Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-07-21
MISCELLANY.


Sume time ,co was nlcosontIv .urnr;.od
by receiving Visit from Harry Stanley, an
old and valued friend of mine who owns n
noble plantation some ten miles distant from
NV residence. lie had ridden nrross os
country-rok often do, not so much because of
any particular business he had with mo ~
to have chat about old times. and tbe rro,s
and politics. and those lesser matters of com.
mon interest to both As | had not scrn
Harry for several months. owing to the illness
of Mrs Stanley, his visit was even more than
usuallvarreeablct to me. inasmuch ns If nrovcd
that my old college chum was still the same
frank. easy. warm-hearted fellow as ever
NV first question naturally touched upon the
health of Mrs Stanley. which was gratiiied
to learn had greatly improved of late. After
wards we fell into a social conflb. and when
the newer topics of the day were exhausted
Harry strolled with me around the farm.
noting with "a practised eve the GROWING Grain
and specuating upon the probabilities of a
bountifu harvest. Having extended our walk
across the fields. VIC took to the hills beyond.
and at length seated ourselves beneath a fine
old chestnut-tree. from whence there was a
noble prospect of the surrounding countrv-
Taking cigar from case which he was ac-
customed to carry in his pocket, NV friend
proceeded lesurclv to light it and when
this feat was Accomplished and a few Whit,
had been taken in silence. all nt once. and to
my great surprise, he suddenly broke out
WITH " say, Urban, do you know ANYTHING
of one Peter Mulrooney -
Why do you ask - said |.
Oh, nothing only he claims YOU as
warm friend of his, and referred me to your
respectable self for his character. didn't
want to bother you. however. at the time: but
happening Just then to need hand, hired
him at once and do assure vou his cbarocter
soon made itself apparent without any fur
ther trouble After he had been with me
week or SO, doing nothing properly, thought
it Just possible you might have discharged
him for some misdeneanor or other, and con
cluded to catechise my gentleman little
So you know Mr.. Urban, Mulrooneyr said | .
" Deed, sir, said he, 90 tbs proud am to
say that same for sure there isn't a dacen-
ter jintlcman, barrin' it's yerself. in all
Ameriky..
- | am happy to hear him so well spoken
of but, if you were so much attached TO
him, why did you quit his service !"
/" Sorra one o me knows" he replied
little evasively, as thought. Ayeh but
'twasn't t his fault, anyhow
q" dare say not But what did you do
after you left Mr.. Urban -
Och, bad luck to me, sir twas the fool
ishest thing in the world. married a wildly,
sir,
' And became householder, eh -
" Augh - he exclaimed, with an express
sion OF intense disgust, " the house wouldn't
hold me long twas too hot for that, | does
be thlnkin
g Humph. you found the widow too fond
OF having her own way, ! suppose ~
Ihrue Tor you, sir an mi lightly
crooked way it was, that same, an that's no
he
" She managed to keep you straight,
dare say"
Straight Och, by the powers, Misther
Stanley, ye may say that II Ia swallowed
sogers ralnrod, tlsnt straighter I'd ha
been"
= And the result was, that, not approving
OF the widows discipline, you ran away and
lett h"r
sure, SIR, twas aisler done nor that. Her
hrst husband, bctther luck to him, | say,
saved me the thrGuble OF that.
iier hrSt husband what, mad she another
husband il'ihg
oh yls one Michael Con lily, Il sayiarln
man, thht was reported dead hut lIe came
back one dHN' an rrSthored him his wife
ANA chii1h"r' oh, out twas proud man
"'H Z" 80 iftr aSalh.
WIN thcsc eNPlahatlonS our conversation
Tor the 'lme terminated but some days al
terwardS' II colt OF no great value, looking
rather sluggish and heavy, thought would
test Master Peters usefulness about the sta
bles, 50 ! sent for HIM to come To the house
Peter, said !, do you think could trust
you to give the black tlley warm mash this
evening As he stared at me Tor IL minute
or wv" without replying, repeated the
question.
- Is 1t mash sir sand he. " sure I'd
honor
that no hr'
As he spoNe, however, iancled ! saw a