The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-02-20

holu udu seventeen nunured pOundS, the entlre
returns of his country business, besides bills
and bonds in the before mentioned strong
box, when at the end of seven weeks cir
cult, he arrived at an old and favored 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
Surry. Travellers had resorted to that house
before the civil war. It's quaint chimney,
low windows and wide porch were wreathed
with ivy; but its thick walls of timber, hewn
from the famous oaks of Sussex, its roofs
deeply thatched with reeds and oaten straw,
We're still proofagainst 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 yard behind, cat
tie browsed and corn rustled in fields scarcely
separated from the surrounding heath, and,
half inn, half farm house, the old hostel
greeted all wayfarers with the creak of its
swinging sign, on which the forest king was
represented in rather indefinite gliding.
For twenty years Mr.. Fairhold had rested
there on his homeward way; but as he now
approached the house, late in close, cloudy
afternoon. with great drops of heavy rain,
announcing wet evening, he could not help
observing that something of neglect and
carelessness had grown about the Golden
re lac. trir, itc oh
less carefully swept and secured; and in the
best kitchen, which had ALWAYS served for
tap-room and parlor, things were by no
pewter on the shelves was dim the once
white walls were dingy; there was a
smouldering fire on the wide hearth, and by
1T three sovenly, Unlocking men sat, each
with pipe and tankard. The landlord him
self dozed in his elbow chair in the chimney
corner, and no ostler was to be seen. Mr.
Fairhold made these discoveries before his
arrival was perceived. He had thrown his
bride over the staple in the porch, and
stepped quietly in, to the great surprise of
the three, who saluted him with keen, sus-
picious looks; and still more to the aston
ishment of the host, who woke up at the
sound Of his entrance ..
Changes had come over the old house since
last he 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 10 old Oc-
tober, of which, like many country inn
keeper in his day. he was notable brewer
Things in consequence We're not as they had
been at the Golden Lion but Hobbies well
coined Mr.. Fairhold with all the noise and
hustle he deemed requisite for such an old
and distinguished customer, shouted for the
ostler and stable boy to look after his horse,
summoned Mrs Hobbies the second to pro-
vide for his entertainment, and, with NUT
tered apologies for the company in his best
kitchen, marshalled him and his valise into
The parlor. That room of pride, for such it
had been to the former hostess, contained the
chief treasures of the Golden Lion. There
was the glazed cupboard filled 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 very 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 wooden partition which divided
kitchen and parlor, the ostler expatiate on
the weight and chink Of his own valise to a