The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-10-16

grove fronting his house. He widened
the narrow roads along the bay, which
David had broken out, and in his heavy,
numbering coach OF State went through
the snow and mud from one tenant to
another. The coach is still to be seen
and the tenants grandchildren bear the
Owen surname as the universal Christian
cognomen.
Now began the daily routine which
seldom varied. The day commenced
and ended with prayer, which all the
household servants attended; the
maids as the admiral called them
for we are all servants of God''-bring-
ing their work, and sewing throughout
the service, except when the prayer it's
elf was said. If some one occasionally
was disinclined to such steady improve
ment of the devotional hour, the admiral
with benevolent smile, inquired, my
dear, do you feel lazy to-night?" Break
fast was served at nine. After that the
Lady Owen, clad in an enormous apron,
entered the kitchen, and taught the mys
teries of salads and jellies.
The admiral would often stroll down
to whale-bOat cove-so called from a
large kind of row-boat used in the her.
ring fisheries, which he persuaded the
men to call WEIGH Pool. Many a little
maiden counted her pennies by the adj
mirars kisses, and many poor fisher
man blessed him for allowing the house
rent to run on from year to year, though
the admiral invariably insisted on the
rental from the weirs; he well knew
which was the more profitable. On 9th
er days he stayed at home and amused
himself with his books. AT four o'clock
the husband and wife dined with the
family and the frequent guests The
dinner of four courses was served in
silver and gold-lined dishes, with wine
from Jersey, and game from the prov
inces. Silver candelab"a shone upon the
table. Damask and India muslin cur
tains shaded the many paned windows;
heavy mahogany and rosewood chairs,
sofas, and tables furnished the apart
ment; great logs on tall andirons burned
in monster fireplaces; sacred maps hung
around the evening parlor; and the din
ingroom carpet was said to have been a
gift from the King of Prussia.
Lady Owen was handsome woman.
with silver hair and pink and white COM
pleXion, who. like her daughter, wore
long trains and low corsages. Some
times the mother wrapped herself in a
certain gold and black scarf with such a
comtly grace that its remembrance has
never faded. Great was the jubilee
among the domestics when a box arrived
from England, with fabulous dresses
ready made.
After the dinner of an hour came tea
at seven and a family at nine, then the
scripture reading and prayer, and then
the ladies and servants retired, leaving
the admiral and his gentlemen friends,
fortified with cigars, whislley and water,
to relate naval stories and discuss relig-
ious themes till two or three o'clock in
the morning.
Once year the maids and men of the
great house had ball, the ladies play
ing for them even all night. Twice in
the twelve months occurred the house
cleaning, when n dress was given each
busy worker. The servants were often
reminded to take no more than was nee
essary on their plates, for economy,
though not parsimOny, was the rule of
the house. Guests came from the main
land and from every vessel of war. Adj
miral Owen and his house were the fash
ion for many long years.
The population of the island increased,
and the old man married the boys and
girls at church or at home, slowly or
hastily, as his humOr babe him. always
claiming the first kiss of the bride. A
certain sailor, who had woed Il Campo
bello maiden, was determined that this
privilege should not be granted by her,
and therefore saluted his bride before
the service was ended. "YOu are not
yeti" shouted the admiral.
Frightened, the sailor-groom turned his
face and his feet toward the minister
who more and more slowly
the words of the service, as he
nearer to the lady, till, with |
the last words, he snatched the first kiss.
The admirals life was embittered by |
the obstinacy with which some of the
people refused to pay him allegiance. !
They were the descendants of one Will |
son, who, in David's time, had squatted |
at Head Harbor, and had built across the |
end of the island brush fence, which |
was considered to give the sanctity of a
written deed to Wilson's claim. David |
Owens contested the validity of custom,
and lawsuit followed, which was de- I
cided in favor of the squatters. The de- |
cision was very embarrassing to David,
who feared that through its effect he |
might lose possession of another neck of |
land. So he FASTENED home from the
court, out-stripping his rival, and told
squatter who lived on second point of
the island that, as the verdict in the
Head Harbor case had been rendered in
the Owen favor, he had better sell out
at once, or else the law would make him
do so. This reasoning. though illogical,
was convincing and the terrified fisher