Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-23
DIGNITY AND LOVE.

dignity is what l like in young men, sir.
Dignity"
So said old Mr.. Williams, worth money
bank president, one Of the leading men in
the city, and the young man who overheard
him say it proposed to marry Mr.. Williams
daughter, that is if he could. He didn'i
know the girl, he had never met the father,
and he wasnothing but a clerk in a Hart
ford store, but for all that he thought he
could see far enough ahead to win if he be.
gan right. How to begin, however, that
was what troubled the mind Of Tom Mans
field. Still he proposed to keep his eyes
open his wits about him and wait for op.
portunities.
lie was riding home to tea one afternoon,
reading the evening paper, and unconscious
Of any other persons presence, when he
heard the remark, and looking up he saw
that man, the man into whose presence
some day he felt certain that he should 90
and ask the privilege of becoming his son.
in-law. lH
80 dignity Is what he likes" thought
Tom, "Well, dignity will be my first step
then. Will Kate be fond of dignity, the
sort that will probably please the old gen.
The same evening Tom sat in his room
smoking a cigar, and thinking. He was
plainly in brown study, for Fred Jackson
had spoken to him three times before he
gave any attention.
"Oh did you speak, Fred |? What were
you saying2" ...
"What's the matter with you, old fellow
Something gone wrong to-day, or are you
under the weather."
"No neither. | say, Fred, what can a
fellow do to be digni6ed. The kind that
suits old gents, yod know. Would you call
me very much thakway?"
"YOu digni6ed Well, yes, and no. You
are no SLOUGH, Tom, and no fool. You
know what you're about, and you don't fire
off any slang as [ do; but dignifed-
if being full of the old Harry, is condi.
ton inconsistent with dignity, then you are
not and never can be-"
Then it's no use, Fred"
"Whats no use?"
why to think of keeping house, of love
in a cottage with Kate Williams"
"Why?"
because l heard the old gentleman to.
night say, that what he wanted to see in a
young man was dignity. had dim idea
that in this respect l was failure"
There was a long silence. Chums know
all about these quiet spells, that is, chum'
who agree do. Take your two young mer
who can sit an hour together and muse
without exchanging word, and they may
be relied on. Fred and Tom had many
of these still hours, but they were always
followed by a lively conversation, as wa;
this very one.
II say, Tom" Fred at last exclaimed
show do you get on, anyway
"YOu mean there" pointing in the direc
ton Of the Williams mansion, although i
was half mile off,
"Yes."
"Well, Fred, something like a balk,
horse; get ahead just about as fast.
well, my dear fellow, how long do you
propose to balk. That girl and her fathe
arn't coming here after you. Did you thinl
sol"
"No, not really, and yet it seems some
how as though did"
That's fatal feeling, my boy. I'm cool
clear.headed, and my heart is sound a
Goldsmith's Maid. So | can see clear
You can't I've got to direct this thing
Put this through. You'll never do anything
unless do That's settled. We begin to
morrow, my boy. Let me have a night t
think the matter over"
"Come out and take a walk with me
Tom," said Fred the next evening.
"Where2"
"Oh anywhere. I've got two or thre
ideas | want to put to you," and so. tn
% I'D hao nj Al 4
the Park for an hour and while they wer
there conversation was kept up, which il
animation contrasted smartly with thei
gait.
"l've thought it all out, Tom" said FREQ
"You don't know the girl and never viii
probably, if you keep on in this way. Yo
have got to get acquainted somehow, an
you ought to know the old party
That's about as hopeless as to expec
the pleasure of Miss Hates acquaintance,
replied Tom.
"Woll, now, first of all old boy, wal
you to tell me, do you love her ?"
"You know l do"
"Sure now, are your"
"Of course am" a.
"Well, then you shall know her and tn
old gentleman too. Ill fix that, L haven
much fear but that you will make quic
work with the girl unless some one is ahea
Of you. But the old gent, they say, is kinde
queer"
"But how are you going fix it ?"
You'll have to introduce yourself to tn
old gent. There's no doubt about thai
You wouldn't ever meet him in business
and if you did you wouldn't make any i'm
preston on him. It'll take little cheek
Tom-you've got that-and it may cost 70
ten dollars. Can you spare it? If not l.
lend it,"
Cost me ten dollars2 What do 20
mean p
"Wil your folks let you off day or 81
to 60 to New York; Sick brother or d.
ing second cousin there to see, or som,
thing"
| guess SO but what for ?"
Then you can meet the elderly party
lie goeato New York every Monday morn
ing and comes back every Tuesday noOl
lie has weakness-good cigars aud rail
road euchre. Now my plan is somethin
like this make your preparations to 70 b
New York on the s o'clock train Monda
morning; dress in your best, get some A
cigars, aud take your seat in the smoking ca
by card table, If any one comes in an
wants to set there, say it is engaged for
euchre party. just as the train crosse
Asylum street you will see your futuI
tather-n-law come in, look around for a
empty card table aud he will be sure 10 se