The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-09-28

| window above, looklD& out upon the
moonlitI street I; could they with him have
recalled the memories which came over
Ihim- memories saddenea by the vision
OF want and hardship, and a moss-cover.
ed tombstone IN he Village churchyard
hard blythe most careless and call US
Of them would have prayed for blessing
IN that gray haired head, with its weary,
lthoughtfu face.
W, at the time Of sts re. visitation by
the somew bat eccentric Mr.. TGuInpsoa,
was quiet country Village, with scarce
ly two thousand inhabitants, possessing
no especial characteristics to distinguish
1t tlom the hundred other villages which
nestle lovingly among the hills or on the
bosom Of the landscape within circait
OF one hundred miles from the metrcp0
lis Extending along the turnpike road
for half a mile or more on either side,
were Struggling rowe of cottages, inter-
spersed here and there with more osten
tatious dwellings, while an occasional
shop window or sign peeped out from be-
meath the trees to vary the moh0tOny.
About midway another cool road inter
sec eel the main road, at about the june
f thu sc two thOrOughtares, hlch formed,
i } W tn the e. cep of few b. OK lanes
and side streets, the Ii will g., were
clustered the principal stores, tie post :
Office, the offic of the newspaper which
wee k v issued IT, denOunce local abuses
and laud The American bird to ttfeuttanod
thule OF gloIE, the courthouse, where
semi-annla. yl rg bearded country law
yers and grave, knowing old judges
came together to plead, doubtful Ques-
tluns of right and wrong" and last OF
Ill, the hotel, the Washington House, a
veritable headquarters, twas said, of the
Father of his country in The old Revolu
tionary days One strayng out from
this bus n, IS centre cane IN the one dl
rection upon an old stone bridge span
ming swiftly running brook, and saw
before him the dusty road, winding its
serpentine course up an almost intermin
able bill beyond !; in the opposite direc-
ton he passed the village church, a relic
oi the Older days, renovated by modern
hands, and came suddenly upon the banks
of \ canal, the iav0rIte resort of urChlns
.or swimming IN summer and skating III
winter. And then beyond were the hills
and meadows, and cornfelds, and groves
|
fences. with here and there farmhouse
peeiing out-in short a scene Of tranquil
beauty, telling only Of peace and pros
perity.
Now, the unaunOunced advent of "Mr.
Thompson, of New Orleans" to Il little
place like this did at all events produce
no small sensation among the gossip
hun. ers There were, naturally enough,
two or three famili, of residtut Thomp
,0ns, each and all of whom, after dIl,gcnt
inquiry of their memories, failed to recall
any relatives living ia the remote city
frnm which the new conner hailed. Spec
ulatiuns as to the old gentleman's7 fiuan
cial status we've no less varied and diverse.
The rusty garment II which lie again
made his appearance at breakfast on the
morning succeeding his arrival, earned
for him, IN different quarters, the several
expectations of poor man, probable mlseT,
and disguised millionaire. Meanwhile
Mr.. Thompson was stulcal, unapproachA-
Bile; hesitated not 10 express his emphat
ic disgust at whatever did not suit him,
casting whitening chances, coupled with
short replies, AT one or two adolescent
rustlcs who had the hardlhood to acCost
him on the front piazza, and finally with
his hands buried deep in his COat-tail
y, ckets, limped and shuft1ed down the
steps and turned down the cross street
as If for a stroll, leaving the villagers in
state of doubt and curiosity bordering
ON despair.
All that day he was absent. 1t cannot
be said none knew here, for different
ones, lounging in and out of the hotel
at various hours through the day, spoke
of having met the stranger, and inquired
!, who he Was. One had seen him standing
on the doorstep of old Mother Campbells
cottage, rapping vigorously at the door !;
another he had accosted on the road
about quarter of a mile away, with the
inquiry of where Farmer Matthew's
house had stood. The house had been
burned down some years before, but the
man had pointed out the spot, as near as
he could, and gone about his business
Still third had seen the old man wan
dering about in the old churchyard, at
tentively examining the Inscriptions, and
had finally seen him seated On grass
grown mound, with his head buried in
his hands, and apparently unconscious of
observation. And last Of all, about twi
light, home came Mr.. John Thompson
himself, looking worn and weary, bat
with gentler tone in his voice, as he
asked that his supper might be sent up
to his room. And SO the gossips were
none the wiser, for that night, at least.
The next day they got slight crumb
of comfort, terminating in only deeper
mystery. After he had partaken of his
breakfast, Mr.. Thompson drew the meek
and lowly host into corner, and inquir-
ed, "who is the best lawyer you have in
these partss"
swell, there are three or four good
ones," was the answer. esquire Jessup,