St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-01-08
JOHN FENSHAWE.
BY RICHARD BOWLING.

Warmingham scarcely deserves the
name of town. Hence it is peculiarly
proud of the name. TO hint to one of
its inhabitants that it was "A small town
gave offence. To pass easily among
it's people, the best way of referring to
the place was to call it the town of
Warmingham, and leave matters alone
at that point. 1t stood at the foot of Il
hill, remote from village or other town.
AS yet no railway came near it. This
was very sore subject with the resi-
dents, and no pleasant or useful pur-
pose could be served by abiding to it.
vantages. 1t possessed one side of Il
stream, a town hall, where jugglers of
marvellous skill and Christy Minstrels
of glOOmiest complexion occasionally
performed. 1t had nine public pumps,
from which any one who chose could
draw and fetch water without charge.
1t had town clock which kept the
time of the Warmingham in preference
to the time of the Greenwich meridian,
and often, to show that it had no mar
row local vanity, adopted the time of
meridiaus leagues to. the east or west
of Warmingham and Greenwich.
The people of this town were re
markable for solidity of character rath-
er than vivacity of manners. They
had. being men who prided themselves
on their wise federation of progress, no
formulated objection to vivacity, but
| they did not manufacture the article
themselves. They looked upon viva
city as upon the jugglers and Christy
Minstrels, good upon occasions and
meritoriOus in strangers, but of doubt
FIJI value for everyday nse at home.
| They were proud of two things. the
town hall and John Fenshawe. The
town hall was, after the parish church,
the most conspicuous thing in the
place. 1t stood at the highest side of
the Market square, and commanded
the respect of inhabitants and the at
tention of visitors. 1t was set firmly
! forth in fun view of all and local Opin
ion gave it high place among the his
| tOric buildings of the country. In no
way could YOU enter the town without
seeing il, for it dominated all the place
as st. Paul dominates London. All
distances were meals lred from it, and
all other buildings spoken of in rela
ton to it. The Man et-squarc was the
octopus head to which the eight streets
formed tentacles, and the town hall
was the mouth of the octopus. The
town hall was the visible sign of
Warmingham's greatness. 1t housed
the library, the school of art, the news
room, the chamber of commerce, the
assembly -roOms, and IA few other iuSti-
tutions of less note. 1t is recorded
that some profiigate was once known
to speak lightly of the equator; no
one had ever been known to speak
lightly of Warmingham town hall. All
mingham town hall, bnt no man had
been known to treat it with contumely.
The other thing of which every one
i'll the town felt proud was John Fen
shave.
The universal faith was that he hap
pened to be the only member of il
county family living in the town. 1t
was believed that he came of the great
Fenshawe family, which, here and
there, owned no fewer than three cor
onets. 1t was held that he himself
might have had cOronet for holding
mp his finger. but that he preferred
keeping his finger down, and living in
peace and plenty among the honest
tOwnsfolk with whom he had dwelt so
long 1t was supposed he was very
rich, and that he could easily have
supported the dignity of title if he
chose.
He did not mingle with the towns
folk, but they felt he was one of them,
and they would no more have believed !
treason of him against Warmingham |
than of the Queen herself against this |
realm.
One of the most remarkable things |
about John Fenshawe was that no one
could exactly tell his age Those who
were old said he must now be old
those who were mIddle-aged said he
must have passed middle life, and
those who were young had "a notion
that he could not he far away from
their years. This in itself was great
to John Fenshawe, for il
showed how each class wished him to
be considered rs belonging To itself
To be sure he was never seen about
town. But then why should a gentle
man of his quality ever be seen about
town? He had the reputation of being
the best ducksh ct in the county, aud
he was supposed to lie shooting duck
in the pools of the plain, or employing
himself in rifle practice of one kind or
another among the hills. As some
stranger passing through the town,
and hearing all that had to Ice said of
him, remarked, 'He was never di-
vorced by report from gun Every l.
one owned that his ways were retiring,
very solitary; but all agreed that a
more kindly or gentle-hearted gentle
IL