The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-06-09
THE HUNDRED POUND NOTE.

CHATTER 1.-sUMMoNED TO A DEATH-BfD
The curate of a quiet country par
ish has neither to work so hard as his
brethren in great cities, nor, as rule,
does he meet with those strange and
startling experiences which it is often
their lot to witness. Still, at times
singular events cross the path of the
rural clergyman. and they are after
wards all the more wildly remember
! ed by him because of the calm and
equable monotony of his ordinary life.
Such an adventure once befel myself !;
and as, although it happened several
years ago, / retain u remarkably dis
tinct recollection of it, think the
reader may be glad to see 1t in print
Il WAS seatedih my study one sultry.
Saturday afternoon in July, putting
the finishing touches to a sermon
which had heen requested to preach
the next day at Foxford Church, in
behalf of the Foxford Dispensary,
when my landlady's daughter tapped
gently at the door, saying:
a'1f you please, sir, David Dymond
has come to say that his fathers great
deal worse, and would you be kind
enough to step down and see him
AS [ have always made it rule
never tc allow any other clerical work
to interfere with such solemn sum-
mons as these, 1 replied that 1 would
come Immediately, and at once took
up my hat. On going out l found
David standing in the porch, convers-
ing in low, earnest tones with Maria
Worth, the daughter of my landlady.
l could not help remarking to myself
what a pretty picture the youthful pair
would have afforded to an artists pen
Gil. David was tall, broad-chested,
handsome young fellow, whose origi-
nally fair complexion was bronzed
nut brown by perpetual exposure to
the weather. His hair was light and
curling, his eyes deep blue and serious
in their expression, while the white
orimmed straw hat and open shirt col
lar added to the unstudied pictures
quences of his appearance. He was
an excellent type of that noble Saxon
breed which is apt to degenerate in
great towns, and is only seen in per
fection in rural districts. Maria was,
in her way, equally attractive, being
of slender, graceful figure, with CLOS
sy black hair, which made the delicate
coloring of her face seem all the fairer
by the force of contrast. As soon as
| drew near the young man hastily
dropped hand which he had been
holding in his own, and a conscious
blush everspread both of the lovers
faces. I say '1overs. y for it was cur
rently reported in Headingley that an
affection, existed between these two
young people, and it was affirmed with
equal confidence that old Worth, the
wheelwright, would never permit them
to marryif he could prevent the match. !
The Dymonds were beneath the
Worthsin social position. Mr.. Worth
was a master mechanic; owner of sew
eral cottages in the village, and with
vast. sum. of money-nearly two
hundred pounds it was asserted-in-
vested in the bank ofFoxford-; while
David Dymond was the son of a hum
bic day-laborer, who, except during
harvest time, had never in the course
of long and industrious life earned
more than ten shillings a week. 1t is
true that David had been emancipated
from the serf-like thraldom which had
bound. his father, for he had served
his time Mt the wheel-right business,
and was now in receipt OF good week
ly wages Still this did not remove
the inequality which in Mr.. Worths
eyes existed between the two families.
In addition to this. obstacle, David
had a half fbrother named Reuben, and
Mr.. Worth was 10th that his daughter
should ever call Reuben Dymond her
brother-in-law. So the young people
sighed for each other in secret, and
exchanged mutual VOWS of affection
when they happened, as in the present
instance, to be for "a lew moments
alone together. - .,-ro-~17go. s7
81 beg your pardon, sir" said Da-
vid, touching his hat respectfully, 'but
/ think you had better take your UNI
brella- There's a storm coming up
over yonder.' y1.i s. 1a1
/ accepted the young whetIright's
advice, and took my, umbrella, We
then walked. brisk1y away together,
foll0wad L,xrro ker,1nv- rrIouca from Ma