Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-01-14

consideration for the pecullarltles OF age,
he kept things much as they were when
he was a boy, and lent the money to his
wlfe's brother, who, to quote Dawes own
words, often more expressive than elegant,
''sent it straight to the devil across lots"
This loss, and, what was more disas-
trous still to nature like Dawes the be-
trayal of trust almost childiike in its
simplicity, so soured and discouraged him
that he never made any attempt si thrift
afterwards, but neglected the farm more
and more, devotiug about all his time to
his hunting pursuits; for, as he said, there
was more money in the old river and
meadow than all the rest of the farm put
together At one time he kept several
cows, and sent milk to market; but, when
accounts were balanced, it was found the
milk carried away would not pay for the
the liquor brought back. So this was CIV
Ell up, with the comment that it "was
what he always knew, - cows would not
pay their Feep."
Dave, although rude of speech, and "a
man whose chief love IN life was this of
hunting, trapping and fishing, was pos.
sessed of great kindness OF heart. Con.
Trajectory as this may seem, it is fact
often to be noticed III sportsmcn, and is
probably capable Of explanation. 10 il
lustrate this quality Of Dawes, take this
little incident One season a space of
land 10 his corn field was left unploughed.
Seine one asking the reason, Dave cx-
planned that he supposed most folks would
laugh at him for fool; but, when he
was ploughng there, he came across "A
sparrow S nest and the bird futtered 50
helplessy and beseechingly about him and
the oxen that he hadn't the heart to dis
turb her; so be turned the plough aside,
and left the space Of land untouched.
Added to this humanity was an honesty
of purpose that you felt as soon as you
came into the mans presence; and, with
the further addition Of the perfection oil
manly health and strength, VIC have what
was especially noticeable in Dave before
this loss came. Although this fondness fol
drink seemed to steadily increase with
him, it never rendered him brutal or an.
kind in his family. They only suffered
from the grinding Of the poverty which
this expense produced. His wife, a wo.
man Of extreme unselfshness and native
refinement fought the battle Of ways and
means until both hope and strength left
her, and size came to have an air Of dis.
consolate, hopeless incapacity TO meet each
day S demands. Dave was not Indifferent
to his wiies altered appearance; but he
said somehow Everything had gone
W, ong, and twas no use trying to change
Once, In a sadly jocular mood, lie called
ter Sorrow; aud this name, from its OBJ
vious appropriateness, | suppose, clung tC
her so that she was always spoken Of by
friends and uelghbors as Aunt Sorrer.
Dawes house stood on an eminence; auC
a tall popar-tree in the front yard served
as landmark for miles around. As you
approached the house, your second though
would be What warm sunny spot! fol
10 ene could fail Of being first impressed
by the neglected shiftless condition o
things.
Besides the poplar, mulberry-tree stood
in the front yard and, under this, Dav,
kept his griudslono. On the limbs Of tn,
tree were hung old scythe-bades; and
notwithstanding he had met with Il sever,
aacid, ut by The lal Of one Of these. ht
etilI continued TO to hang them there, "A
if it was the only place where one coult
hang II scythe.
Tue barn, which stood nearer the roat
than the house, was hopeessly dilapidated
The large frout doors, which once swun.
open, were now kept in place by rail-
propped against them; for the hinge
were oii aud had been since the recollec
ton OF any one then living about there
SO that, woen load Of hay wus brough
III 1t required the uuited efforts of thl CO
strong men 10 open the doors. All tn,
carts aud wagons, in different states o
uselessness, drags, broken wheels, and ak
) les were lefl about the yard so have then
handy" But little hay was kept in tn,
barn; "for'" Dave said, 'it was such {
jop to get those doors open, they nigh
as well leave it in stacks outside"
, The corn-barn which leaned sideways
as if tired of holding Itself uprlgh, through
so many long and weary years, presented
!; both within and underneath, strang,
collection of wrecked farming utensils, tn,
result not only Of Dawes farming expert
ments but # his fathers before him.
A few complacent old hens, whose age
neither they nor any one else knew O
cared to know, still clung to tbeirold hen
J house, not because 1t offered their comfor
or safety, but apparently from the fore
: Of habit. Late in the fall, one of thes,
{ old hens usually stole off into the wood
and built her nest, coming home after
} while with two or three wee chickens, VIII,
suffered short and miserable existence
{. and were finally frozen our of life. Tur
$ Keys did better than hens; for they al
, ways wandered away into the fields mad
+ their nests, and reared their young in
perfectly natural manner. About tn
J house-door were always'to be seen ducks
which Dave trained and used as decoys
Two gaunt, heavy.jowled hounds, VIII
J rested dumb and dreamy unless some on
$ entered tho yard, when. hoping for free
t dom or or food, they raised deafenin,
camor, were kept tied under the corn
:. barn 10 The summer.
/. Besides these dogs. Dave kept q fade'
r liver-colored spaniel, who almost alway
(; dogged bis steps, and who. us he la
] asleep in the SUNLIGHT, looked like the re