Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-11-12

This community had no other name
than the "Dstrict" and ii any one had
attempted TO change the appcllatiom, he
would no doubt have felt The heavy
hand Of revenge. The "District' people
had no regular religious creed. Every
Sunday they would meet in rude log
building and listen to the iliterate dis.
course Of John Sumptcr. an old fellow
who took upon himself the duty OF in,
structing the people upon the principles
of religious morals.
Once newspaper man Of discreditcd
enterprise attempted topubIlsh Il week
" Journal in the little village known rs
the capital of the District but before
the first number Of the paper came out
u committee headed by old man Gress'
ON, called on the journalist and told
him that they did not want news
paper. .,
1--WE did not send for you," the old
ln.!n said, (which is mighty good ev-
i.crce that we didn't want you. VIZ
dom want no man comm around pry-
in inter Our affairs, an il it's ali the
same to YOU we'd rather YOU d 90 back
whar yol come from, or leastwise leayt
the district.
The editor argued tnat & newspaper
would materially assist in the develop
ment of the country's resources.
We've got all the dcvciopncss We
want, said the old man. "Deye,op
ness is what makes folks miserable. W.
never 90 down from here m trJ 10 tIn
the world, and we'll b. blamed il the
world shall come up here and try to run
Us. II you want 10 come here and faI
in with The rest OF the folks, an WORK
fur Twin all right, but no lazy mar
can live here.
Tie editor explained that the publ
cation ci newspaper required the ex
ercisc 81 great Industry, hUt the ole
man, losing rN,i"uoc, said;
"WG'yc dUA give YEA "a: warnin',
We lave been Kind enough 10 tell YOU
what tie law. an II you don't prof
byi:, Yo can't ,riY L. No@ IL; II: tel
you once for Ill: II yoa print any g!
your papers here, we'll iljng }"n often
the top Of the mountain"
The next dag land PRESS might
have been seen, III tact il was seen, 90
inm down the mountain
In this way the people OF the "Ds-
trict'' liyr.!. sons grew up, married and
settled near the homestead, and no one
thought tina; Il change would come.
John Sumptcr, the moral lecturer, had
q beautiful daughter, who despite her
crude surroundings had TO some extent,
acquircda knowledge OF boots. She was
tall and graceful. She was kind OF
Shcila among the rudcr inhabitants of a
Barvabost. Once, after long persua-
sion, she induced her father to let her
90 down in the world. She would not
remain long. She only wanted TO see
what other places looked like. The
people of the "District' objected They
told John Sumpter that nothing but evil
could result from such q wild exploit,
but the girls shrcwdncss outweighed
the arguments of the sages, and she
went down among the strange people
below. A few weeks afterwards she
returned. Every one noticed that she
had changed. Her wonted laugh had
died away, and in the evening when
the sun died, melting behind the rugged
peak of the mountain, she would sit UNI
der the great oak in front of her father
house, and muse. Her father was
alarmed. "Lamuth," he said to her
one evening, calling her by name, 81
want you to tell me what's the matter
with youP"
Nothing" she replied without re-
moving her gaze from the deep blue
space where distance seemed to level it.
self out into great turquoise plain.
"Nuthin'," repeated the old man. al
there amt nuthin' the matter, what
makes you NOPE? Why don't you &c
with ne to feed the sheep, and sing
like you uster?"
81 didn't know Twas moping. don
go with you to feed the sheep, be cause
/ don't think can be of any use to you
and | don't sing because | don't want
to hear my own voice.
Come now, gal, that's all foolish
ness. I'm afeard that trip away from
home didn't do you no good. Let's &C
into the house. jeff Magic is there a.
waitin' for you"
II don't want to see him." she said,
still gazing into the blue beyond.
"What!'' the old man exclaimed.
Don't wanter see JEFF, when you
know he's nigh dead arter youP"
''Let him die, then"
Come an quit yer foolishness, and
without consulting her willingness to
accompany him, he led her into the
house. She treated the young man
with cool dignity. He was astonished.
He asked her to sing. She refused,
and he was amazed. When he went
away, which he did very soon, the girl
father scolded her.
jeff told several of the neighbcrs OF
the girls strange actions and before
bed time they called on John Sumpter,
to consult with him. They agreed
that immediate action must be taken.
jeff Magic was regarded as the coming
man of the district" Maidens had
sighed after him and young men had
envied him. 10 see him thus crumble
and fall from his great social height,
was ominous of coming evil of great
consequence. A community thus d.
vided against itself could not stand.
Yes" exclaimed John Sumpter in
acquicsccnce, when one of the callers
had expressed an opinion, san about
the next thing we know the state of Ar
kansas will send men up here an try to
make Us live under her laws, an then
fellers will hop up an wanter 60 to the
legislature"
The neighbors groaned.
As younc loveliSts would say, sever
al days aflc. the startling events detail
ed in the la. chapter, the people of the
village met "A John Sumpter's lecture
hall. After the singing Of Il kind of a
see-saw hymn, the work of district
composer, John SumptY arose to begin
his discourse when some one called
Hold on moment, please"
Every unp Turned in surnriSp and