Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-02-09

laborlous scholars then studied law and divini-
W and was fastened to the back of the saddle
by straps and buckles too numerous for the pa
thence OF our hurrying days In the valise re-
spectacle travellers were accustomed to pack all
their requisites, including money and Mr.. Fair
hold had seventeen hundred pounds, the entire
returns of his country business, besides bills and
bonds, in the aforementioned strong box, when.
at the end of seven weeks circuit, he arrived
at an old inn known as the Golden Lion, and
standing on the ancient road between Farnham
and Guilford.
The country is now studded with hamlets
and farm-houses but at the time of our tale a
wild heath extended for miles along the base of
the chalk hills, through which the road, little
better than a modern sheep path, wound with
many curve and angle. At one of these turns
stood the Golden Lion, one of the oldest hotels
in the county of Surrey Travellers had resorted
to that house before the civil war Its quaint
chinneys, low windows, and wide porch were
wreathcd with ivy; but its thick walls of tim
Der hewn from the famous oaks of Sussex, its
roof deeply thatched with reeds and Dated straw,
were still proof againt time and weather. The
sanded space in front still contained the horse
block and the draw-well Sounds of pigeons
and poultry came from the yards behind, cattle
browsed and corn rustled in fields scarcely sepa-
rated from the surrounding heath, and half inn,
half farm house, the old hotel greeted all way
farers with the creak of its swinging sign, on
which the foremost king was represented in IA
ther indefinite gliding.
For twenty years Mr.. Fairhold had rested
there on his homeward way; but as he now ap-
preached the house, late in close, cloudy after
noon, with drops Of heavy rain, announcing u
wet evening, he could not help observing that
something of neglect and careessness had grown
about the Golden Lion Its leaves were less trim
its porch less carefully swept and secured and
in the best kitchen, which had always served
for tap-room and parlor, things were by no
means in the order he had seen them. The pew
ter on the shelves was dim the oncewhite walls
were dingy; there was Il smouldering fire on
the wide hearth, and by it three slovenly, ill
looking men sat, each with a pipe and tankard
The landlord himself dozed in his elbow chair in
the chimney cornor, and no ostler was to be
seen. Mr.. Fairhold made these discoveries be-
fore his arrival was perceived He had thrown
his bride over the staple in the porch, and step
ped quietly in to the great surprise Of the three,
who salutcd him with keen, suspicious looks,
and still more to the astonishment of the host,
who woke up at tho sound of his entrance.
Changes have come over the old house since last
the merchant saw it, Mrs Hobbies, the honest,
active landlady, had been summoned from her
domestic cares to the house appointed for all
living. Mr.. Hobbies had married the maid, and
latterly taken strongly to old October, of which,
like many country innkecper in his day, he
was II notable brewer. Things in consequence
We're not as they had been at the Golden Lion !;
but Hobbies welcomed Mr.. Eairhold with all the
noise and hustle he deemed requisite for such an
old and distinguished customer, shouted for the
ostlcr and stablc-boy to look after his horse,
summoned Mrs. Hobbies the second to provide
for his entertainment, and, with mutterod apol-
ogies for the company in his best kitchen, mar
shalled him and his valise to the parlor. That
room of PRIDE for such it had been to the for
mer hostess, contained the chief treasures of the
Golden Lion,-where the glazed cupboard filed
with china, the eight day clock, and the best
bed hung with dimity. Mr.. Fairhold thought
the round table and oaken floor had lost the
dark polish they used to exhibit; but the rain
was heavy without, the evening was dark and
chill and he sat by the blaze Of a bright wood
fire discussing a substantial supper after his
long ride, and hearing through the wooded par.
ttion which divided kitchen and parlor, the
ostler cxpatiate on the weight of his own valise
to number of interior travellers whom the rain
and Hobbies strong ale had assembled.
The merchant did not much mind that, though
he remembered one of the three ill-looking men
| SlldulllH Nltll llttIlu SloHClIS
at him, and wished the ostler had not guessed
so correctly concerning the strong box. More
solemn thoughts came as he looked round that
old frequented room. 1t spoke to him of life
and its uncertainties. The busy, good-humorcd
landlady, whom he had known for twenty years
was gone; and the furniture by which she sal
such store, and which she took such pleasure ii
securing, all were there, up to the silver tank
ard and the plated candlcstick which hanked
the Duke of Marlboroughs picture on th'
chimney piece coarse print in clumsy frame
it was, and Fairhold had seen it many year
but never without thinking of an early friend
John Churchill Phillips (as his father had namet
him, because the boy was born when the grea
Dukes fame had the flush of Beinheim tresl
upon it,) was the son of London draper, no
wise enough to see the wocful waste of such vic
tories, but sufficiently prudent and successful
leave him hourishing business. He and Fran
els Fairhold were chool-fellows, and grew u
friends. Their inheritance was of equal value
They married in the same year-Phillips name
his eldest son after Fairhold, and stood godfathe
to his eldest ughter-but Phillips was in hast
to be rich. There were games of speculatlo
PLAYED in his time, and he joined one OF thel
called the Morocco Company, which promise
great things by shipping linen to the Moor'
Phillips thought it would make his fortune ou
losses by the Algerine pirates and defalcatlon
home broke the company, and his affairs WEI
ruined. 1t must be acknowledged that inso
vency was more rare and serious occurrent
hundred years ago than it has since become
the mercantile world. Phillips was proud
well as weak; he could not bear the observa
..,,,,,o and leaving all in the han(