The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1864-06-08
Selett alistelIauy.
NICK DUDLEY.

The pleasant village of Springdale was
all agog with curiosity when Nick Dudley
returned from California--Nick the ne err
do-well, who had run away from his drunk
en- old fathers horsewhip ten years ago,
and now come back rich
All the gossips OF the little noighborhood
were in perfect llutter. The young misses
donned their brightest smiles aud most
captivating caicoes. The young fellows
were furious with envy The minister in
troduced a period in his long prayer with
reference to the wanderers return !" and,
in fact, never in New England was seen
such tlutter as perva1ed i'll this pretty
rustic hamlet when it was rumored and
confirmed that Nick had really got home.
The poor Widow Dudley hal made her
few preparations for the event with fear
and trembling, for she scarcely expected
from her runaway son anything save a
repetition of her reprobate husbands neg
lect yet she spread her little table with
the best her scanty store afforded, and
smcothed her faded gown with trembling
fingers, when she heard the rumblng Of
the stage wheels. 70 Widow Dudley, and
to Nick himself, all this hubbub and COM
motion was lost neither OF them minded
it bit.
Nick bought back the old farm which
his parental ancestor had succeeded in
mortgaging 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 a new wag.
on, of rather rallish and sporting appear
ance, behind the fastest pair of chestnut
mares ever seen in that country. But he
civilly declined all invitations to tea-par-
ties, sewing circles and quilting bees; was
| invincible at town-meetings and fancy
fairs asked no one to visit him, returned
no calls, and, in fact, as pretty Miss Lang
| ford remarked, confidently, to Lizzie Hop
kins and the Deacon's daughter, behaved
more like savage injun, or a horrid old
miser, than decent Christian, and the
handsomest fellow in Springdale to boot"
| One or two of Nick's old schoolmates
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 Califor-
nian received them, politely, to be sure
| but coldy as an animated ic'cle. They
spoke of walls hung with rifles, Indian bows
and rich furs of cabinets filed with out
landish bits of rocks, which sparkled in the
idols carved of solid gold OF gorgeous
oloaks flung over grea, elk antlors, of In
dian scalps, trinmphantly stretched upon
hoops daubed with ycrmillion, and of Nick
himself, strangest of aIl-tall and swart
with his great beard and dreamy eyes, and
ugly red scar athwart his forehead never
flushed nor disconnected his voice sweet
as a womans and full Of tenderness when
Iva snOlsa Of nr fn his nlu mOthar
Folks wondered that ne should come
home If he couldn't conduct himself little
more socially and neighborly and indeed
many rurmised that he would not have re-
turned at all had it not been for his mother
But at ary rate, there he was, and they
must make the best Of him. Rich, zoo
no doubt of that for didn't he lend Squire
Fordham three thousand dollars, and all il
double eagles, after the latter's mill was
burned But then he took All unconscious
able rate of interest--seyen per cent.
not mill less what regular old Shylock
he must be! And as set off TO his riches
don't he drink wine every day at dinner
with his fathers awful fate before him
and amt he forever with pipe between
his teeth? aud didn't lie play cards and
carouse and sing songs all night, aud drive
Iahont the country all day with thase friends
of his who came from Boston? Old mates
in the mines were they; humplf Guess
gamblers, with their supertiie broadclotl
and thir gold chains and things"
SO went the gossip, aud Nick cared fol
it all not red cent, but went on his way
turning neither to the right nor TO the left
dabbliiig little in fancy cattle oftenel
going Off for a days shooting or fishing
more often going down to Boston Tor no
body knows Shati evideAtly enjoying i.l'
in his own way. despite all that WAS sal,
of him aud his goings on.
At last the war broke ont. The youne
men enlisted by soores--by hHudreds--an'
by thousands, Weeping mothers pache,
their kits, and said "GDl bless You. So
broken circles met around homely board
IN the brown farm houses. Poor old latll
ers, with stern faces aud sal hearts strain
ed every nerve 10 make both ends meo
while the boys were away fighting an
sweethearts aud wives sat tuemseive
; I l. a