St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-05-29

Roy had fancied himself quite lady
man: and so he was, in Il small way.
He had taken great pains to get intro
duced to all the pretty girls he met.
and had bowed to others-when he
dared tO-in the street. He thought
he had been in love half-a-dOzen times
already, but before he had been a month
at Squire Fishers he looked with con-
tempt ON all those silly fancies, and
was really in love with Maria.
Her face, her voice, her simplicity of
manner and her kindness to her parents,
and to her grandfather, who almost
adored 1.-The child" as he called her.
perfectly charmed him, and his letters
home were full of descriptions of her,
and of the splendid cake and pies she
could make.
1t was not long before he told Maria
all this but it took him longer to tell
her father, for he stood Just Il little i'll
awe of the strong. sensible man who
had never given him one word of flat
terry. Still Roy believed the Fisher
family would hold jubilee over it
when it became Il fixed fact,-it would
be such grand thing for plain coun
try gentleman to have Harvard man
for son-inlaw. even in the dimest
future.
The Squire had a rough little room
adjoining our hero's big one, and sep
aiatcd from it by only board parti-
ton. In this he kept old account books,
papers and other things for which thei e
was not room in the secretary i'll the
sitting-rOom.
The large barn had been burned by
lightning the summer before this. and
the squire was making arrangements
this autumn to rebuild it.
One sunny afternoon our hero had
seated himself at his window i'll the gay
gown and slippers which had called
forth such admiration from the villagers,
when the squire entered with the
builder. his little box" as he called il.
to look at the plan of the former barn.
and to make another for tn" new one.
Got much work ahead after this.
Jessup ?" asked the old gentleman.
"Well. I'm not driven. Why p
I've been thinking must have the
west chamber finished some time soon.
Now that father is here we need an
other chamber" replied Squire Fisher.
And You'll have Mr.. Winter here,
too. | suppose. a good deal after this.
and You'll want finished room for
him." said the man. with cackling
little laugh. as if he had said Il smart
thing. They say y"u are going to
have him for Il son-in-law.
"Thcy SAY good many things that
have no truth i'll them. The unfinished
room is good enough for him now or
any time.
la :" cried the man. Il thought that
was a settled thing between the young
folks"
1T can't he very settled without my
word. and he and have never alluded
to ii. and | reckon we sha'n't i'll a
hurry" said the squire.
why. he's fine fellow. isn't he :
The school children are wild about
him"
Yes. he's well enough, for all |
know: but he isn't my kind -
why? How p
80, he's Il great hrag. Nobody knows
81 much as he: nnbodys family. no.
body'S tailor. uuDodH's shoemaker is
like his. Every college but Harvard is
Il primary school and every city but
Boston Il hamlet. hate gassy men"
80 well. he's young: he'll get over
this 10y -and-bN. when he's had Il little
of the rough and tumble of life" re-
piled the carpenter. kindly.
Though and tumble he wont take
for fear of his fine feathers. He rode
over to the hucklehrIry pastures with
the young folk i'll il hay rigging, but he
had to wear patent leather boots and Il
tall hat" said the squire. smiling.
Perhaps he hadn't any stout boots
with him
Then he ought to have had. and 4
man that WAS halt-witted would have
had. But I've nothing against the
Young fellow. He's gnod-natured and
civil to every body: hut when it comes
to il son-iu-law. that's another thing"
You would bring him round straight.
squire. and make Il splendid man of
him. with all these good qualities"
Nv ell. I'm not sure of that" replied
the squire. Good nature is Il small
part of what goes to make up real
man. I'm afraid he hasn't much man
illness about him. His father is min
istcr.-as poor as Il church mouse.
hcar.-and his sisters teach school to
keep him at college. and supply him
VIII Anu Nti lpoh now lie
dresses He cant even black his boots.
hut has To call Enoch away from the
woodpile to do il for him reckon bv
that. that his father or mother blacks
them at home. With all the odd hours
he has. he's never lifted an axe for ex-
ercisc. nor done any thing else here
| but play gentleman and brag about
Harvard and Boston. He's going to
buy a flute and gun. and take fencing
lessons, next spring-with the money
he earns here. | suppose. No. he's too
much of Il gentleman and too little of Il
man to come into my family.
But here we sit talking instead of
planning the barn and besides that,
it's about time for school to he out
he had forgotten it was Wednesday af-
ternoon. "There's only partition he
tween his room and this, and he may
pop in there and hear me. Mind you
don't repeat anything that'll injure the
boy in the district. He's good teacher.
and | feel friendly to him. | hope he'll
learn wisdom and make smart man.
but at present | call him lazy one"
If an arrow had gone through the
heart of our hero he could hardly have
been more surprised. He was almost
paralyzed by charges $50 cruel and So
false" from one who he had fnncied
would be proud and impatient to call
him his son.
Roy shut his eyes and tipped back in
his chair, and thought the matter all
over. He asked himself, "Am | that
contemptible thing, bragg Do
boast of my family, and my college, and
nv city to the disDarapement of Other
families, colleges and cities ? Am Il