubs, pursued the best
course OF life, could find open to my
improvement. l may live aud die Il
tinker yet. if providence has 10 high
er purpose in my creation, it does not
become me to find fault and complain,
hut rather to rejoice that the task ell.
joined is so easy and when it is fulfil
led, will not old Stubs stand Just as
high in Gods appreciation, as if the con.
dition of a noblcman had been assigned
him Yes, be will stand far better than
if the duties of high station were his
and they were badly discharged.
The youth begged pardon for his oh
= trusion. aud hoped that the old tinker
would not carry an evil report against
! him in his travels. " No." said Stubbs
you have punished yourself sufic
iently."
As this was a holiday. our youth, who
had become ashamed of his conduct, sat
I down near the old tinker, and endeavor
cd by concliating manner to work in
to his confidence and to atone Cor hi'
rudeness by kindly enquiries, and inter
est for his welfare
You live" said the young man
'' when at home, in a very remote, soil
tary place, the other side of the noun
Il tain ridge we see yonder ?" " Yes sale
Stubs, have little clearing and ;
cabin there, whore | sometimes stay. but
. though uur neighbors live at a great dis
. tance, it is not exactly wilderness
+ do not live there alone l have few
persons with me who respect the ole
Il tinker, and never give him an unkin'
word. Stubb's Valley is five miles
from other clearings, but it is the ole
p" mans home, and he covets no other o.
earth. For there the morning sun look
) over that mountain, you sec, seemingl
Il on purpose 10 smile upon my cottage