, 1864-01-02
The Undiscounted Dutchmau.

Dutchman, who kept sort of a travellers
rest rather, believe, lest he should be
Obliged to entertain travellers for nothing,
than from any great desire to add to the
profits Of his farm. 1t was scene, and an
evening, that made me melancholy, with the
fear of some day dying, and leaving world
so lovely.
The house was situated on a rising
ground behind which, and close at hand,
rose majestic mount, not savage with
rocks and ragged precipices, but exhibiting
green foliage unbroken to the very top,
whose graceful waving outline brought to
the mind images Of peace. In front was
spread the richest little vale l ever saw
whose meadows and cornfelds, the latter ris-
ing half dozen feet about the fences, and
the former speckled with sheep and cattle,
succeeded each other in rich luxuriance.
At one extremity ran branch Of the river
Shenandoah, half hid among the high elms
and sycamOres and little further on, rose
peak hill, behind which the sun was
setting. Everything seen was peace itself,
and everything heard, akin to silence; and
only serving to render it still more striking
in the intervals, sometimes the cOwbell's far
off tinkle came fluttering on the transient
breeze-sometimc the negrOs sOnorous and
resounding laugh walked the mountain echo
sometimes his inimitable whistle, emu
lating tho fife, and occasionally his song,
which, mcllowed by the distance, was sin
gularly melodious. As long as live shall
never forget that scene.
1t was, in truth, a place for a man to
make his home and the honest Dutchman,
for such he proved himself, not only by his
dialect, but by his invincible predilection
for his rich bottoms, seemed to think as
much; for he appeared to be actually con-
tented-a rare thing in this world. In the
calm leisure of the dusk of the evening, he
and his dame-and jolly dame she was
good natured as lark, and Us round as
dumpling-came and sat with us in the
porch he with his pipe; and she with her
snuff.box, bearing the likeness of Commo-
dore Porter. This custom is highly es-
chcwed by all orthodox English travellers
but for my part, if man is not wilfully
Obtrusive, and transgresses no law of eti-
quette that he knows Of, like his company
and can always get something amusing and
instructive from him.
Mine host seemed such rare comforta-
bic sort Of n dog, that determined to know,
if possible, how he became so and in order
to entitle myself to his history, told him
mine beforehand; for country people are
always little cautious. The story of the
Burgomaster and justice, (fOr 50 he an
nounced himself) in substance, was as fol-
lows -
al married." said he, "at the age Of
twenty-six-though perhaps you won't be-
lieve il, my wife was reckOned q beauty in
her day-my fortune was three hundred
pounds and negro man; and my wife
brought me great chest filed with, dare
say, six hundred pctticoats and short gowns,
which have lasted till this day; so her
clothing cost me nothing. This was what
we had to commence the world with. After
looking about little, I bought this farm,
which, being much worn and out Of order, !
got cheap. What l had was enough to
make the FIRST payment, and the rest was
to be divided into three equal annual install
ments.
"The farm, as I said, was in poor order,
the fields good deal worn out, and the
fences bad, the houses very old. But there
was no time to groan; for the year was
coming about and the money must be paid.
So, Tom and l, and often my wife, turned
out carly and late, and worked like horses
and after selling my harvest, carried my
first payment home in hard dollars.
SWELL" continued the Dutchman, "the
next year l went on still better, paid the
money still easier, and at the third year my
farm was my own. We now thought to
make ourselves comfortable by building
another home, for we had but poor one
before, SO in the spring / set to work as
soon as the frost was out Of the ground.
al burnt my own bricks and limo, from
my own limestone and clay, and furnished
boards and timber from my own farm. In
the meantime the war came on and il is
On IN wind that blows nobody good, the
number Of wagons passing this way in
creased every day, because produce could
not 60 round by the sea. sold all my
produce right at the door, except my wheat.
If that was high, / could afford to send
the floor to market; and If not, / cut II
into shorts to feed the wagOners' horses.
BY the time my house was finished, it was
paid for, and now / don't know what l
shall build next, for my part. 1 am forty
three years old. 1 have five hundred acres
Of as fine bottom as any in Virginia-a
good grist-mill and saw-mill, and tolerably
good wife, If l could only make 6ne lady
Of her, but she sticks TO the old chest like
. moth-a decent house over my head, and
l owe no man shilling except Tom, who
by now and then raising little grain, shoot
ing deer, waiting on travellers, has in my
hands enough 70 buy his freedom, but he is
already free for that matter, and knows he
can 60 where he pleases."
"Pray," said |, did you ever get dis
count r'
IA discount! what is that? ?" said the
Dutchnian.
"Did you ever borrow money Of bank
and mortgage your land for itT
"No, no." said he, Z" wasn't such fool
as that. My poor neighbOr, whose house
you see over the river yonder, with the
windows broken and no smoke to the Chin
ney, played a trick Of that kind but his