Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-11-15
A Positive Character.

A Positive Character.
A few years ago We bad occasion to take
journey in a stage coach, through a part o
one of the eastern States. UvOn the piazz'
of a wsyside inn where the vehicle Stopped
to take in supplies for the motive power
namely. pail Of water for each o! the fouI
gallant steeds, and glass Of lerhaps the
same liquid for their condGctor- there stood
an elderly woman, clad in snuf-eolored
gown, green berage vaIl, and bonnet whose
very decorations stood ont with defiant air
as il the wearer might be adyantageously
employed By the " strong Minded to
march to Washington and demand the
rights they have 60 long petitioned Tor in
vain. Her face seemed 10 be mostly com
posed of pair Of blue sIcctaelcs snda nose
whose length and sharpness seemed to indi-
cate that it had been expressly intended to
be thrust into other peoples business. She
was surrounded by baggagc-tfunk, band
! baskets and Iarcels, Of divers shapes
;OlOrs, the most Of which she insisted
/ ~ taking inside Of the coach, nOtwith-
standing the assurances Of the driver that
they would be Pc fecily safe On the top.
" Umph safe know bow safe things are
atop of a stage. If You don, losc all you We
got, You are lucky"
Sensible woman No doubt every occu-
pant Of the coach could respond assentingiy
IN his heart TO that speech, although leck-
ing the independence TO make similar one
What comfort and what a safety valve TO
the outraged feelings OF timid travellers, is
an occasional meeting with one of those
fearless mouthpieces Of au injured public;
The driver had opered the colloquy in
that frankly benevolent. particularly per-
s0nal regard manner which the most pleas
ant class Of public servants have learned N
these days of hypocrisy t. assume but the
old lady proved 20 imperyous 90 the idea
that any one would look after her interests
IT she did not DO 80 herself. that Jehu be-
gan 10 show signs Of wrath. She could not
very well ask place inside for her trunk,
but he wisely saw it vel bestowed upon
the Toot-not allowing it TO be '' put atop
Of c'crythiug to pitch of a the fret hill. |
nor under anything, to scratch the kIver all /
up That matter arranged. iheY seized /
her bandhox with the in;eutiou Of clev4iing /
1t 10 the same lofty position; but she |
pJunced upon 1t with shrIek-''l guess /
you will have my best bonnet kn0ckin' I
round up there in the dust ,' and forth
with deposited II inside
90 Look here We can't allow You 20 on up
the coach with your traIs. Here jim,
hand mc up that basket
TIE old lady turned upon Jim with grim
defiance d" You touch that basket IT you
dare Then looking up az the driver.
'' You imQ,dout teller There'- jar o'-a-s
IN there wuth more n your god or nrttiu'
skin. NJ, shan have t, paw Tor two
seats. nuther. can carry 1t in ms lap
IN strong enough for that. gu,--
' " I'll, come. its about time YOU gut
aboard You sc hindcred Us about an hour
how
%, good woman wa- Just 90 act of en-
tern the coach when thi. cxaggtrar-n fell
up.l cr ear She withdrew her foot from
the s;, %, and standing rIgidly upright. and
boxing al the man with "A Puriamc4l tx
preston OF c1uutenauce. viii D. none but
New E1glaudCr can command asked 10 the
most severely solemn tone Young man.
Do yJu know what becomes 'hars ?.'
The young man gave grlwl Of disgust,
and Jwitching the "ribh1us, 80 said .'hc'd
show her what would become Of her. pres
entity, whereuTon she lost no time IN Sc
curing Ter place-;rue To her interests TO the
last
All tLc passengers bad eujovei ihi- scene.
with the exception 1f the tat man, who as
usual. occupied o. Whole seat; and Boz looked
nn with kind II stolid gloom n the pros
lect Of having o. share 10 with such an in
ividual. But the object oi bis dread paid
no attention to any ol those about L,r until
Size had e-cauced herself o. lcr satisfaction
and hts, judgement in the midst 0f hcf par
,els wlen she turned her scrl'inizrE Eaz.
upon fr>t one and then another of her fellow
travellers, 40 last allowing DC Co fc-t upon
ne. who bad tie good fortune Goo be- seated
irrec'ly opp site. After siudy'u. ue for
while in silence, she addressed mc
e Travelled iar?'
90 Prom Syracuse, ! answered.
" Syracuse Where's that ?''
Sc In tie central part Of the State Of New
York '
%. Oh, New York. Travelling alone?'
80"
' That amt your husband over there, Is
il! ' o. No. - noidin. towards the flt man.
'' int married. ! pose ?'
d" -, am.
.. Glr any cbldrcn?'
Yes.
'' Now. how many
.' Ihre-"
.' All gals"
'' Two girl- and 1ue son
NV replies although not made IN an un-
kind tone, were 50 brief that the Old lady
could not make any conversation out OF them,
especially she seemed more bent upon ac-
quirirg than imIarting knowlcdg, so she
LEANED back IN the seat. casting about iu her
mind. as judged, for anothc. qGestila. The
interchange Of a word and a smile with my
comp ,niou, presently furnished her with
the enc She bent towards me. and, putting
her { &C clO-e TO mine, said the most consider
ately confidential manncr-'.See here, them
ain false teeth in your mouth. be they -
r. was too much, hid kept my coun.
ten. re like a cOUrtier under the first exam
in n, but this question induced a fl Of
lau. Ter which no sense of Tolitenes- could /
Iesrr 10. | was sorry % see tLat It had
cos Try effect upon the seeker after useful |
IL. nation, who frowned upon Us with an |
ail injured innocence, that only made II |
more impossible for u 20 control our TIsa- |
blcs and It was probably as great a relief |
Jo her d. il WAS 10 n when tie arrival Of |
the stage a. c. ended Our journey. and left |
her at liberty 20 pursue her inquiries anon. |
the rest Of her travelling companions.
Miss DIcSENsoN.-The Providence Jo.rHal
asks "what l. the source Of Mrs Dickcu-1n's
power over her audiences - and answers the
question very fairly, VT think, as follows
Her power Of attraction Ger .ainly does
not consist in her personal charms. With
OUT beauty or personal ad0rnment she CON-
maud- the uuwta-led, and. ut times, almost