The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-06-05
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sln8s 'bs sutife male poPsiation TO he
ely. Al nIgm 8, rrlurus them agsia.
The vii gc i practically ; sleeping place
ioi people whose every lbouEhi j. q ne
towB. Their very manners aud customs
are Of TIE city, aud yet 10 reality the peo-
+ pc are only villagers
Love isG neyef-ending theme with 81
lbe story iellers, sad lhey delight lo tell
TIC tale ID every tongue. Hear, then, a
story Of love auder new aud peculiar
Circumstances tale Of mingled love
aud social martYFdom, the highest moral
courage, aud The most piiital slight and
+ Insults.
4 The village Of Weston consists Of one
main street, where stand the churches,
the town bail, post Office, and snndfy
lieeble.mindea stores. There are noble
elms, a wide road, and few pretty
houses. The better class Of dwellings
are on The hillside beyond the railroad,
or TO the north, on the meadows. by day
8 sleepy place; st night every house Is
filed with city people sound ssleep.
4 TAe people live here, but their hearts
are 10 the town. Every boy looks for
ward to the time when be shall join the
pilgrims to the city and store, To 20
into al office or store in Boston is the
only thing for young man TO do Tie
must have business in town on lose caste.
Tom Maxwell had the misfortune to be
born 10 Weston, aud early imbibed it's
peculiar notions concerning life aud the
thing to do. For instance, no young
gentleman must work with his hands he
must not 70 into retail store; be must
dress WE'LL be able TO take part in the
Lyceum debates, and be must not on any
account stay in the village during the
day. Unless be could do all this, be had
better remove to New York or Chicago,
and dwell among the unenlightened in
outer darkness
Tom had secured place rs accountant
10 wholesale grocery house, and was
considered lucky fellow lie had a
small property of his own, aud be had
fallen in love. The Object had even said
she would some day wear his name She
wore bis diamond riug already.
Suddenly Tom Maxwell appeared at
the village station at eleven O'Clock in The
morning, and IN an hour 1t was known
Of al women that the wholesale grocery
concern had failed. The Object knew it
first, aud straigbtway all knew il.
OF course the engagement would come
to an immediate end There was not the
least fuss about it. Weston prides itself
on its dignifed serenity under trials. 1t
stopped, aud that was the end OF IT, The
next day Tom had diamond ring on
storage at bis rooms.
Thereupon the young man sat down to
consider the situation. He was now
twenty-five, aud didn't know anything
very we'll. His hands were soft; he
knew how TO dance; he could sing toler'
ably and paint little; be could not dig,
neither could he steal. lie was, in fact
fair sample of the Weston young gen
tleman.
lie also considered The situation from q
lovers point Of view. Here we have nc
right TO intrude, and we must learn bis
thoughts from bis actions.
For several days be wandered around
in the open air, casting about to see wha'
be might do, but really curing bis hear
wound in silent contemplation of nature
Herein was be douby wise. In mo
ment OF inspiration be thought of eni
grating to New York. Other fellows bad
gone there, and bad made money; why
not hel lie even investigated the expense
OF the journey; bat something stood II
the way. lie loved the Object still.
One day be happened to pass through
the main street at high noon. There wa'
not a soul to be seen in all the drowsy
place. Some stray hens gathered rounC
the overhowing watering trough before
the chief store, aud solitary cow crop
ped the grass along the sidewalk. lie wa
! a tribe hungry, aud weat up the decayed
aud broken steps Of the store to purchase
, lunch The door was locked, aud ht
peered IN at the dirty windows. Was !
here the housekeepers OF Weston bough
their sugars and molasses, their teas au'
spicesg He felt glad be had not know
II before. What a hnrible place Dark
dpgy, confused with half-opened boxe
and barrels, broken scale on the eoun
ter, rows Of hy.specked bottles on ih
shelves, confusion aud disorder every
where.
just then man Ia shirt sleeves an
. frowzy hair appeared aud opened tn
!. door. Tom asked for bread aud cheese
= lie paid for something, took Il away 10
! newspaper, aud charitibly bestowed th
! whole Of il upon Tie ancient hens In th
q street.
II was good investment With Ii
purchase be gained an idea. Ideas al
money to the wise, and Tom Msxwe
was wise above bic generation He lool
cd up aud down The sleepy street, an
contemplated The three establishment
that supplied the village needs one v
riety place, where nails, needles, sr
dried iish iouud home; one butcher
y shop--a horri1 den, fail OF unspeakab
u AbominAtioBs aud the dlsma grocery.
:. The idea grew upon him rapidly.
considered Il two days, aud then resoly'
to try IL. Little did be Imagine The il
mense social changes his decision wou
involve. How could be foresee the sligt
the sueeFs. and iukuIting eondesceasi,