The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-09-05
From Forge to Fashion.

called the St. Mary's Vedette, a pleasant
and romantic little social Renaissance
which while prompted by line in the last
edition OF the "Peerage and Baronetage'
of England, refers to one of the humbest
stations in American life. Amongst the
travellers brought by q stage-coach to the
tavern of the village ofStratford, in Cam
ada. many wears ago, was a young man
of rather boyish countenance but not uu.
dignifed bearing, who, attracted by the
pleasant scenery of the place, and its OPP
portunities for fishing and hunting, ling
cred Oh at the inn many weeks beyond
his apparent first intention. Known as
Mr.. Stirling, and believed to be from
England, he was for some time credited
only with the whim of free and easy
young tourist enjoying an interval of ru'
raj Incidence between city sight-seeings
but at last the true reason Of his delay
was discovered. Immediately across the
road from the tavern stood the, cosy cot
tage and sparkling forge of the village
blacksmith, named Folsom, whose only
daughter was q girl Of extraordinary
beauty and the belle of the place. From
spending certain idle hours in the smithy
the young stranger had contracted quite
an intimacy with the smith, and thus, oy
degrees, formed an acquaintance with the
family and fortnights incidental asso-
citation with the beautiful daughter was
what had caused the weeks Of his stay in
Stratford to lengthen unnoticed into
months. In short, this English youth
upon his travels fell in love to depth
deeper than all airtations, with the black
smiths child, and was manly enough to
confess as much to her and to her father
The latter he frankly told that his feel
ings in the matter had become much
stronger and more serious than he had
intended they should be; that his station
in life was much above blacksmithing !;
but that, being in love beyond power Of
recantation, he wished to marry the young
lady, and, in due time, raise her to his
own position. To the. girl ,herself he not
only offered ardent suit but conided in
strict confidence his position and cxpecta-
tions. Trusting his honest face and man
ner, the worthy blacksmith favored his
pretensions; trusting his love and honor,
the humble belle of the village returned
his honorable passion and as a conse-
quence, there followed a wedding of which
the elderly spinsters and sages of STRAIT
ford could not predict too much evil.
After few happy weeks of married life,
Stirling informed his wife that he must
visit New Orleans, and took leave of her
with promise TO write or return very
soon. Then, of course, the "I-told you
SOS" ofthe village were sure that he would
never come back again, and chorused
hints and fears innumerabe to that effect
but, to their discontinue, the Englishman
reappeared in Stratford even earlier than
he had promised, and his calumniators
acknowledged their defeat by an abashed
silence. Only few days from thence,
however, after receiving a formidable
bundle of letters bearing foreign post
marks, the young husband declared that
he must return Immediately to England,
and alone. Without thought of dstrust
or n single question the wife bade him
go; and from the hour of his going until
after two years had elapsed she never
saw nor heard from him again. This
time the social critics of the village were
sure of the verifcation Of all their pre-.
dictions, and only the wife herself believ.
ed that it was not final desertion Iu
the two years of absence and silence on
one part, and trustful waiting on the
other, son was born to Mrs. Stirling
and helped her to bear the more patient.
ly the trial of the fathers absence but
at the end of the period named, word
came across the Atlantic from that father
himself briefly asking the wife and mother
to 60 at once to New York, from whence
to embark, as directed for "a new home
in England. Coming hither with hel
babe, she found that the ship named hat
apartments splendidly furnished for hel
use, and two servants to obey hel every
wish during the voyage. Unquestioningly
still, but full of happy hopes, she sailec
for old England ; to be there received BY
her delighted husband in his true charac
ter of heir to q name aud estate secon,
to none in the English barouetage, and Il
enter luxurious home under the title o
Lady Stirling. By her beauty. virtues
and simple graces doing honor to tn
"station unto which she was net born,
the village blacksmith's daughter passe,
many happy years before following he
husband, Sir Samuel Stirling to the grave
After his fathers death, the son succeed
ed to the title and estate and the men
ton Of him in the last "Peerage an,
tBironetsge," as the issue Of the forme
mi " Folsom, Of Stratford, Nortl
Amer ca" is what incites the Canadial
paper 70 tell the above romantic story 0