The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-11-20
HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT,
BY ANTHONY TRoLL0PE.
Continued
CHAPTER VII.

MISS JENNA STANBURY OF EXETER.
Miss Jemima Stanbury, the aunt of
our friend Hugh, was a maiden lady,
very much respected, indeed, in the city
of Exeter. 1t is to be hoped that no
readers of these pages will be so I'M
English as to be unable to appreciate
the difference between county society
and town society,-the society, that is,
of a provincial town, or so Ignorant as
not to know also that there may be per-
sons so privileged, that, although they
live distinctly within provincial town,
there is accorded To them, as though by
brevet rank, all the merit OF living IN
the country. In reference to persons so
privileged, it is considered that they
have been made free from the cOntamln-
alton of contiguous bricks and mortar
by certain inner gifts, probably of birth,
occasionally of profession, possibly OF
merit. 1t is very rarely, indeed, that
money alone will bestOw this acknowl-
edged rank; and in Exeter, which, by
the striugency and excellence of its
well defined rules on such matters,
NAV perhaps he said to take the lead OF
all English provincial towns, money
alone has never awaited. Good blood,
especially if it he blood good in Devon
shire, is rarely rejected. Clergymen
are allowed within the pale,-though
by 10 means as certainly rs used to be
the case; and, indeed, III these days OF
literates, clergyman have to pass harder
examinations than those ever imposed
upon them by bishops chaplains, before
they are admitted Gd eaRdCm among the
chosen ones of the city of Exeter. Inc
wives and daughters of the old preben
diaries see well to that. And, as has
been said, special merit may prevail.
Sir Peter ManCrudy, the great Exeter
physiciau, has won his way in,-not at
all by being Sir Peter, which has STOOD
i'm his way, rather than otherwise, but
by the acknowledged excellence OF his
hook about saltzcs. Sir Peter Mancrudy
is supposed TO have quite mctropoli-
tan, almost European rcputation,-
and therefore is acknowledged to be-
long to the county set, although lie new
er dimes ont at any house beyond the
limits of the city. Now, letit be known
that no imhabitant of Exeter ever
achieved clearer right to be regarded
as County" in opposition To town.
than had Miss Jcmima Stanbury. There
was not tradesman in Exeter who was
not aware of il, and who did not touch
his hat to her accordingly. The men
who drove the dies, when summoned To
take her out NJ night, would bring oats
with them, knowing how probable 1t
was that they might have to travel far.
A distinct apology was made II she was
asked to drink tea with people who
were simply "town." The Noels of bod
descombe Leigh, the CliilOrds of Bud
leigh Salteron, tho PowelS of Haldon,
the Cheritons OF Alphington,-all coun-
ty persons, but very frequently in the
city,-were greeted by her, and greeted
her, on terms of equality. Her most in
innate friend was old Mrs. MacHugh,
widow of the last dean but two, who
could not have stood higher had she
been the widow of the last bishop. And
then, although Miss Stdnhury was init
mate with the Trenches of HeaYitrcc,
with the Wrights of NOrthernhay, with
the ApjOhns of lIeliOn Nilla,a really mag
nificent house, two miles ont of the city
on the Creditor Road, and with the
Crumbies of Croustadt House, Saint
Ide's.-who would have been county
people, If living in the country made
the Observation-Disclosures she was init
ner to them was not the same, nor was
it expected to be the same, as with those
of her acknowledged set. Taese things
are understood in Exeter so well
Miss Stanbury belonged TO she county
set but she lived in large brick house,
standing in the Close, almost behind
the Cathedral. Indeed, it was 50 close
TO the eastern end of the editice that a
carnage could not be brought quite up
to her door. IL was large Lrict honsa
very old, with door in the middle and
five steps ascending To it between birL
iron rails. On each side of the door
there were two windows on the rround
floor, and above that there We're three
tiers of five windows each, and the
house was double throughout, having as
many windows looking out behind into
q gloomy courtyard. But the glory of
the house consisted in this, that there
was a garden attached TO it,-a garden
with very high walls, over which the
boughs of trees might be seen, giving to
the otherwise gloomy abode touch OF
freshness in the summer, and look OF
space in the winter, which, no doubt,
added something to the reputation even
of Miss Stanbury. The fact-for it was
fact-that there was no glOOmier or
less attractive spot i'll the whole city
than Miss Stanbury's garden, when seen
inside, did not initiate against this ad-
vantage. There were but half a dozen
trees and a few square yards of grass
InaI was never green, and a damp uu-
graVeiied path, on which no one ever
walkeu. Seen irom the inside, the gar
ueh was not much; but, from the out
side, 1T gave distinct charac.or IN rho
house, and produced an unexpressed
acknowledgment that the owner of -
ought to belong to the county set
The hOuse,and all that was in II, Lelong.
ed to Miss Stanbury herself, as did ais,
many other houses in the neighborhood
She was the owner of the Cock and
Bottle" very decent second. class inn
on the other side of the Close, an inn
supposed to have clerical tendencies,
which made it quite suitable for II close.
The choristers took their beer there,