Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-06-09

CHAPTER ".
THE PREPARATION.
When the mail got successfully to Dover, in
the course of the forenoon, the head drawer at
the Royal George Hotel opened the coach.door,
as his custom was. He did itwith some flourish
of ceremony, for mail journey from London
in winter was an achievement to congratulate
an adventurous traveller upon.
By that time there was only one adventurous
traveller left to DO congratulated for the two
others had lAssn set down at their respective
roadside destinations. The mildewy inside of
the coach, with its damp and dirty straw, its
disagreeable smell, and its obscurity, was rather
like a larger sort Of dog kennel. Mr.. Lorry,
the passenger, shaking himself out of it, in
chains of straw, tangle of shaggy wrapper,
Tapping hat, and muddy legs, was rather like
larger sort of dog.
There will be Il packet to Calais tomorrow,
drawer?"
&C Yes, Sir, if the weather holds and the wind
sets tolerable fair. The tide will serve pretty
nicely at about two in the afternoon, Sir. Bed,
Sir?"
81 shall not go to bed till night; but want
bedroom, and barber"
And then breakfast, Sir. Yes, Sir. That
way, Sir, if you please. Show Concord y
Gentlemans valise and hot water to Concord
Pull off gentleman boots in Concord. (You
will find fine sea-coal fire, Sir.) Fetch barber
to Concord. Stir about there, now, for Con-
cord "
The Concord bed-cbambr being always as
signed to passenger by the mail, and passen-
gers by the mail being always heavily wrapped
up from head to foot, the room had the odd
interest for the establishment of the Royal
George, and although but one kind of man was
seen to 20 into it, all kinds and varieties OF men
came out of it. Consequently, another drawer,
and two porters, and several maids, and the
landlady, were all lettering by accident at vari-
GUS points of the road between the Concord and
the ooffee-room, when a gentleman of sixty,
formally dressed in brown suit of clothes,
pretty we'll worn, but very well kept with
large square cuffs and large flaps to the pockets,
passed along on his way to his breakfast.
The cofee-room had no other occupant, that
forenoon, than the gentleman in brown. His
breakfast-tabIe was drawn before the fire, and
as he sat with its light shining on him, waiting
for the meal, he sat SO still that he might have
hoox, s;++;,,. Co b;o rortroit
Very orderly ond methodical he looked, will
a hand on each knee, and loud watch ticking
sonorous sermon under his tapped waistcoat
as though it pitted its gravity and longevit.
against the levity and evanescence of the brisl
fire. He had good leg, and was little vair
of it, for his brown stockings fitted sleek ant
close, and were of a fine texture; his shoes ant
buckles, too, though plain, were trim. HI
wore an odd little sleek crisp haxen wig, setting
very close to his head which wig, it is to b
presumed, was made of hair, but which looke'
far more as though it was spun from flament
of silk or glass. His linen, though not of
fineness in accordance with his stockings, wa
as white as the top of the waves that broke upo
the neighboring beach, or the specks of sail tina
glinted in the sunlight far at sea. A face, ha
bitually suppressed and Quilted, was still lighte
up under the quaint wig by pair of mois
bright eyes that it must have cost their owner
in years gone by, some pains to drill to the CON
posed and reserved expressionof Tellson's Bank
He had healthy color in his cheeks, and hi
face, though lined, bore few traces of anxiety
But perhaps the confidential bachelor clerks i
Tellson's Bank were principally occupied wit
the cares Of other people; and perhaps second
hand cares, like second hand clothes, come easil
of and on.
Completing his resemblance to man VIII
was sitting for his portrait, Mr.. Lorry droppe
off asleep The arrival of his breakfast rouse
him, and he said to the drawer, as he moved h
chair to it
'' wish accommodation prepared for youn
lady who may come here at any time to-day
She may ask for Mr.. Jarvis Lorry, or she ma
only ask for a gentleman from Tellson's Banl
Please to let me know"
Yes, Sir Tesons Bank in London, Sir.
eyes"
"Yes, Sir We have oftentimes the honor
entertain your gentlemen in their travellr
backward and forward betwixt London ar
Paris, Sir. vast deal Of travelling, Sir,
Telson and Conpany's house"
"Yes. We are quite French house as We
as an English one
"Yes, Sir. Not much in the habit of SUE
travelling yourself, | think, Sir? "
"Not of late years. 1t is fifteen years sin
we-snce I-came last from France"
o. Indeed, Sir That was before my tin
here, Sir. Before our peoples time here, 81
The George was in other hands at that tim
Sir"
81 believe so.'
/" But would hold pretty wager, Sir, th
House like Tellson and Company WAS houris
ing, a matter Of fifty, not to speak of ftte
years ago
g You might treble that, and say hundr
and fifty, yet not be far from tho truth"
" Indeed, Sir .
Rounding his mouth and both his eyes, as
stepped backward from the table, the wait
shifted his napkin from his right arm to
left, dropped into comfortable attitude, a
stood surveying the guest while he ate q
drank, as from an observatory or watch-towC