Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-07-26
5fiscellamp.
Development: or, Helen
Ashford's Ruling Passion,
From phrenological Journal.

From chronological Journal,
Old Peter Goss was a short, thick set
man, with immense, beetling brows, snap
ping eyes, and periodic snort, like
"Mr. Panks in Little Dorritt," hab-
it so characteristic with him that it sig
nailed approach as perfectly as if he had
blown a horn, and invariably warned
his wife, Aunt Polly" in time for her
TO hide her snuf-box, and clear her
mouth before he got in. The old gentle
man was further distinguished by bee
gum style of white beaver hat, a very
large and gayly colored bancana hand
kerchief, which he had way of -four
ishing in the heat of debate, and big
headed walking stick, which he was
won't to swing in manner that induced
dogs and children to get out Of the way
when they saw him coming. He cher
ished the most undoubting faith in his
own greatness and superiority to the rest
of the world; was far from being asham-
ed of his humble origin, but rather de-
lighted in boasting how he had risen
from utter obscurity by his own abilities.
He knew nothing about his ancestors
cared nothing about them, regarding
them only as important in SO far as each
had played his petty part in eliminating
and perfecting himself, their of-shoot ;
to whose grandeur they we're as subsidi-
airy as the compost fertilizer and spring
rain to the proper growth of cotton and
corn So old Peters favorite theme was
how he used to be a barefooted cow
boy" how winter session at an old field
school house gave him the basis upon
which his own exertions built super.
structure of education. How he Dor.
rowed the money to attend lectures on
returned it in plowing and hoeing for
six months, doing his preparatory prac-
tice, gratis at the time, among the ne.
groes.
His next step was to seek the wilds OF
Michigan, secure few acres Of govern
ment land, and go to work as perma-
nent settler. 9e worked with a vim
and rush, and in few years had clear.
ed good little farm, and established
himself in paying practice. He then
married pretty, soft-spoken woman
whom he found handy" to look a'ter
the poultry, and garden, and get his
meals and wash his clothes. She bore
him no children, and this fact, coupled
with his energies and her case, made him
we'll off in few years.
Ten years after his marriage, Peter
heard of the death of his sister Jane, al
Albany, and went on there to get hel
child, girl, aged six or eight.
Helen Ashford was pretty, faii
faced, sandy haired little being, had g
shrewd, independent way of talking
that amused old Peter very much. When
he introduced her to his wife, he remark.
ed +: Well, Polly, I've brought home
the smartest gal this side of Boston. I'm
going to make a great lady out of her
See here, child, you old uncle's going tc
be powerful rich some of these days, and
if you'll be smart, and real knowing
he'll leave 1t all to you"
This speech, no doubt, made an i'm
preston, for Helen very soon developed
a precocious propensity for finding oui
things. Two days after her arrival she
fustered her Aunt Polly terribly, by
saying at the table,: ::"Pappy Peter, Aupt
Polly dips snuff, and every time she sees
you coming, she hides il" The unwis'
guardian, instead of reproving the i'm
proper direction 10 which his niece's fac
u'ty of inquisitiveness was so evidently
turning. patted her on the head, praised
her smartness, and put her on track o
ascertaining if the milkmaid abstracteC
any milk on her way from the cow-pen
if any of the farm help embezzled hi
fruit or vegetables, and if her Aunt Pol
ly was as strict in allowancing as sh'
ought to be.
The inquiring young lady soon raiseC