St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-05-25
A STORY OF OLD TIMES.

A STORY OF OLD TIMES.
Very many years ago-indeed, all the
personages of whom I am about to write
have long since been gathered to their
fathers, there dwelt in New York, on
the banks of the East river retired mer-
chant, of the name of Hartmann Brinker-
hof. He had been very prosperous in
business, and the fruits of his industry
and enterprise were his "bowerie," or
country seat, with its farm of twenty
acres (now worth millionsl, some eighty
thousand dollars, part of it in good gold ,
safely locked in an iron stronghold set
into the wall of what would now be
termed his study, and the remainder in
bonds and notes, convertible at maturity
into solid cash; for in the benighted
days of which I write there were no
fancies," or railroad stocks paying
ten per cent. one day and minus
nothing the next, none Of those
brilliant investments that make
every tenth man in our times a
millionaire -on paper. "Slow and
sure" was the humiliating motto of
those high days of fogydom. A man of
great consideration then was Hartmann
Brinkerhoff: Two or three times week
he entered a sort of Noah's ark upon
wheels, drawn by two heavy Flanders
horses, that did the ploughing on his
place, and driven by an cid white>headed
negro slave, temporarily elevated from
the corn>feld to the coach>box, made a
sort of royal progress into town, where
even the school boys would recognize his
majestied three~cornered hat, his awful
wig. his purple velvet coat, gold-headed
cane and rufies, and the tidings ran from
mouth to mouth that Hartmann Brink
erhof had come to town." After visit
to some of the principal haunts of Plutus,
and gossip with some old cronies of his
own age and standing, he would return
to his mansion, a vainer and prouder man
than ever.
At home he was perfect autocrat.
His will was law and his frown was
fate" His sway over his household was
absolute a. that of Alexander II. over
his countless vassals. His wife never
thought. of contradicting him; and his
servants stood in most wholesome awe of
his august displeasure.
He had but one child, a son, named
after the patron saint of the Manhattan.
ese-NichoIas. Young Brinkerhoff was
as unlike his father as possible. Mild
and gentle, almost to efeminacy, he re.
sembled his stern sire in nothing but
commercial ability; and even in his bus
mess transactions he exhibited none of
the harshness of the old man. While
serving at his mercantile apprenticeship
he resided at home, aud rode to and from
the city on horseback; butrwhen he at.
tanned his majority he gave SO many ex-
cellent reasons for establishing himself in
Boston, that old Brinkerhoff. with great
reluctance consented that he should
remove thither, though he entertained
an hereditary and mortal hatred of the
Yankees, and only gave in tothe arrange.
ment from the secret hope that his son
would crafty his prejudice by overreach.
ing them in all his dealings.
According he lent him, not gave him,
money to establish himself in trade in
Boston, but he exacted notes for his adj
vances, and required monthly state
ment of his transactions and his prospects.
Nicholas was very sorry to part with his
mother, but his satisfaction at escaping
from the iron rule of the homestead could
could hardly be concealed. u
For time he was very regular, in his
correspondence but at last his letters
became very brief, and finally for long
time be was silent. Old Brinkerhoff
stormed and wrote furious letters, but he
got no reply. At last one morning Mrs.
Brinkerhof entered her husband private
room, after going through the ceremony
Of knocking at the door, and receiving
permission to come in, with an open
letter il her hand her eyes showed traces
Of tears.
Z" What is the matter with you, Mrs,
Brinkerhoffp asked her lord and mastes.
sternly.
The poor woman essayed to speak, but
the forbidding expression, of the iron face
she gazed upon, froze the words upon her
Lips. She trembled and handed the letter
to her husband. Hastily thrusting his
gsld.bowed spactacles upon his nose, the
read rs follows:
! 9 NY DEAR MOTHER So You win be-
surprised to hear that am married
but such Is the case. MY young
wife is the most charming creature in
the world, and / should be per
fectly happy # You were only
with us. Pray break this matter to nv.
father; assure him that though { have
married . poor girl, she belongs to one Of
the first New England families, and will
DC no dlscredit 70 her name. AS soon %
1 can possibly leave ny business, shall
come On with my wife TO pay respects to
- father p,,I 1c d,