Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-05-02
SITTING IN ONES BONES.
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There isn't young man in all Rich
mond who works as hard as my George
no, not one."
Soisaid old George Grantham, one of
the most respected citizens of Richmond,
Virginia, good many years ago. The
old man had once been wealthy but a
series Of misfortuues and a gradual decline
in the value of his property had impaired
his circumstances and instead of leaving
his only son a competency as he had
once expected to do, he now looked for
ward with considerable anxiety to his
prospects of success in the profession he
had chosen. Young George was to be a
doctor. His father could not afford to
send him to Europe to study, nor indeed
WAS it then thought necessary but no ex-
pense was spared to procure the latest
works and the best paraphernalia Of the
craft. As for George himself, he was
like all young men OF his age. He was
anxious to work, and quite resolved in his
vague way 10 succeed IN life and make a
name for himself; but he did no: thirst
for medical knowledge sufficiently to en-
Joy may hours consecutive reading. If
the truth were told, he preferred hard
ride in the country with his friend Lind
say, or Il tramp through the country in
search of game. Better still, the rogue
liked to spend an hour or more of an
evening by the side OF pretty Lucy Prime,
who-I blush for the first families as
wrte-having been lett destitute by the
death of an extravagant father, had
courageousy hired small room for hers
self. and stuck ON The door a little 81 gn,
Miss Prime, Dressmaker."
But Of all these llkings Of his " boy
George" old Mr.. Grantham, in the innO-
cence of his heart. knew nothing. So far
as he saw, George spent the whole OF his
leisure hours in reading. So sedulOus
did he seem, that at times it flashed across
the kind fathers heart that his boy might
be over. working himself; and on these
occasions he would himself insist on
George spending day or two in the
country with the Lindsays, who kept
faithfully the secret Of his frequent visits
TO their place. There was however one
person who was less easily deceived than
the old gentleman that was George 5
aunt, Miss Betsy Grantham. AS com
mon place as her nephew, aunt Betsy's so.
journ on this planet was divided between
the duty of worrying Mr. Grantham, his
son and the servants. and the reaction OF
dispensing charities TO the poor with cross
words and a vinegar aspect. If Mr.. Gran
than had set his heart upon seeing George
great doctor, aunt Betsy had set hers
upon developing in him the noble chris
tian virtues of patience and endurance
Never for an hour did she suffer him to
rest: he could not act, speak, or even look.
but she found in the deed, speech OF
glance, material for sermon. Only when
he was at work could he hope to escape
her, as his father had forbidden the house
hold to disturb his studies.
His room was in small building in the
rear of his fathers house, communicating
with it by gallery. Opposite his win
dow was that of the aged spinster's bed
room. In the exercise Of her authority
as housekeeper. she had placed his table
in such position in his room that she
could see from her window whether be
was at work or not and woe betide the
luckless youth, if Miss Betsy's sharp eye
fell upon an untenanted chair. when he
was absent from the family circle. When
this arrangement was first made, George
had reused himself to protest and even tc
show rebellion against it but latterly he
had submitted and Miss Betsy was forced
to confess that whatever hour of the even.
ing she stationed herself at the post of OBJ
servation-and she tlattened her old bony
nose against the window at least half a
dozen times before she went to bed, and
got up once or twice in the night to re-
peat the operation-George's ample dres-
ing gown and his smoking cap were to be
seen in the right place.
| 1t was sometime after this victory o
aunt Betsy's-one evening between nine
and ten-that Mr.. Grantham made the
remark quoted above to his friend anc
neighbor, old DR.. Timms. 1t 10 to b.
feared that the gentleman had sordic
object in view in making it-for Timm'
had the largest practice in the place, anc
was an upright and highly respectable
citizen. Moreover he had recently mar
ried young and giddy wife from New
York, and was beside comfortably rich
everybody said he ought to take part
ner. DR.. Timms had half admitted a
much, as the two old fellows prosed il
Grantham's drawing room, adding:
eff l were bachelor still, Grantbam,
shouldn't mind it. But you see Mrs. Timm
is good deal younger than you or m
she likes company. and don't blam
her for it; but sometimes think it's NO
right for her to be going to parties wit
young men whom 1 hardly know fro1
Adam. while 1 am out visiting my pa