The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1863-05-01
NICK DUDLEY.

The pleasant village of Springdale was
all agog with curiosity when Nick Dudley
returned from Calitornia-Nick the neer-
do well, who had run away from his drunk
en- old fathers hOrsewhip ten years ago,
and now came back rich!
All the gossips of the little neighborhood
were in perfect tiutter The young
misses donned their brightest smiles and
most captivating calicoes. The young tel-
lows were furious with envy. The minis
ter introduced a period in his long prayer
with special reference to "the wanderers
return;'' and, in fact, never in New Eng
land was seen such fiutter as pervaded
this pretty rustic hamlet when it was ru-
mored and then confirmed that Mich had
really got home.
The poor Widow Dudley had made her
few preparations for the event in fear and
trembling, Tor she scarcely expected from
her runaway son anything save a repeti-
ton OF her reprobate husbands neglect,
yet she spread her little table with the
best her scanty store afforded, and smooth
ed her faded gown with trembling fingers,
when she heard the rumbling of the stage
wheels. To Widow Dudley and to Nick
himself, all this hubbub and commotion
was lost neither of them minded it
whit.
Nick bought back the old farm which his
paternal ancestor had succeeded in mort
gaging twice over before he luckily broke
his neck built an addition to the farm
house flung out bay-window here and
piazza there; planted shrubbery; drove
his mother to meeting in new wagon, of
rather rakish and sporting appearance, be-
hind the fastest pair of chestnut mares
ever seen in that country. But he civilly
declined all invitations to tea-parties, sew
ing circles, and quilting bees; was invin-
chile at town meetings and fancy fairs; !;
asked no one to visit him; returned no
calls, and, in fact, as pretty Miss Langford
remarked confdentially to Lizzie Hop
kins, and the Deacon's daughter, "behav-
ed more like savage Injun, or horrid
old miser, than decent Christian, and
the handsomest fellow in Springdale to
boot.
One or two of Nick's old school-mates,
who ventured to introduce themselves to
his presence, told strange stories of the in
terview, and of the wonders to be seen
in the apartment where the returned Cali
fornian received them, politely, to be sure,
but coldly as an animated icicle. They
spoke of walls hung with rifles, Indian
bows and rich furs; of cabinets filled with
outlandish looking bits of rocks, which
sparkled in the sunlight like diamonds; of
silver mounted pistols, barbaric spurs and
bits, diabolicaf Mexican idols, carved of
solid gold; of gorgeous cloaks flung over
great elk antlers; of Indian scalps, tri-
umphantly stretched upon hoops daubed
with vermillion, and of Nick himself,
strangest of all-tall and swart, with bis
great beard and dreamy eyes, an ugly red
scar athwart his forehead; never flushed
nor disconnected bis voice sweet as
woman's and full of tenderness whenever
ne spoke of or to his old mother.
| Folks wondered that he should come
home if he couldn't conduct himself lit
tie more socially and neighborly; and,
indeed, many surmised that he would not
have returned at all had it not been for
his mother.
But at any rate, there he was, and they
must make the best of him. erich, too
no doubt of that, for didn't he lend Squire
Fordham three thousand dollars, all in
double eagles, after the latters mill was
burned2 But then he took an uncon-
scionable rate of interest-seven per cent,