Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1854-08-17
CHAPTER II.

then her husband was parslmOnlOuS, ana
she was parSmonions, and though she loved
"nice things" very much, 81 e loved money
/ more-we take it, amounts to nothing more nor
less than neanness.
Mr.. Waxwe was farmer 1ni well Off ia
The world. The advent OF the railroad into
his native town, had turned things topSy-mtvy
in general, and put the devil INTO the women
in parilcular-tO use MI. WaXwelPs classic
Language. Zine was when they were content
10 wear a straw bonnet and a calico gown 10
meeting; but now they Lad 10 rig out in
silks and Satlns, with founces and lurbelows
aud all sorts Of rigging hitched 10 'em, for all
the world just Ike a clown in the crcuS.--
Such were Mr.. WaXwelPs view of the social
influence of the railroad.
Society began 10 be little ''seect;" folks
put on airs, and were so "suck up" that
you couldn't touch them with ten foot
pole,
Farmer Maxwell did not much Ike, state
Of things-t cost money on tn one hand and
he did not like TO be thrown to the shade on
the other. He was about the richest man in
the place; but ten dollar bonnets aud thirty
dollar cloakS were denominations that he could
not tolerate. Mrs. Waxwell didn't like o be
out done in the matter Of dress, and when she
bought new nIerinoe cloak the eyious sea-
son, she lad not doubt but il would be un
surpassed for two seasons at least. When
Mrs. Burton came out with the thirty dollar
velvet, she found The wind taken entirely out
Of her sail, and she as indignant as the case
demanded.
In tie rise and progress Of the village since
the advent Of the rairoad, two new stores had
gone into operation, one of which was con
4 L. NJ
man from the metropolis, who had brought a
city wife, and great many city notions into
the plac" with him,
As with great many who go from the city
: TO the country, he was exceedingly annoyed
by that dsineresed, charitable attention to
other peoples business, which so extensively
prevails in many rural districts. He kept his
affairs to himself, and this bothered and per-
picked the gossips: His wife had way at
tending to her own concerns-she had been
brought up wneIe people do not even know
their next door neighbors. If she wanted a
new dress or a new bonnet, she never deemed
/. il necesSaryto consult the neighbors in regard
4 10 her ability to afford it, or about the style
:, and material.
y But in spite Of these peculiariies, she was
. popular person in the village. She was anna
the sick, and quite useful person in the so
y ciety of the place. She understood matters
and things, had larger experience of tn,
e world than those who had seen nothing of it
and the consequence was, that when a part
- was 10 be given, pic mic projected, or bal
J., gotup she was consulted and her advice fol
~ lowed. She understood all these things, anl
y was happy to explain he ''(ashion'' in regar
| 10 ham h, n Uylt N uU kal bpr
u Poor Ms. Waxwell her star began to de
!, cline when Mrs. Burton cane 10 the village
She was no longer the leader OF the "ton,
j and her heart was bursting with envy
Though she often received the kind Offices 0
>. the storekeeper'S wife both in sickness an
= in health, she would have willingly hav
- crushed her. That new cloak was the cap
:. sbeaf of the indignitcs which she fanced ha
~ !, been heaped upon her, and she determine,
) that her unconscious rival should suffer tht
consequences Of her temerity.
y Her first demonstration was upon her hus
~ band, whom she found no Lif!culty'n convn
cling that Dir. Burton must be ruined by th'
ID ex xravagance of his wife, and that, unless he
OF Immediately collected his debt, he would Ger
tainly lose il.
As soon as she had done her washing OF
Id Monday, she made some calls, and embraced
the opportunity of commenting freely upoI
e that new cloak. The woman told their hus'
bands Mr.. Burton would certainly fail, and be
le fore three days lad elapsed, here was quite I
er ferment in the place.
Ie Nobody knew anything about Mr.. Burton's
affairs; he seemed 20 be doing good business
d though no one knew Of his having any money
" He did not even own the house in which he
II lived, be had no property apparently, but hi
'e stock. The careful old farmers, to whom II
the course OF trade he had become indebted
as for produce which he sent TO Boston, began Il
be armed by these rumors.
q II was in the Slate of New HampshIrei an'
-e the time Of which | write, The ''grab la" wa
N in force, End is still for ought ] know.
One morning, as Mr.. Burton returned from
" journey TO nelghbor NJ towo, he iound hi
'e stock attached on the claim Of Farmer wax
well--and oil on account Of that new cIoaI
IN which his wife ha wcfn 10 meeting on tht
le preceding Sunday.
He had hot the means 10 pay the note a
le that moment, and while he was considering
81 plan to exlricate himself from the dltmma,th'
news th't his goods had been atiacbed,sprea'
all over the plae All the creditors were II
hot haste 10 follow the track Of former Wax
Sc well---ior il was "frst com', first sefyed'--
and in less than two hours, dozen had tas
er tened upon the stock Of his store.
lS This was a tremendous result 20 follow II
the tral Of thilty dollar cloak and gossip
ing old woman.