, 1860-12-07
The Landlady Of the Golden sheaf

young lduIeS, buc uOst Beuteel sClOOi III Jul 20.
Of Hampshire, England, where we learned read
ing, writing, and needIework, polite behavior and
tho country dances. ] was tho eldest Of ten
children. My fathers farm was small one,
held on lease from our rich neighbor, Farmer
Dickson, the principal man in our parts alter the
squire. lie had two iarlns leased from him be
sides my fathers, and large one which he TILED
himself; kept q retinue Of men and maids, did
the best plowng turned ont the finest cattle, and
made vast deal Of money by his dairy. His
Wifs had died before | was born, and his house
was kept in prime order by the youngest Of his
tu its, Miss hi dwoOd. He had neither son nor
daughter but Master Harry, whom everybody
thought q sensible and very handsome man, and
not hall so purse-proud as his father. Being
our landlord and next neighbor, Farmer Dick.
son took q great deal Of interest in US. He said
the family vas too large for my father and mother
to manage without advice; but providing for
them was the chief difficulty; and when they
heard that a distant relative Of his, Mrs. VIII
liams, Of the Golden Sheaf, wanted well brought
up girl, not as a servant but to assist in the
housekeeping, they thought il might be good
situation for me.
To tell the whole truth, there was another rea-
son for my going. Before left school, Harry
Dickson had begun to pay me attentions; not
that | encouraged him much but he would
come after me, and il did not please his father.
The old man thought his son should look higher
than to q farmers daughter; and my parents,
having good bit Of pride, were just as angry
when they heard Of L. My father said he hoped
no daughter Of his would ever tempt young
man to disObey his father. Mother said she
hoped had more spirit than to wish to marry
into family who did not think me good enough
for them. gave Harry back his ring, but It
A.. - Ia hu
would never marry another woman, though his
father should disinherit him aud to let Farmer
dickson and the whole country see that we were
not set on trapping his son, il vas settled that
should 60 to Mrs. WilliapIs i3bIo1ia.
Ny father went one day to consult her, and
wh,n all was agreed, he tonk me respectfully in
the London coach, and III n passed through
ClatsIOrd, our village, and stopped at the Golden
SheaE For country inn, the house was large
aud handsome. Il had every convenience Of
yard and stabling, good garden, fine orchard,
and some hundred acres Of corn and meadow
land Il was situated on the high road where
Hampshire and Surrey meet The ground was
high; and from the upper windows one could
sec many mile along the high road and over
the country.
Stage coachcs and carriers wagons stopped
there, so did the country hunters and the trav-
ethE 6FNuN Nolu ulNu NNAbiN dSatNAo VI oteh
way to London, farmers to and from the market
grounds aud all who came and went spoke well
Of the good housekeeping, the fair dealing and
general civility Of Mrs. Williams She was q tall,
thin woman, uprish', active and still handsome,
hJugh bordering on sixty. Her black hair was
but tbinly spTinkied with gray. She had a good
deal Of the gentlewoman IN her manners; always
wore black tabinet gown, tambOred apron,
and a cap Of Nottingham lace, which was fine
enough in these times. But there was IN her a
look so stern and rigid that il made one careful Of
ones doings before her. Her story. which we
had heard in private from farmer Dickson, was
both sad and singular. She had been brought
up in respectable country inn Of the county Il
Cornwell, and married a rich farmer. He leit
her carly widow, with an only daughter. She
managed the farm well, however, and was pros
porous woman. Her daughter grew up beau
iiful girl, and the mothers heart was wrapped
up in her; but the sou Of a neighboring squire
induced her 10 elope with him, as marriage in his
high family was not to be thought oE
Mrs. Williams was Q woman Of high spirit,
stIict and proud. 1t vas said thcpoor girl never
dared to let It be known where she lived; and
the squire's son remained abroad. But the old
woman could not endure the disgrace; she sold
her house and farm, left that part Of the country,
bought the Golden SheaG and set herself on
xGeIe " V..s ~ Anew ner nls'ory' one nAu oeen
uOss's ~s', ~ many ysaf. S. -,
o'e'n y rs ,ookeI, Mrs. wInans was =. k'no
~ ny seu S'I my ocs, 70 p,e,e ~ ne'' inere
was soou oea' o. novelty ana ,le 70 oe seen seen
aoou1 .ie lnh. LHopn sot eFeT une pArung S'.n !.
think no more Of Harry, though had made up
my mind to live unmarried for his sake. Thus
the summer wore away the harvest PAsseu, ana 2
.he snor. Iull oays o. Noven.ner came on.
naa g1seecuseoIhen q tne WAYS ol tne mouse. use
snuesn wss N o1 one. ln5Le Was tne oest
H'cnen ~ sau Jese Par'oT oPe.s r"', - "u'ioeis si
% pan'IeS, ~ o'oSees snI cupoos, p NM snI NJ,
,,eI.l ven,nu sne .' ussss gsus ,s"s ~ .s ~
hs% % w;0Sows SS on three sides is wbch Gs%s S,r %