The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-02-20
394

the VallSe Chlnk once more, 9DeSldeS reCelVlngl
his yearly tenpence uriThe Landlord poured
forth his good wishes !; Mrs. Hobbies came as
far as the draw well to make her parting
courtesy and with all the civility he could
assume, our merchant rode on to Guilford.
The mouse had caused him to yield to his
infirmity of grumbling; but the day was
fair, and his annoyance diminished amazing
ly, when, at some miles from his destination,
he found the wagon, which had left that
town for Horsham with the first light, stick
ing fast in deep rut. The horses had bro
ken their traces and fled over the fields, pur
sued by the wagner and one of his passen-
gers ; while the rest, consisting of two Sus-
sex farmers, brewer, butcher, and the
master of a Portsmouth trader, stood in
great trepidaton regarding noted gang of
highwaymen, said 70 be somewhere in the
neighborhood. Our traveller cheered their
hearts with the assurance that he had neith-
er seen nor heard of them The wagner
and his help had by this time caught the
horses but all endeavors to mend the har
ness proving vain, the latter offered to pro-
ceed with their new acquaintance to Gull
ford, and bring back assistance if possible.
Such accidents were by no means uncommon
in the travelling of those times. Ever ready
to- oblige, Mr.. Fairhold at once assented to
the proposal and by way of making haste,
it was agreed that each should ride and walk
by turns. .r~u Las rgtra.
1t was soon found, however. that the wag-
on traveller, who was little more than a
youth, could get over the miry road almost
as quick as Fairholds quiet horse rapid
progress of any kind was indeed impossible,
and they beguiled the way with converse
tion There was something in the active
figure and honest cheerful look of his COM
ipanion which seemed familiar to the mer-
chants memory He had frank, cour-
jssous manner too which at once won Mr..
,Fairholds liking and as his dress indicated
xsspectability striving with narrow means,
our merchant ventured, on the strength of
seniority, to hint some inquiries touching
his history and prospects. "My father"
said the young man, was once prosper
Gus London merchant, but speculation ruin
ed him, and he died in comparative poverty
m Dublin. My mother followed him early
TO the grave, and my boyhood was passed in
beating about among my relations in Brs-
,tol, After that, got my own living by serv-
ijng two drapers in succession; but the first
failed, and the second was burnt out |
.lhaye been trying hard for a situation in Lon
dom, and though but little to my liking, it
seems lne Will OI L ITOVlueIlCe tLdL L SnOulQ
40 TO sea with cousin of my mothers, in
ldwhose company | was on my way to Ports
mouth when our wagon stuck fast"
4 .' What is your name, young man ?" en-
9uired Fairhold, earnestly.
IS Francis Fairhold Phillips, at your SER
vice. said the youth.
H "Then you are my namesake, and the son
of my earliest friend" cried the merchant
grasping his hand "you will never want a
situation awhile have a warehouse. My
.$pyo4 have got lesson this morning against
igrHmbling at trifles but for mouse which
,jToke me up in no good temper, shouldn't
lbave left the Golden Lion for some hours
later, nor have fallen in with you and the
jHorsham wagon
,ne Before things were fully explained, they
entered the town; assistance was forthwith
dispatched to the wagon and young Phillips,
51on q good horse from the Crown Inn, rode
back to take leave of his mothers cousin
Joyfully he returned to the merchant; and
Mr.. Fairhold, with his chinking valise and
his new found namesake, journeyed safely on
to the old house in Cheapside. There he
found his family and business all as he had
left them some two months before. The
honest foreman gave up his temporary trust.
3Ehe punctual merchant made his annual
pay mentS, and the house of Fairhold con-
- IN Go,,ricb Jfo -, 1,