Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-07-27
THE MILL PRIVILEGE.
A TALE WITH AN INSTRUCTIVE MORAL

TALE WITH AN INSTRUCTIVE MORAL.
In one of the new tow MS of Maine.
some thirty years ago, lived a man
named John Tatnall. lie was a
close-6sted, digging man, aud never
scrupled TO make the best end of u
bargain at all points within the allow
ance of written law. lie never he
STATED to make capital of other peo-
pies necessities, and any event that
could put dollar into his till, was all
right 10 HIM. Once a neighbor lost
fine OK Just at time when he was
in the midst Of fulfilling contract
for cutting down and hauling out
lumber. The contract was worth
thousand dollars, and he was to for
felt one half Of il il he did not have
all the logs in the river before the
snow melted in the Spring. The
loss of his bes, OK would ruin him if
he could not make his place good
He knew that Tatnall had plenty of
oxen, and he went 10 him, and stated
his case. Now Tatnall had a num-
Der OF old oxen which he had bought
to place in a drove which he meant
to drive to market; SO he could have
sold Que OK Just as well as not. Bat
he saw his neighbours necessity, and
he meant TO profit by it. He WOULD
not sell unless he sold pair, and not
then without an enormous price. The
poor lumberman begged and enlreat-
ed, but il was of no avail. There
was not another OK to be bought for
miles and miles around, for Mr.. Tat
nall had bought them all up. The
neighbor could not allow his work to
lie still, so he paid Tatnall full double
what the oxen were worth, and took
them away.
Then it was that he happened to
think of his old OK. He knew I was
better by iai than either Of those he
had bought of 'Tattall and he drove
it over TO the catlle-dealer's TO sell
it, as he had no use for it. Tainull
offered him twenty dollars for it
just one-ti(lh of what he had obtain
cd for the yoke he had sold We
will not tell all The conversation and
bantering that followed, but suffice il
to say that Tatnall got the OK, and
that in the end he made profit Of
just seventy-fvc dollars out of his
poor, Woodworking neighbor.
That was the character of the man
and all his neighbors knew it. Yet
he was respected, for he had money,
aud many people depended upon
him for work, though their pitiance
for suck work was beggarly in the
extreme. Mr.. Tainal's farm was ST.
tuated upon quite a large river, and
he owned 10 great extent on both
sides of it. When he bought there
he had some faint idea that at some
time there would be a mill put mp
there, and thus greatly enhance the
value of his lot, for there was quite
fall in the river where ne owned
and most excellent mill privilege
was thus afforded. But he never
b"iil 'io mill, for he had not Tie mo
ney TO spare, nor had he 4he energy
About two years previous TO the op,
cnlng OF our STORY, some men had
come TO examine the fall Of the river
and they talked Of buying and build
ing extensive mill works. TatnalI
knew that if such was done The value
of all the good land about hiuI would
be advanced, and ne bought all he
could, SO that at the present time he
owned not less than a thousand
acres.
One day in early Spring, just as
the ice had broken up, a man called
on Tatuall, and wished 10 exmine
The mill privilege. His name was
Lemuel Farnsworth, and he was a
young man, not more than thirty
years OF age, full Of enterprise and
integrity. MIR. Talnall accompanied
his visitor out to the river, and after
examining the premises, the latter ex-
pressed himself much pleased with
them.
'Op exclaimed 'ratnall. this is
Just about the finest mill privilege in
the State. The water cannot fail,
and you see there would be power
enough to drive dozen mills
Il see, returned Farnsworth; but
he did not express all he thought
lie merely acknowledged that the
privilege was good. If buy here,
he continued, i should want some
forty OF fifty acres OF land to 90 with
the water lot, for shall want lumber
enough TO put up all roy buildings
and some besides, Of my own, tc
commence work on