Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-01-04
Giterarp Selections.
THE LONE OLD MAN.
AN ARGUMENT FOR THE MAINE LAW
By T. s. ARTHUR.

sure of its owner. Choice roses and
fragrant honey-suckles clambered up the
waste columns of the porch, prodigal OF
sweetness; but the vigorous shoots Of
the one, and the long twining branches
Of the other, swayed in the air, or droop-
ed towards the ground, vainly seeking
for support. Evidently not for months
had the pruning-knife or training hand
/ been busy there. Near by the entrance
gate stood two cone Ike cedars, tai and
cleanly cut-but dead. their brown nee
die shaped leaves shiyering down under
the touch of every passing breeze, and
covering the verdureiess ground beneath.
Grass was springing up in all the plea
SAINT walks, and the untrimmed box-bor-
ders were ragged and neglected. Vine
trellises had broken pannels here and
there. All over the garden were seen
weeds and tangled underground. Only
a single shutter In front of the cottage
was unfastened, and that stood always
open, early or late. Twice 1 had gone
by without seeing any evidence of life
about the neglected dwelling; but in
passing the third time, ! observed white
haired old man, walking with his hands
behind him and his eyes upon the ground,
backward and forward, slowly, in one OF
/ the grass-grown walks. There was some
thing in his appearance that was mex
pressibly sad. I looked at him for few
moments, and then kept On; but so fixed
was his image in my mind in that brief
period, that the vivid impression still re-
mains.
P numbered one thousand inhab-
itants, all told, had three taverns, or pla-
| ces Of entertainment for man and
beast" and twelve shops for the retail of
liquor. These last were all kept by Irish
men and Germans. AT one of the tav-
erns-the best in the place, and that isn't
! saying much in its favor-I was staying.
/ The bar was well furnished with bad IL
41;:ors, and the bar room never free from
idlers and tavern loungers, mostly be-
longing to the village, as could be readily
/ inferred from the tenor of their conver-
satiOn. I did not fail to remark that
scarcely one Of those persons spoke halt
dozen words without an oath or pro-
fame expression; and ] also noted the
fact that they were never so animated in
conversation as when referring to some
thing obscene, vile, or cruel. At tenn
perance virtue they secuted, and even
went so far as to allege scandals against
q clergyman in the village, whom I know
to be one OF the purest of men. Worst
Of all was the presence of two or three
lads in the bar room, who listened to cor
rupt conversation eagerly, and drank in
all that was said with too evident plea
sure.
Who lives in the brown cottage at the
upper end of the street, on this side 2 I
asked Of the landlord.
Judge Williams, heanswered eoldly,
as ba trrnad avrav
Who is Judge Williams?" Ienquired,
. as soon as 1 got the landlords ear again.
He's one of the Judges" was CURLY
replied, and again he turned from me.
This only piqued nay curiosity.
"Do you know Judge Williams? z"
asked of a rough looking man whom
had observed lounging about the tavern
. ever since my arrival there, and who had
just turned from the bar where he had
been drinking.
q 1 ought TO know him, curse his pic
t1re" answered the man, frowning.
He looked at me for few moments.
evidently to see whether I meant to IN
suit him by the question, and he turned,
muttering something that 1 could not
make out, and left the bar room.
"No good blood in him for Judge VIII
Iians," said a man who had overheard
my question.
Why not:" was my natural inquiry.
"The Judge gave him a year in the
State Prison, for biting off his brothers
ear in a drunken quarrel"
@Ehl that explains it. But what Of
Judge Williams? There's something
wrong about him, is there not u
The man shrugged his shoulders. As
he was about replying some one called
him. He left me-
Just then a boy came in and scattered
half a dozen small printed handbilIs thro'
the bar.
What arc them p gruilly aaked tie
landlord.