The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-04-10
A LUCKY TUMBLE.

When Mrs. Snatcham asked me.
knowing my usual kindness" whether
l would watch the baby in her cradle,
"iust for half an hour" felt that
crisis had come. I must leave Mrs.
Snatcham's.
1 say Mrs. .Snatcham's, for Mr.. Snatch.
am was not unduly prominent in his
own house. He was meek man, with
fearful eyes. Mrs. Snatcham was-well,
woman with will, and she had eyes
which made you feel uncomfortable.
had been private tutor in this abode for
twelve months. Ny charge consisted of
four young gentlemen, of strong bodies
and perverse dispositions. They quar-
relied necessarily on all points save one.
Against their lawless tutor they COM
bined heartily. Their cry was ever
"War to the knife |" I had borne it
all I might have continued to bear it
all, but no, I could not take charge of
the baby, even for half an hour. must
bid the Snatchams adieu.
1 was gloomily cogitating my next
movement when letter arrived for me
from the only near relative 1 possessed
an old uncle, to when 1 had written
detailing my troubles.
"Look here, Harry" it ran, elf
you've mind to live in peace and die
worth money, You forget all about your
Latin and Greek and such. Fine things
they are, 1 dare say, but I never saw
that they turned into much beef or NUT
ton. You put your books in the fire
and your pride in your pocket, and never
take it out again. You know what I was
in early life, nephew. kept slrop-a
general shop-in country town, and I
didn't do SO badly. Well, I've just
heard the good will and stock in trade
|, of shop of this kind in little town
fifty miles from London is for sale, and say
the word and I'll buy it for you. And,
as your education has been so neglected
that you'd know nothing of such bust
ness, I'll come and steer you Alright for
time, until fortune is before you.
There now!"
Humph I gave gasp or two at this
grand proposition of my worthy relative.
Private tutorship at the Snatchams was
poor enough, but the keeping of ga
shop of all sorts in country town,
under the guidance of my good uncle
Well, it was the old story. "We never
know what we may come to-"
And so 1 left the Snatchams and the
e2O year they gave me (by-the-by,
believe my successor received only
eighteen guineas, and did not object to
mind the baby. and wrote to my uncle
that was ready to accompany him to
the-the shop. Alas. for the vanity OF
human designs News came back that
my relative had died suddenly, and had
left the whole of his property to the
"Sausagemakers' Benevolent Institu
tion," of which he had been vice-presi
dent, in company Ito Ihis great delight,
with half dozen mobiles of the land.
However, all the money needful or
nay account had been paid, and rather
than return to the horrors of private
tutorship I secured the services of al
experienced shopman, and determined
to try my fortune in the new direction
so lauded by my deceased relative.
I do not want to lengthen my story,
and therefore will comprise q great
deal in one short sentence-I tried ant
failed.
I soon began to perceive, not very fal
off, not the fortune my uncle had fore
told, but bankruptcy and the workhouse
And when these pleasant prospects CAM
very distinctly to my mental vision
then it was engaged to marry
Thus it happened. became ATTACHED
to the only daughter of widow, livint
some ten miles from my abode. 1t wa
speedy acquaintance and quick ac
ceptance by the young lady, but some
how the mother, without actually oh
jecting, would not agree, and l presses
Miss Lucy for the reason.
"I have told you, you are going T.
starvation" l said. "My place is
failure, and in month we shall be i
the workhouse the prospects are clea
and charming, and you are quite salts
fed. What is it then that troubles you
mamma ?"
"Well," answered Lucy, sit is yer
foolish of mamma to conceal from 20
something which you evidently don