Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-06-24


problem during three pipes, after which he
went straight to the house Of the shoemaker.
Johnnie Swan was sour ill-iavored ava
ricous body Of shoemaker. the leader Of
the pot-housc politicians Of the village. and
a great theorist and original speculator in
morals and philosophy. On Sunday fore
noon, when Andrew hid the bag, our philos-
opher who was indsposed and unable to go
TO church, was behind the wall, in a position
to sce-without being seen-all Andrews
extraordinary proceedings, from the first
cautious peep Of his nose ont Of the back
door TO his steathily slipping into the house
again. What Andrew was about hc couldn't
exactly see nor did ne see the bag but he
argued with himself as to the probable mean
ing of the phenomena which he had witness
scd -
Folks may differ, but in ma opinion,
tisn't for naethng the mice come DOT. When
a sober body like Andrew Miller plays the
fule, and syne taks to "a hole in an auld dyke,
like a weasel, there's mair intilt than the air
o. the mornin Had yee cen i the back o
your head, man, Andrew, yed nae missed me
Won time. wi your want o. gumption; ae
look ahiut the dyke wad ha' done mair for
your secret than twunty glowerings over it.
a weo there's something in the wind ye'd
as weel hae peep O. ; sac grid your loins,
ma man. AM inspect the biggin. If there's
nae a nest WHARF the pee-weets whurl. yell
no be the waur o thryin' 10 find one.
Aud. with these sagacous observations,
johnny got over the wall, and commenced
search which in short time resulted in the
discovery of the bag Without stopping TO
inspect its contents, he buttoned his coat over
it. and went quietly home. calming what tugs
of conscience were in him. by rejecting on
the exceptions which prove the rule that hon
esty is the best policy. and with the following
among other sophisms:
ITS a kind o. treasure-trove. or what-d' We
, call-it. ] find it: sac it's a. my ain. an main
o. my neighbors. as Columbus said when he
, found Ameriky Some folks wadna hae
/ tooken it, and some folks arc fulcs. Ma, ma
/ Johnnie Swan; grup it weel. my man, an
/ say naething about it. Wise folks let the
nor wind come in by the chumley, but open
B their doors to the SOU wind an it's ma ika
Z day yell hae sic windfill as is moo under
q your oxters.'
Swan having got home without meeting any
j one, brief inspection Of his booty satisfied
him he had stumbled on a fortune. He had
no misgivings as TO the way in which he had
, done so. and. from the circumstance that no
j one was abroad. and that Andrew hadn t
caught him, no fear. lie was thwacking a
{ piece Of sole-leather ON the lapstonc on Mon
4 day forenoon. when Miller cast mis- shadow
across the door
J., "Hoos a wi you the day" said Andrew
. cheerfully but eveing his man so as to catch
I every shade Of feeling on his face.
b Johnnie was really much discomposed at
70 the unexpected apparition. vet he had nerve
S enough to thwock on at his work a he looked
h up. and nodding to Andrew to be seated, an
A swered
v "Gayly and brawly, neighbor; hoo's a wi
yoursolf:'
/, Though Andrew was Disconnected by this
! cooness, he proceeded in a friendly tone. to
4 make all the ordinary inquiries for the wife
G who was out on an errand for Thomas who
4 was IN shop in Kilmarnock; and for the
t girls who were out at service After this
e interchange Of commonplaces Andrew at last
, advanced to the object of his visit.
- Johnnie, said he, "we have been neigh.
e bors mony years moo. an aye sorted extraor.
; binary woel an I've long kent You fol pru-
{ dent sinsible person, wi a good head. iorby
heart. an that's hoo I'm come to ask your
b. advice the moo"
" Johnnie began to feel very uncomfortable,
; aud to look steadily at the rosin end which
E he had begun to fasten. when conversation
y made it proper he should lay by the lapstone,
2 aye ken I've made a sort o siller-atweel,
}, it cost me mucke wark. an mony years
= hainin to dot: more's the grief moo that ]
). Gamma keep it safe; but it will be disappearin
S in mar ways than can account for; an it's
h hard for a man not to feel safe o. his siler il
B. the midst o. his ain BARNS, though In
o ashamed to state it. So I'm thinkin o max
in an investment OF, an I've come to ask
r. your advice what to do wit. What nd W
?. say to layn' it DOT on land, Johnnie; If sill.
ler's weel laid out on land, there's aye a guild
!, return, We ken, forby the ieelin' o. bein' 4
2 proprietor; an / was thinkiu' that Thomas.
that fine grown up ladde o. your ain, wad
l. max guild steward, wi a the schuleing he +
5 gotten"
d Johnnie was very sorry to learn that An
e drews wife and daughters couldn't be trusted
a 1t was clear he should invest his money, and
j. land did really appear to be the best thing he
C could invest it in.
r "But, then, said Andrew, starting obiec
c tions for himself, since his friend was not dis
% posed to start any, "But then, managing farm