Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-28

able For, next the Duke OF Grampian,
his and.steward, though he was but a
country attorney, was, as his Grace's
representative, perhaps the most power
full man in the country, and was Looked
up TO by those whom he could favor &C
cordingly.
l remember the man well, tor he was
my uncle the rector's lawyer, and more
than once have ridden over on my pony
to Barton, our post town, where he lived,
with documents for him from my rela
tive. He had good house looking on
the street, with a large garden in its
rear, and quite independent of the ''ot-
flee" establishment, with which, how
ever, it communicated and I recollect,
boy as was, how it surprised me once
to see Farmer Foracrc' come out OF the
former part CT the editice one day like
guest and an equal.
NV uncle raised his eyebrows when l
told HIM of it, as though he could not
make it out either; for MrSmart had no
daughter TO marry (even supposing her
union with farmer would not have been
a mesaNiance). but only one little boy.
who 1t was said would one day be i'm
mensely rich. However rich he was
growing, that did not prevent Mr.. Smart
from money getting, at which he was
very sharp hand; and I think my uncle
had his suspicious that honest Foracre
would have to pay pretty handsomely for
the consideration with which had seen
him treated. Tenants of the Duke had
more than once been sold up rather sud-
denly. and the principal creditor, who
had supplied them with the money fOr
consideration during their embarras-
ment, had proved to be Mr.. Smart him.
self. Every one would have been sorry
had this fate happened to honest Foracre,
and indignant also; tor it was plain that
his wits, though serviceable enough in
their way, were not to be matched against
the attorneys. Nobody could doubt it
who saw the latter's hard gray eyes and
keen Ratchet face-which seldom broke
into smile except in the presence of his
Grace the Dukc-and contrasted them
with the physiognomy of the good far
mer.
However, SO far as being sold up For
acre became very prosperous, and, as it
happened, was 'gazetted," if l may so
call it, to larger farm than the one he
then held, on the very next market-day
to that on which had seen him leave MIR,
Smart's house wiping his mouth with the
back of his hand, which is the way with
the Wiltshire folks after a good meal.
Thus far have written from my
personal knowledge Of the man, but 1
have heard much of him from others.
Although none knew whence he had
sprung, he seemed to have good many
friends, who came to visit him from time
to time, and who were all apparently re-
spectacle persons. 1t was noticed, too,
by those who spoke with them, thatsthey
were much above the common run in the
way of intelligence, and superior to their
host IN that way, if not in social position.
This, again, was not set down in the good
mans favor. for bachelor farmers, even of
middle age, are sometimes coarsely con-
vIvial, and will surround themselves, when
they can afford it, with boon companions
who do them no good. As Mr.. Foracre
advanced in years these guests grew more
numerous, which might be easily account
ed for by his increased means of enter
tainment. AT the time I have In my mind
he was in the occupation of the Manor
Farm, and, SO to speak, at the top Of the
tenant tree; but what was observed as
curious was, first, that his friends
only came one at time; and
secondly, that no friend ever
visited MIR. Foracre's twice. They
came, and apparently enjoyed themselves
4bo1, cl,ot on6 Gcboj (fnr nv C,oort o.,vo
Foracre greater sporting rights than
were enjoyed by most tenants, ana ate
and drank of the best, and parted, as it
seemed, with their entertainer upon the
best of terms; bnt they never turned up
again in Seton. Another popularity of
the honest farmers visitors was that
they were always giving him presents.
The Manor Farm, large as it was, was
almost entirely furnished by the con-
tributions of its tenants friends and ad-
mirers: they did not send mere knick-
knacks such as for wedding present,
but serviceable articles of value-carpets,
dinner table. , and bookcases, of all which
Mr.. Foracre made no more than a fash
ionable curate does of his gift slippers.
He never Haunted his popularity in the
face of his less fortunate fellow creatures.
"Snith and Jones, >" he would say, ''are
very kind, much too kind" and that was
all. One day he had a very handsome
silver breakfast service sent him, such as
probably was not to be seen in Seton,
except in the sources house. He was
very unwell at the time, and this act of
generous attention might have caused
many man -softened by illness-to
make much of such gift; yet no one so
much as heard him speak of it. Never
theless, he could not disarm envy; and l
we'll remember Miss Tabitba Prim,
bitter old maid of Calvanistlc opinions,
the sister Of the village doctor, taking on
herself to remind him Of what was writ
ten about laying up gold and silver
against the day of wrath But the ex-
cellent fellow only smiled, and thanked
her for her intentions, at the same time
pointing out to her that they were with
out application in his case, since the
metal in question was only electro
plate. Foracre had good deal of quiet
humor-a gift which, when joined to i'm
perturbable good temper, is not resented
by even the duliest people; and though
he never offended others, he was very for
giving when the offense was committed
against himself. For example, he was