River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-02-15
The Landlaar Of The Golden sheaE

RUUcaItlU MAS AllASAlEA DIT WI -
toms Seminary for young ladies, the
most genteel school in our part of
Hampshire. / was seventeen, and the
eldest of ten children. My father
farm was but a small one, held on
lease from our rich neighbOr Dickson,
the principal man in our parish after
the Squire. He had two farms leased
from him beside my fathers, and a
large one which he titled himself, kept
a retinue of men and maids, did the
best blowing, turned out the finest cat
tie, and made "A vast deal of money by
his dairy.
His wife had died before Twas born,
and his house was kept in prime order
by the Youngest of his aunts, Miss
Wildwood. He had neither son nor
daughter but Master Harry, whom
everybody thought a sensible and
very handsome young man, and not
half so puTse-pTOud as his father.
Being our landlord and next-dOOr
neighbOr, Farmer Dickson took a
great deal of interest in us. lie said
the family was too large for my father
and mother to manage without advice;
tia yIuyidinS for thom was his chief
difficulty, and hearing that a distant
relation of his, Mrs. Williams, landlady
of the Golden Sheaf, wanted a we'll
bTOught-up girl, not rs a servant, but
10 help in the housekeeping, they
thought it might be good situation
for me.
To tell the whole truth, there was
another reason for my going. Before
left school, Harry Dickson began to
pay me attention. Not that / incOur-
aged him much, but he would come
after me, aud il did not please his
father. The old man thought his son
should look higher than a poor farm
er's daughter, and my parents, having
a good bit of pride. were just as angry
when they came to know il. Ny father
said he hoped no daughter of his
would tempt young man TO disObey
his father. My mother said she hoped
/ had more spirit than TO wish to mar
~ into a family who did not think us
good enough for them. OF course my
father and mother were right. | gave
Harry back his ring, but it was after
= good deal of crying. lie swOre he
would never marry another. though
his father should disinherit him and,
90 let farmer Dickson and the whole
country see that we were not set on
trapping his son, il was settled that
I should 90 10 Mrs. Williams.
NV father went one day to consult
her, and. when all was agreeable. he
took me and my trunk respectfully in
the London coach, which then passed
through ChatfOrd, our village, and
stopped at the Golden Sheaf. For a
country inn the house was large and
handsome. 1t had every convenience
of yald and stabling, a good garden, a
fine orchard. and some hundred acres
of corn and meadow land. 1t was
situated on the highrOad where Surry
and Hampshire meet. The ground
was high and from the inns upper
windows one could see many a mile
along the road and over the country.
Stage coaches and carriers wagons
stopped there; 50 did the country
hunts and the travelling gentry. corn
and cattle dealers on their way TO Lon
don, farmers to and from the market
town, and all who came or went spoke
well of the good housekeeping, the
fair dealing, and the general ciyility
of Mrs. Williams.
She was a tall. thin woman. upright,
aGLENt. anu SLtlA AAt&ANSbilEs bBAAGA
on sixty. Her black hair was but
thinly spTinkled with gray. She had
a good deal of the gentlewOman in her
manner. always wore black tabnet
gown, tambOured apron, and a cap of
Nottingham lace. which was fine
enough in those times. But there was
something in her look 50 stern and
rigid that made one careful of one S
dOingS before her Her story which
we have heard in private from Father
Dickson, was both sad and singular
She had been brought up in one of the
most respectable inns in the County of
Cornwall, and married rich farmer.
He left her early a widow, with an
only daughter. She managed the farm
well, however, and was a prosperous
woman. Her daughter grew up a beau
tiful girl, and the mothers heart was
wrapped up in her; but the son and
heir of neighhOTing Squire induced
her To elOpe with him, and marriage
into his high family was not thought
of. Mrs. Williams was a woman OF
high spirit, strict and proud. lt is
said the poor girl never dared let it be
known where she lived. for fear OF heI
mother she sold her house and farm,
left that part of the country, bought
the Golden Sheaf, and she set herself
up where nobody knew of her family
or history; she had been doing well
for many year.
Stern as she looked. Mrs. Williams
was kind to me. and did NV best t.
please her. There was a good deal OF
novelty and life To be seen about the
L s.,-- 49,
my mother and sisters and WAS trying
hard to think no more of Harry,
though | had made up my mind
minds are easily made up at seventeen
to live unmarried for his sake
Thus the Summer wore away and the
harvest passed. and the dull days OF
November came on. | had got accus
toned to the ways of the house. Al
though good. il was an old one
There was the best parlOr and the best
kitchen opening from it; numbers Of
pantTies, closets and cupbOardS, anC
stairs behind the old dresser, leading
right Up t. Mrs. Williams own room
1t was over the porch. and had win
dOws on three sides. which gave her {;
view of all who came or went. He
accounts were kept there in an old
fashioned ash desk. so were her chOic,
recipes, and she had them for maxim.
everything.
There was a cupboard set in tn,
thick wills, its doors not 10 be distin
guiShed from the rest of the wainscOt
in which Mrs. Williams kept the mos
rare and curious of her stores. | wa
once permitted to see them as a grea
privilege, for she never trusted tn,
key 10 any hand but her own. Their
were spices, and essences costly at thu
time of my story but not common yet
old China, which had been brought il
by the first of the East India Com
pany's ships mixtures for taking on
stains powders for destroying moths