The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-08-09
JOB rim TING.
A Star in the Hemisphere of Fashion

a Star in the Hemisphere of Fashion,
When L first knew Araminta Briggs,
she was the unsophisticated daughter of
a very respectable schoolmaster resident
in the town of Thornbury, in Gloucester
shire. She was, without dispute, the pref
test girl in that neighborhood, and most
of Mr.. Briggs's big boys, ere they quilted
his roof, fancied themselves in lore with
the gentle Araminta.
Briggs was great parsonage in his
own little way. Most of the good coun-
try families sent their juniors to his pre-
paratory seminary, and he prided himself
upon the gentility of his musterro!l. Ara
minta' admirers were therefore of a rank
and station above her own. Two right
honorables considerably turned her little
head, and when, by some odd accident, a
young lord sojourned at the house Of
Briggs, bowiug before the rod Of ther fa-
ther, and smiling surreptitiously on the
fair and blue-eyed daughter, the poor girl
began really to imagine herself person
of infinite Importance.
This olive branch of an illustrious house,
this slim sprig of nobility, had lost his
father when he was a mere infant; and
that father having very deeply involved
himself, the noble widow retired to a small
seat in Gloucestershire, where her atten-
ton was most sedulously devoted to dou-
ble duty of nursing-the estates and the
infant. Lord Killkitten was, as might be
guessed from his name, an Irish viscount,
yet the very moderate property which he
was to inherit was situated in England !;
the Killkitten estate having gradually sof-
tened down into an extensive bog. The
late lords had made the most of the tim
Der, and such solid advantages having dis
appeared, the present viscount, suffering
for the extravaganza of those who now
slept under the turf, had nothing left in
Ireland which could be turned to account,
except the turf on his bogs, which he
caused to be cut for fuel.
Lord Killkitten, after enduring for a
certain time the discipline of Mr.. Briggs's
birch, was destined for Eton or Oxford !;
but poor timid Briggs was not the man to
infict corporal punishment Cd person
Of young Killkitten's rank. Never hav-
ing had occasion before to address any
living individual as "my lord" be "my
lorded," his pupil from morning till night;
and if his lordShip happened to he partic-
ularly dull about his moods and lenses,
verbs and nouns, he used TO make bow,
and say
MY lord, you will excuse my saying
that this won't do: and your lordship will
pardon my adding, that if it happens
again, shall be under the painful neces-
sity of whipping your lordship, as | am,
just going to whip Master Snooks, who
has committed the same fault for which
l have been obliged respectfully to scold
your lordship."
The young noblen1G',, bay as he was,
seeing Snooks, the plebian, well whipped
for an offence which involved him only in
a lecture ito which he did not listen, be-
gan, of course, to feel his own consequence,
and to domineer over the surrounding
Snookses, as if they had been creatures
Of inferior earth. At cricket he was al
ways to be in; if any body bowled him
out there was mistake somewhere, and
the bat was retained by his lordShip.-
Playing at horses he was always the char
joteer, and the Smokes were barnessed
at his bidding; and when leap-frog was the
order of the day, be had the proud privi-
lege of jumping over everybody, without
ever once thinking of STOPPING to let any
body jump over him.
But the greatest advantage of all which
the young aristocrat enjoyed, was the par
ticipation in the family tea, in the parlor
of old Briggs, and the occupation of the
seat next to Araminta, while she super
intended its preparation.
Mrs. Briggs had long since been car
ried away to that bourne from which no
traveller, nor indeed anybody else, returns.
Had she been alive, no doubt her mater
nal breast would have cherished dreams
of future greatness for her beloved Mn
2ey, when she witnessed the apparent de-
votion of the heir of Killkitten. But such
notions never for moment entered the
bald head of the venerable relict of that
lamented lady.
He wooked up" with feeling of awe
10 the little parsonage who daily said his
lessons at his knee and the idea of the
young viscount ever becoming bis son-in-
law never entered his thoughts. But Ar
aminta, who was now some years older
than Lord Killkitten, really began to like
him exceedingly, had her own little Sc
cret and unacknowledged dreams of car.
riages and coronets in store for her; and
when his little lordSbip playfully called
her (as all boys are apt to call some little
girl Of their acquaintance his " little