Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-12-22
GRlo State{;surarr...
HAZEL EY MILL.
A story In Two Chapters,
CHAPTER 1.


Hazeley from the rising to the setting Of
the sun, as the clacking wheels whirl
steadily round to the music of the falling
waters, and the miller's, men hustle In and
out, and up and down at their dusty
labors, I.t
And a cheerful place is the mill when the
| light of day is cleaning and glistening on
| the rapid stream beside IL; and wagons
from the neighboring villages, or broad
| faced farmers, in their chaise carts, come to
and fro to traffic with the wealthy miller; or
tarry-for old acquaintance sake-on their
| way home from the town to discuss the rise
IN prices, or the latest news gathered there |;
| or to have a social chat and cup of tea,
with the miller's pleasant, hospitable wife.
But when night falls and work Is over,
| the spot wears, to unaccustOmed eyes, a
dull and solitary aspect. Ontwo sides the
| little river envirOns it closely; on the third
| the miller's garden and fields extend for a
considerable distance; and OH the other the
narrow highway alone separates the mil.
| ler's domain from few acres OF woo Hand,
| the poor remnant of whathad once been an
extensive forest. ......
Not house is nearer than cluster of
laborers' cottages, half.a-mie-away and
the village of Hazeley in itself but one
struggling street, lies 5 i'll further from the
| solitary mill. But those who once dwelt
within It knew no fears. For years thev
had found shelter and safety under its roof
even when floods from the adjacent hills
rOared around the very doorstep and iso-
lated them for days from the dry ground
beyond. p. -
Their most troublesome visitors were buC
a foot-sore tramp, whose thanks and bless
ings were easily won by seat in the porch,
and hearty meal; or-and this was but
rarcly-a gang of gipsies, whom the pru-
dent dame, with view to the safety of
her hen roost, while they encamped in the
vicinity. was careful to cOnciliate. ......f
Besides. Abel Weston, the miller, was
large-limbed and strong armed; and in the
peaceful valley where he lived and pros
pered. greater crimes than the petty pilier-
ing of saucy boys in the orchards or iarm-
yards, were almost unknown. .,..
From the time she was merry active
child, delighted to help Mrs. Westonin her
garden, or peep with awe-delighted eyes
into the mysteries of grinding and boiling,
Katie Morris, the neatest and prettiest little
girl in Hazrley, had been Il member of the
miler's household. u
I. At first she was welcomed as an amusing
visitors; then priced for her tender assidui-
ties, when the DANES eyes began TO fail,
and her once active limbs to stiffen; and
eventually, as Katie was one of large
family, whose parents could scarcely con-
trive to maintain them all, it was arranged
that she should receive regular wage for
her willing services. - -..t.. -u
From tbenceforth she resided entirely
with the aged touple; and as she blossom
ed into fir wOmanhoOd, her light football
ard merry songs filling the house with
pleasant sounds, the miller and his wife
grew to love their protege as dearly as ifshe
were their own child. ai.H e." lu ,
But her friends were not without that
frequent Enthusiastically pride. In their
great Bible there were registered genera
tions of stauhch yeomen, who had inter
married with the most reputable and
ancient families in the country; and Katie,
who had never heard reproachful word
from her indulgent employers, saw their
brows bdnt upon her sternly and disap-
provingly, when their nephew and heir,
handsome Hugh, so far forgot himself as
to linger by her side in the porch at twi-
light, and to steal kiss from her cheek as
they parted. "'i
Abel Weston could easily separate the
young people, and he did so, by sending
Hugh to London to see a little of the world,
under the guardianship of abustling trader.
who claimed kinship with him. But
would this root out the love with which
Katie had Inspired the lad? And if not,
what was to be done? g.t -os .-.i,, q
Hugh was ardent and npetuous, and il
aroused by aught he deemed unjdst, or even
|nngenerous. obstinate to degree. Against
his choice what had they to urge but her
poverty and her birth? They had well
liked Katie, and she deserved that they
should; but they never forgot that her
mother was the daughter of a carter who
had grown grey in theirown service, or that
her iatherl aye, here lay the greatest diff
Guilty of all ...,
Abel Weston had bis hobbies, as other
men have his violin, which he treasured
and caressed, and played with the enthusl-
asm of a fanatic; and his politics. >1.l f.,
A conservative, as his sires had been be-
fore him, he staunchly upheld Church and
STATE, and refused to believe that the party
for whom he yoted-whether in power or
out of power-could ever 10 wrong. And
his opinions and prejudices, strenuously
adhered to, and, always vehemently ex-
pressed, were sometimes rehearsed at the
White Horse at Hazeley, where the wealthy
miller was generally listened to with re-
speco. But Harvey Morris, the father of
Katie, a journeyman carpenter, Ia a paper
cap and a patched jacket, not only chose to
consider himself superior TO the farming
men who sat in the tap, and so quaffed his
occasional pint, at the door-Of the bar, but
lined in the conversation carried on by the
favored few admitted to seat within it.
And not content with this Intrusion, hehad
on more than one occasion ventured to con-
travene some OF the miller's assertions;
and to argue the rights and wrongs of the
wOrking-classes with all the rhetoricof an
intelligent, but uneducated aud dissatisfied
man. 81
I, This Morris with bis radical notions and
errors, must he be permitted to link him
self with their family, and, perhaps, infuse
his wild fancies into the mind of the young
and enthusiastic Hugh? Abel Weston had
begun by fostering distaste for the saucy
wOrkman, whose deDpnciations of the gov
ernment measures had shocked and disgust
ed him; but little by little the rancorous
feeling spread until it deepened into hate;
and In his wrath he declared to his grievlng
dame that he would sooner disinheret the
boy than see him the husband of Katie Nor
Katie was accounted by those who knew
her best high-spirited, quick-tempered
girl; but now she bore changed looks aud
cold words uncomp plainingly. 10 leave the
mill was to quit HaZeley, and very possibly
to see Hugh no more. r't
,Besi1ts, were not they who rebuked her
his nearest and dearest relatives? aud for
his sake what could she not endureP By
and-by-so she hopefully argued-7they
would see that the love which had sprung
up in their bosemswas no light passion,
which would witheP beneath the first cloud
in the sky; and, sahdued by her patience
and Hugh'e entreaties, his uncle would
withdraw his taClt opposition, and they
sxs.l1 hrI Iaana,n