The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-05-31

say for the Jedge,. though; he's tht
likeliest of the lot, and he freezes right
snug to his business; but that amt 8
family trait, Is it?'
"What, honestly" returned Joel
30, yes, 1 never knew a dishonest
Selfrfdgc."
"Humph," grunted the old Squire
"did You ever know q shiftiess Sci.
fridge? But there amt no use in ask
ing that question. Everything has go'
q new tangled name. What are lazy
folks called nowadays, Hester? You
have taught school, aud ought to be
acquainted with fashionable Names u
"I'm sure don't know" said Hes
ter, bending her head down over the
fire. @
"Now 1 recollect. They're called
gentlemen of leisure. II the Jedge can
afford to keep his relations without
work, why it's mighty fine thing for
them, and / don't know as it's any
business of mine" and with metallic
sound in the chest, which might have
been either a laugh or a chronic cough,
the old man arose from the table, sci
his hat determinedly upon his head,
and wentaway out of the house to do
his evening chores. .7-.t...
The lamp was lit, the fire we'll trim
med and bright. Hester brought forth
a large pan of rosy-cheeked apples
CBaldwins) to pare for the last batch
of miIpce pics. The keen knife glanced
and shone, aud pretty red rings slid
down from her cOmeIy hands. Mrs.
| Preston was at work on long gray
sock, sock anybody might know be
longed to the old Squire, il they had
been seen in China. Joel had taken
from his pocket the joints of his flute,
and was screwing them tightly to-
gether, and as the old man opened the
door he heard his dame say:
"Come, now, Joel, give us General
Green's March, or Yankee Doodle.
There's the Squire coming in, and he's
fond of music, too"
"You can't eat it or drink it," grOwl-
ed the Squire, as he took his own par
ticular armchair, and drew it up to
the fire, and, pulling off his heavy
boots, held his stOcking-clad feet to the
genial blaze. ll..a,..: ia
"But your ears can drink it," re-
sponded the old lady, not knowing she
had made pretty speech. -.
Joel played one old air after another,
and the walls echoed the strain pleas
| antly which seemed trying to bring
| the different heart-beats there under
| the rOOf-tree into cOnSOnance and har-
mOny. When the music ended, the
old man, who had been pOndering
with his chin sunk in his stock, drew
| back little, and laid his hand rather
heavily upon the table, and said, break
ing out suddenly:
"I s'pOse the up-shOt of the business
is, young man, you want TO marry my
girl. You've kept running here pretty
nigh year and half, and the matter
must end some time or other. Tain't
my fashion 10 daub much with untem-
| pered mortar, and / tell you plainly
what I've got against you is your want
of stiddiness aud propensity to fool
away your time, and live on other
folks. | don't propose to support no
| son-in-law with my hard earnings.
| Everybody round me must Use his own
hands and feet, and put in as much as
he takes out. Now that's the long and
short of it, and Pm prepared to hear
| your views" a ls..
Joel thus summoned, looked as if he
would much rather run away, but he
stood his ground and spoke with his
eyes cast down, and his face slightly
pale, while the Squirrels shrewd, keen
| cOuntenance was turned attentively to-
wards him.
AZ do want to marry your daughter, "
he began, "and L should have asked
you for your consent long ago, but |
| knew you We're prejudiced against me,
and opposed to taking me into your
| family. 1t don't seem quite fair to
| condemn a man before he has had a
| trial. Hester shall not repent If she
| marries me-"
| "Fine promises never raised hill Oi
potatoes,n said the old man sarcastical-
iy. II know good clean timber when
l see it, and l know n crooked stick.
| tell you, young man, you've got 70
put by your fine airs and buckle down
| to hard work before you earn living
for family. Pm agin shiftlessness,
| tooth and nail, and always was. But,
He-ter, what have you got to say?"
Hester had held the apple she was
pairing suspended i'm her hand. The
color varied i'm her cheeks, and now a
| tide of crimson swept over them. Her
| voive faltered, and almost broke at
| first, but it gathered strength and went
on, so clear and distinct, that it seemed
as though the old clock m the corner
even stopped to listen. "Father," said
| she, al hope you won't oppose us I'LL
| the last. L have tried to please you
and be good daughter, but there
comes time when girl must listen
| to her own heart. have faith in Joel,
and so | am willing to go with him
| any where i'm the world. Whatever l.
against him now will all cone right.
We will make our way together, and
what he has to bear and suffer | will
bear and suffer with him. You shall
never hear any complaints. father,
from me. If our cupboard is empty,
it won't keep you awake nights; but
don't ask me to give him up. L am
too much like you, father, l hold on
till DEATH"
"There it is," said the old man in a
| heat, "yOu are obstinate, and willful,
and headstrong, and you mean to have
your own way il the sky falls. You'd
a little rather get the consent of the
old man that's clothed ye, and school
ed We, and kept We ever since ye was
born; but if you can't get it, no mat
ter; take the bit between your teeth
and ride right over tine feelings, and
ideas, and wishes of them that brought
you into the world, and then see where
you'll be-"
Hester covered her face with hel
hands, and the hot tears began to make
their way through her fingers. Tht
old man got up, and sternly took h''
boots i'm one hand and long tallov
cauGle i'm the other, and marched
away to bed without another word.
| Mrs. Preston, who had been mixing
emptyings in the buttery, with tn
door on the crack, came out now
brushing the dust of flour from he
apron. ,
"Ta, children" said she, "the ole
SQUARE is more dangerous when h'
don't say nothing, and sets in brown
study. 1t looks to me as If the wine
was changing a few p'ints. 1t Ina
been blowing. northeast about Ion.
enough, aud I shouldn't wonder if
got round southland. You see, L com
from down the coast way, and ther
amt much about weather-cOck an,
the old Squares disposition that
, don't understand"
T The next morning was cold ant
windy, hut the vernal sun sent feel
ing of gladness over the world. No
BODY but Mrs. Preston would hav
, detected that her husband was NOR
. placable than he had been the nigh