Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-07-24


its neck a gold chain and ring with a
beautiful coronet on the seal, so that the
mother fattered herself that the donor
was great lord, and augured prosperity |
to her daughter from so propitious an
event. Tommy heard the report with
great satisfaction. 'Odds splutterface J"
he said, as he lay groaning on his bed
with gout and Rheumatism, in addition to
angina pectoris and spasms in his sto-
mach, 81 be glad the nobleman's chain
and ring, out O. mothers old purse, is so
highly valued. All, Susan Proddy the
miller never loved thee as / did-and its
very hard that l can't expect to livem more
than few months, for should like to
see what comes O. thy fair child-the
nurse called her Susan Proddy, which
gave me palpitation OF the heart. 0 if l
could live twenty years to learn what
fortune befalls the darling Susan the
second-but it amt O no use wishing. I
shall be gone in three weeks
But Tommy was again disappointed.
Eighteen years after his visit to Wake
field. he found his way to Warwick,
where, in St. Mary's church, a noble
marriage was to take place. Stephen
Honeydew was about to become the hap
py husband of Susan Proddy's daughter,
the lovely Susan Proddy Dodger; and
from a gallery at the side of our friend
the valetudinarian was witness to the
ceremony. Susan Proddy, now Mrs.
Dodger, had lost some portion of her
youthful beauty, for she was now rather
crooked, and not quite so graceful in her
walk as when we saw her crossing the
churchyard with the water pail on her
head. But in Tommy's eyes she was
Venus and all the graces still. As the
procession went forth, he staggered down
to the porch, and placed himself SO ex-
actly in the middle that the bride was
forced to touch him with her sleeves as
she glided past. The touch of her arm
gave him new life. He ceased to cough
+. for moment flood of warm blood
rushed into his heart. He looked rounc
for tho original Susan Proddy, but a fa
: man at her side pushed him out of tht
q way.
"Spludders! !' exclaimed the invalid
: 81 always hated that miIler-but what
r the use O hating, or liking either l can
T have long to live, only it would be 81
pleasant to survive to see if there's eve
S a family from this here wedding. II
e keep my ears open for this Maste
l Honeydew, but they can't keep opel
/ long. I've got the collie, and knots O.
e my ancles, and cataract in my eye, an
% swelling in the joints, and wen on m
e neck, and carbuncles on my arm. So
must get home in time to die"
+, Perhaps all these diseases counteract
b, ed each other, and left Tommy in perfet
II health. He found means before he LEI
d, Warwick, to forward to the bride anothe
l. ring which he had taken out of his motf
r er's store a plain gold ring with th
commencement of the motto "Honi''-
/ perhaps it was the ring of Richard hin
=; self, or at all events of a Knight of th
lie Garter ;-and having placed this la
lie memorial of his affection for Susan Proc
~ dy in the hands of her daughter, he IT
7e turned in peace to his native village.
,h And did he die? No. He said /
IL would keep his ears open but mar
~ things passed in those agitating days
We English history which never reached Il
r. Shropshire village where the Athlete
e. Tom resided. Mr.. Honeydew, who h;
d. Married Susan the second, wasa constab
n and sheriff's officer, who made himst
he very useful to Henry the Eighth. I
Mt ferreted out rich Abbots, and turn'
Nuns out of their houses. He hang
en- refractory Monks with his own hands, al
ny enriched himself with the spoils of t
an Monasteries. When cloud came ov
go his fortunes in Mary's time, he turned
to aside by wearing white sheet, and aft
an penance, being received into the he
he church. He compensated for past sc:
om ieges by presiding at the Smithfeld fir
1ut He broke Latimer's head with blow
of billet of wood, and pierced Cranm
or with red hot poker. He was serva
of his sovereign and his country, a
ca thought obedience the first duty of
nly subject.
VS. When Elizabeth came into power
MT recanted once more, and was so use
len in the discovery of plots and exacti
nv fines from traitors, that he died immen
in ly rich, and was buried in Westminis
zen Abbey. OF all these changes TOmi
to continued ignorant He had been 8
ing prised at the visit of certain commissi'
= - 4. ,.,.:crx tIo ohuroh af ronerv a