Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-09-17


drisk he was at church every Sunday /;
he was the boast Of his father. who co.,
trasted the sober religious habits Of his
son with the dissipated youth Of the VIII
lage. But when beyond the pale Of his
fathers influence, the dark side Of Toms
character was revealed. 0fKsts's regard
for him he boasted in tones Of coarse bra
vzAs. He liked TO be seen with her,
Though he never entertained the notion OF
making her his wife. lie cultivated this
close acquaintance in order to triumph
over his rivals aud prove the effects Of
of his orr good looks and unblemished
reputation. To Kate, however, he pro-
proposed everlasting love. lie asked her
to wait for him until he had recouci,ed
his father to their mutual plans. To his
father, who had frequently demonstrated
with him on account Of his intimacy with
Luke Meadows aud his daughter, Tom
North had made a solemn declaration
that he had no intention of marrying Kate
Meadows. and that kc would never marry
without his fathers consent.
Mr.. Peter North. Toms father, was
generally regarded as tho chief tyrant Of
the village. His farm was situated at
the extreme end of the valley; tho house
was substantial old homestead. thorough.
ly well managed so far as a regularly ar
ranged system Of domestic economy could
secure that result. Whatever objection
might be made on general grounds to Mrs.
North's mode of carrying on the business
Of her household, there was no doubt that
through its agency the tenant Of Manor
Farm secured handsome yearly income.
Farmer North was denagogue, holding
opinious so extreme that they might be
described as rabid. Nor was he without
opportunities Of ventilating his peculiarly
advanced notions Of political science. Not
only did occasion frequently arise in
Combe Dingle for showing his emphatic
ally enunciated repugnaIce to vsstries in
general and church-wardens in particular
but he also seized every available gather.
Ing for a public display of his rhetorical
powers in the nelghbOring city of Bristowe
There he denounced pretty well every
body and every thing except Peter NOrtf
to whose uuerring sigacity and wisdom ht
always bore the highest testimony.
In the noighborhocd of Combc Dlngl'
lived another tyrant, though Of u diHeren
type. Iustead of exercising tyranpica
rule for the sake of showing his own row
er, he was one of that amlasle class o
territorial lords who insist GU taking al
interest in every thing connected will
their tenantry, ana who vigorously resen
the interference of any body in lcgislatin;
for the particular district over which The.
, rule. Above the valley, overlooking tn
" never-failing brook, the busy mill.
stood the residence Of Squire Westbury
The squire was thorough Tory, an earn
est and conscientious supporter of chure
and stale; he was handsome aud athletic
and fond of sport. Few OF his neighbor
! went straighter across the country than b
!, and his success in the shooting season er
: titled him to the reputation Of being tn
; best shot in tho entire country. A
petty sessions he was one of the mos
painstakiug of magistrates. There wa
however one forensic institution in which
appearing not as judge but as pleadel
4 he did NOT nakc so brilliant mark tn
= was the Court of Cupid. albeit he was
: good -lookiag fellow, and comrarativsl
q Young not being more than forty-hve veal
. of age. A skcptic upon the sincerity
woman's devotion, he was always on guar
j against the ladies of the neighborhooc
;s especially the matchmaking mammas, b
- whom he was vigorously assalled at ever
% meeting, bazae, and other soci
- or festive gatherings held at Combe Di
,. gle. HIS credulity, though it went so fl
as an expression of faith in the chief
l. his own party, did not extend to bell
in women.
=. Squire Westbury was unjust enough
II ina CINE that every single woman wi
=. ~ smiled upon him had design, not up'
: his heart but upon his money. This i'd
). became mania with him. He VOW
> : that if he ever should seek a wife, he wou
. follow the example Of the Lord Of Bu
= leigh, and ask for the lady's haad al
Of heart in the euisc Of poverty. This,
:. all events, was the sort Of philosopl
% % which he preached among his famili
y friends. In general company he rare
n said any thing; he was suspicious of "
at wanhood and consequently assumed
:. air Of difidence, which some constru
q. into bashfulness.
n There was one lady, however, in who
n presence he unbent. This was Ks
. Meadows, whom he frequently met as
o. moved about the village inquiriag into
~ ~ affairs of his tenants. Squire Westbu
ed felt that he was safe with Kate. Mo
4, over, he liked her. She talked well up
10 most subjects, aud she knew all that v
e, going on. He felt NO constraint in
,as presence, aud she was such practi
,os little woman in her way, that no one
49, moment would dream Of Irritation
o. ing on between her and the big, bashf
Sa weman.hatine squire. Besides, ev'
90 BODY knew that Kate was fond Of yor
, IL Il North; every body knew and regret
nv it.
de There are pure high-minded women
,er seem as blind as Titanla. Kate Mead'
sod was almest the laugbipg-stock OF Con
ate Dingle on account of her regard for l
ar. North IF she had not been so pre-
his and so very wise too, upon every tn
except the character of Farmer Nor
aps prodigy SOD, she would indeed have b