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

South Sea bubble, the great frost, Che last JAG
obite rebellion, and was at thereriod of our
story, discreet, middle-aged gsllsuan, plain
of speech, friendly of manner, and attired, like
the respectable citizens Of the day, IN an amply
skirted coat, clubbed hair, and silver buckles.
Mr.. Fairhold was in high respect among the
London diapers of those homely times. They
knew his word to be as safe as his bond, and his
custom to be large, and his credit still more ex-
tensive.
A prudent and prosperous man m every sense
was our merchant Of Cheapside, Active but
not over-anxious for this world, he carried on
his business with the steady and quiet industry
of those old-fashioned days, giving time for
recreation as well as work. His evenings were
passed in household leisure, with q city friend
or two, frequently dropped in to supper When
shop and warehouse were closed, og saturday
afternoons, he walked with his fa1ily to sec
their grand-uncles the old farruest siaryls-
bone, then Village in the fields, os paid more
ceremonious visits to his knighted cousin Sir
Thomas, who kept his coach, and lived in the
fashionable locality of Red Lion Square. Once
a year, when business was slack, about the end
of summer, Mr.. Fairhold made circuit of his
country customers, to collect debts and square
accounts generally He had no son to succeed
him in the fashion of his family, not even
nephew, having been himself an only child;
but, thankful for two good daughters, the mer-
chants did not despair of finding successor,
and took no trouble regarding the continuance
of his house. The experience of others had
taught him that even paternal hopes are not
safe from disappointment. He had seen sons
turn out neither comfort nor credit; and
the saddest recollection hanging about his own
peaceful premises was that of a young and once
promising apprentice, the son of his ncighbor,
Widow Waterton, who had been a gentle
woman, and called Madame in her day. Per-
haps the love of gay company (as he thought
it) had led his youth into snares; for, in spite
of care, admonition, and the good order of MIR.
Fairhold's house, poor William had got ac-
quaintcd first with strolling players, then with
dangerous characters and at length, detected
in an attempt to rob his master, he fled the city,
and has not been heard Of for years.
Grieved at heart was Mr.. Fairhold, and he
diligently inquired after his apprentice, in hopes,
merciful man as he was, of reclaiming him. No
intelligence, however, of the youth could be
gained. His mother, Il weak, worldly-minded
woman, after frctting for some time over the
disgrace he had brought on her genteel family,
married an ill-doing excise officer, whom she had
rejected with high scorn in her youth, and re-
moved with him to one of the northern
counties 3
The remembrance Of poor William Waterton
served to make Mr.. Fairhold more ypeful re-
garding his apprentices. Not that NJ bad ever
been remiss on that point Our merchant was
an upright, conscientious man, who felt that
business had more duties for him than to get
rich. No one under his authority had cause
to complain of selfish exaction, or inconsiderate
carelessness. His friends and family Valued him
for mild and palcabc temper. His worldly
dealings were just, his religion practicable and
sincere Nevertheless Mr. Francis Fairhold was
not free of faults; and among them was a
tendency at times to grumble at small and
casual annoyances. Our merchant did not cx-
actly lose his temper at every turn; but
spoiled dinner, or a room out OF order, would
vex him more than he cared to tell. Most of
us, perhaps, bear great troubles better than lit
tie ones in proportion to their weight; but as
the latter are by far the most abundant, that
Christian philosophy which helps one to keep
easy under them has daily usefulness as well
as dignity about it. Surely a Traveller to eter-
nifty should not be disturbed by every straw in
his path; moreover, small evils may contain
the seeds of great good, and Francis Fairhold
was taught that truth by one of those wonder
full works of Providence which proved to the
Christian's mind that no instrument is weak i'll
the hand of Omnipotence.
The wild rose had faded in England's fields,
and hedge rows the hay was mown in all the
meadows, from Kent to Northumberland and
the flush of ripeness was growing on her or
chard boughs, when Mr. Fairhold, having reg
ulated his books, duly committed hisbusiness to
Johnstonc, the foreman, who had been in his
employment fifteen years, .and having taken
leave of his family and most intimate neig ghbors,
set forth with a good horse and well secured
valise, with many good wishes, and commissions
almost as numerous, on his yearly circuitamong
the country customers This and the stage
coach or wagon were The only public modes OF
travelling in the time of our story; but the lat
ter, besides being oe slower method, owing to
bad roads and stoppages at every inn, could only
be had on the principal lines of traffic, and
never approached those small towns and scat
tered villages where our merchants customers
hourished.
Mr.. Fairhold's journey, like his business, wal
quiet, but regular He was peaceable man
and had always travelled safely, though ther'
were bold highwaymen in those days, and thu
, police system was far from its present complete
ness. His customers were mostly steady, meth
odical men, given to clear accounts and punctu
E al payments. With many of them MIR. Fair
hold was an old acquaintance, joyfully enter
tained at their houses in memory of similar hos
pitalities received in their great journeys
y London. The landlords of all the .respectabl
inns on his way waited for our merchants com
ing year by year, as that of an important guest
g and he rode on from one country town to an
Q other, through narrow, rutty roads, @milia
: only with cart and wagon, at pace varyin
q from fifteen to twenty miles day, attending t
L., Louaa,s srol L..