Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-05-11
A Gipsy Gangs Plot.

In 1874 .IhOmaS Hayman kept
draper's shop at Lutterworth, in Lin
colnshire, England. 1t stood on the
outskirts of the town, and was part
of an old-fashioned dwelling which
had formerly belonged to female
member of the Curzon family, but
had fallen into decay and been sold.
Hayman's father bought it when it
was a little better than ruin, re-
paired several of the rooms, and con-
verted it into comfortable dwelling.
Here in large room on the lower
floor he started in the drapery and
haber- dashery line, and was also en-
gagged in little crooked business
with the Lincolnshire smugglers. He
made money and when he died left a
good estate to his son Thomas. To
the left of the dwelling ruined wing
of the old mansion had been convert
ed into a stable, the original wall be-
ing still used for the purpose. Be-
tween the inhabited part of the build
ing and the stable was space of so
yards occupied by trees and side
roadway.
Thomas Hayman was sent, when
very young, to the Friends school
near Pontefret, and when he grew up
became a Quaker. He was unmar-
ried and reputed wealthy. He had
latterly gone into the banking busi-
ness, and many well-to-do people in
the neighborhood deposited with him.
In the year named there called up
on the draper and banker man
about 80. He was very dark, clean
shaved and we'll dressed.
"Your father,' he said to Mr..
Hayman, chad a brother Charles,
who went to the West Indies so years
ago. Is that not so?"
"Yes, it is" was the reply. II
can remember him we'll, for was
about ten years old at that time
els he still alive?" asked the stran-
ger.
81 believe that he is dead," the
Quaker answered; ''my father died
% years ago, and for fifteen years
before his death we heard nothing of
my uncle"
"Do you recognize this writing" ?"
the stranger asked, as he exhibited ii
faded sheet of paper with writing on
it almost illegible.
eyes, that's my fathers, was the
reply; "where did you get it?''
"All in good time" answered the
stranger. "Your father went to Bar
BADGES, did he not ?''
''He did,"
"And was in the mahogany busi-
ness there?''
'sThat is correct"
"And subsequently quilted Bar
BADGES and went to Jamaica"
"That I was ignorant Of"
"Well, such was the case. There
be married and had children, and !
am the only survivor of them," the
stranger said. "You are my cousin" !"
"You astonish me-" exclaimed the
draper, "we had no knowledge of
his removal to Jamaica or of his mar
riage, but supposed that he had been
unsuccessful in the business and died.
The very last time he wrote he COM
planned of sickness and poverty and
my father sent him money"
"Probably he used it to pay his
passage to jamaica" was the re-
sponse, "and when he got there he
married a quadroon who had some
property. That accounts for my be-
ing so dark
The Quaker was satisfied that the
stranger was his cousin, and gave
him cordial reception. He found
the newly discovered relative bright
and active, and particularly skilled
in the knowledge of horsefesh; of
general business, however, he knew
nothing. He was willing, however,
and seemed anxious to learn, and the
Quaker proposed that he should stay
with him and gain all the information
he could so that he might become
useful to him. The cousin was most
diligent. He went early to rest, and
was always up and around by day
light. He was handy at cooking,
and knew a great many things of
which the Quaker was entirely ignor-
ant. He was familiar with the names
of trees and wild flowers and herbs,
and when Mr.. Hayman asked him
whether the vegetation of the West
Indies was similar to that of England
he replied that it was, although many
things grew there that did not grow
in England.
Before long, Cousin John, as he
was so called, became of great SER
vice to Mr.. Hayman, and the latter
congratulated himself In having
found in his old age relative so Sc
date and Industrious, and so willing
to assist him in every way in his pow
er. When the Quaker spoke of remu-
neration, Cousin John said:
"Not at present, cousin; you give
me food and shelter and clothes,
and with these for the present 1 am
satisfied. When I have acquired
fair knowledge of your business and
can be of better service to you, then
we will speak of the further remuner-
alton"
The Quaker kept three horses, and
Cousin John was particularly fond of