Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-12-17
The Laadlady Of the Golden shsaf


part Of Hampshire, England, where we learned
reading, writing, and ncedlcwOrk, polite be-
haviour aud the country dances. was sew
cntecn, and the eldest Of ten children. My
fathers farm was but small one, held OH
lease from our rich nCighbor, Farmer Dickson,
the principal mnn in our parish after the squire.
lie hnd two farms leased from him besides my
father's and large one which he titled him
SELF kept a rctinue Of men and maids, did the
best plOughing, turned out the finest cattle,
and made vast deal Of money by his dniry.
His wife had died before ! wns born, and his
house was kept In prime order by the young
est Of his aunts, Miss MillwOOd. lie had nci-
thcr son nor daughter but Master Harry, whom
every body thought q sensible and very hand
sopIe young man, and not half 10 purse proud
as his father. Being our landlord and next
neighbOr, Farmer Dickson took great interest
in us lie Sad the family was too large for
my father and mother to manage without ad-
vice but providing for them was their chief
difficulty and when they heard that distant
relation Of his, Mrs. Williams of the Golden
SheaC wanted well brought up girl, not aS a
servant, but to help in the housekeeping,
they thought it might be n good situation for
1 me.
To tell the whole truth, there was another
reason for my going. Before l left school
Harry Dickson had begun to pay mo atteR-
tions; not that encouraged him much, but
he would come after me, and it did not please
his father. The old man thought his son
should look higher than poor farmers daugh.
ter; and my parents having good bit Of
pride, were Just rs angry when they came to
know it. My father said he hoped no daugh.
ter Of his would ever tempt young man to
disObey his father. My mother said she hoped
| had more spirit than to wish to marry into
family who did not think us good enough for
| them. Ol course my father aud mother were
right. gave Harry back his ring, but it was
after a good deal Of crying. lie sworc he
would never marry another woman, though
! his father should diSinherit him; and TO Let
Farmer Dickson and the whole country sec
that we were not set on trapping his son, it
was determined that should 80 TO Mrs. VIII
! lams.
| My father went one dSt 10 consult her, and
when nil was aureed, he took mo and my trunk
/ respectfully in the London coach, which then
passed through Chattord, our village, aud
stopped ut ;hc Golden Sheaf For country
inn, the house was large and handsome. 1t
had every convenience Of yard and Stabling, n
good garden, a fine orchard, and some hundred
acres Of corn mud meadow land. 1t was stu
atcd on the high road where Surrey and IIamp-
shire meet The ground was high; and from
its upper windows one could see many mile
along the road and over the country. Stage
coaches and carriers wagons stopped there {:
so did the country hunts aud the travelling
gentry. corn and cattle dealers on their way
1 to London, farmers to and from the market
towns and all who came or went, spoke well
Of the good housekeeping, the lair-dCalinE and
the general civiity of Mrs. Williams.
She was tall, thin woman, upright, active,
and still handsome, though bordering on sixty.
Her black hair was but thinly sprinklcd with
gray. She had good deal Of the gentlewo-
man In her manncrj always wore a black
taGinet gown, tamborcd apron, a cap Of Not
tingham lace, which was fine enough in those
times. But there was something in her look
so stern aud rigid that it made one careful Of
ones dOingS before her. Her story, which We
had heard in priSate from Farmer Dickson,
was both Snd and singular She had been
brought up in respectable country inn ofthe
county Cornwall, and married Iich farmer
lie left her carly widow, with an only daugh.
ter. She managed the farm well, however,
and was prosperous woman. Her daughter
grew up beautiful girl, aud the mothers
heart was wrapped up in her; but the son and
heir Of neighboring squire Induced her to
clOpe with him, and marriage into his high
family was not to be thought Of Mrs, Viii
Hams was woman Of high spirit, strict and
proud. 1t was said the poor girl never dared
let it DO known where she ltcd, for fear Of her
mother; and the squre'S son remained abroad.
But the old woman would not stand the dis.
grace she sold her house and farm, leit that
part OF the country, bought the Golden Sheal,
and set herself up where nobody knew her
family or history; she had been doing well for
many year.
Stern as she looked, Mrs. Williams was kind
to me, and did my best to please her. There
was good deal Of novelty and life to be seen
about the inn. | soon got over the parting
with my mother and sisters, and was trying
hard to think no more Of Harry, though had
made up my mind-mintlS are easy made up
at seventcen-to live unmarried for his sake,
Thus the summer wore away, the harvest pass.
cd, and the short dull days of November came
on. had got accustomed to the way Of the
house. Though good, it was an old one
There was the best kitchen, and the best par,
l0r opening from it numbers of paRtFirS, clos
cts, and cuphoards and stair behind the old
dresser, leading right up to Mrs. Williams
own room. 1t was over the porch, and had
windows on three sides, which gave her view
of all who came or went. Her accounts were
kept there, in an old.(ashioned oak desk SO
were her choice recipes, and she bad them for
making everything There was cupboard
set in the thick wall. its doors not to be dis
tinguished from the rest Of the wHinScot, in
which Mrs. Williams kept the most rare and
curious Of her stores. ] was once permitted
to see them, as a great privilege, for she never
trusted tho key to any hand but her own
There were spices and essences. costly at the
time Of INV story, and not common yet; old
China which had been brought by the first Of
the East India COmpany's ships; mixtures for
taking out stains; powders for destroying
moths; and poison invented for rats long NgO
by some Of the Cornish people. and Of such q
terrible nature, that if but one rat took it, all
the rest fled from the place, aud never came
back.
So Mrs. Williams told me; but won't
vouch COr il; and can only remember now
that the poison resembled nothing ever saw
but red pepper, which was an expensive lux
ury ut that time, and kept in the cupboard
also. 1t may be believed that was in great
favor, for not only were her treasures shown
to me, but had tea with Mrs. Williams n
the porch.rOOAA every evening. She took
kindly N me from the first, because exeTted
myself to learn hoHRe,keeriNg. wbiCh ny
mother OGlen said was the principal thing lOV
young woman expecting 20 have house oI
her own, and SIal more becauSe kept quiet
and sober, end had no looks Of levity. Moth
: ing Of that Kind would have been allowed
at the Golden SheAf inn. though il was, tbs