East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-11-08
THE FAIR AT KEADY.


summer, made deeper impression upon
me than can tell. For years had not
seen such man. There was reality
and honest stuff in him, which, in living
with him and watching his daily going'
on, revealed itself quite new to me-
The people had been accustomed tc
meet, talk with, live with, were SO differ
ent. The tendency of each of these
was toward art in one form or other; and
there was certain sadness somehow In
the contemplation Of them. They fought
and strove bravely, but like the Old
Guard at Waterloo, it was brave fighting
on lost field. After years of toll there
were irremediable defects in that man,
picture, fatal flaws in that mans book
In all their efforts were failure and re-
pulse, apparent to some extent to them
selves, plain enough to me, the passion
less looker.on. That resolute, hopeless
climbing Of heaven Of theirs, was, accord
ing to the mood, thing to laugh at, oil
to weep over. With Penruddock, al
was different. What he strove after, he
accomplished. He had cheerful mastery
over circumstances All things went
well with him. His horses ploughed for
him, his servants reaped for him, his
mills ground for him successfully. The
very winds and dew were to him helps
and aids. Year after year, his crops
grew, were cut down and were gathered
into barns, and men fed thereon; and
year after year there lay an increase bal
ance at his bankers. This continual
ever-yictorious activity Of his seemed
strange to me. We usually think that
poets, painters, and the like, are finer,
more hcrocal than cultivators of the
ground. But does the production Of a
questionable book really surpass in merit
the production of field of unqucstiona.
Lle field of potatoes? Perhaps, in the
severe eyes Of the gods, the production
of wooden porringer, watertight, and
fit for household uses, is Of more account
than the rearing Of tower of Babe
meant to reach to heaven.
Peuruddock had promised to take me
to see the fair at Ready fortnight be
fore it came off, but was obliged on tht
day preceding that event, to leave hi'
farm at Arran-More on matter of import
ant business. 1t was a wretched day o
rain, and begun to tremble for the NOR
row. After dinner the storm abated
and dull dripping afternoon set in.-
While distempcred sunset flushed the
west, the heavy carts from the fields
came rolling into the courtyard, th'
horses fetlock deep in the clay, an(
steaming like ovens. Then, at the sounC
of the bell, the laborers CAME, wet, weary
sicllles hanging over their arms, yet will
spirits merry enough. These the capa
cous kitchen received, where they founC
supper spread, it grew dark earlier thar
usual and more silent. The mill-whee
rushed louder in the swollen stream, and
lights begun to glimmcr here and ther'
in the dusty windows. Penruidock haC
not yet come. He was not due for
couple of hours. The time began t
hang heavily; so, slipping to my bed,
solved every difficulty by falling asleep.
The lowing of cattle, the bleating o
sheep, the barking of dogs and the lou
voices of men in the courtyard beneath
awoke me shortly after dawn. In tn
silence that ensued / again fell asleef
and was aroused at last by the clangou
Of the breakfast bell. When | got u
the sun was streaming glorionsly throug
the lattced window; heaven was all th
gayer and brighter now for yesterday
gloom and sulky tears, and the rook
were cawng and Tapping chcerfully i
the trees above. When l entered tn
breakfast-room, Penruddock was alread
there, nothing the worse for his journe.
and the tea urn was bubbling on tn
table.
At the close of the meal, Tim brougl
the dog cart to the door. Pen glance
at his watch awe have hit the tim
exactly, and will arrive as soon as Mic
and the cattle" There was an encouray
I ing chir-r.r, flick of the whip, and in
trice we were across the bridge, and pc.
/, , ging along the highway at great pae
After proceeding about a mile, "
B turned into narrow path which gradus
! ly led us up into wild irregular countr
Com-felds, fax, tank, and sunny pastur