Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-04-07
KINGSBORO'S PUZZLE.

Nobody at Kingsboro knew what to
make of it. Deacon Turner. the oldest
IinhaDitant. said that during his earthly
pilgrimage he had sojonrned at nuner-
lcus towns. but in no one Of them had
any young man who dressed nicely and
did no work turned out well. Captain
Brown, who worked hard but managed
so badly that he was never out of debt.
AIRED savagely whenever he saw hand
tome 10 Madison with his hands in the
pockets of his neatly fitting coat, and
took occasion to remark to the first per-
son he met that he wished the old days
in which people who had no visible
means ofsupport were prosecuted would
return again.
Squire Beaten, who kept the post
office, admitted to certain astute ques-
TONERS that 10 Madison never received
letters, so it was impossible that any one
was sending him money with which to
support himself in idleness. Suspicion
even ran 10 high that Bill Bridger, who
was the only apothecary and candy
seller at Kingsboro, and who had 10
Madison for quite a steady customer,
made it rule to examine very carefully
every banknote that 10 offered in pay
ment, lest haply the handsome do-noth-
ing might be circulating counterfeits.
The married women at Kingsboro, who
kn1 49, Ia ,-1 Il.
always do in new towns in young states,
carefully pointed out 10 to their sons as
an example to be Stunned, except so far
as personal neatness was concerned.
But the Kingsboro girls differed from
the rest Of the community in their esti-
nation of Jo. He might be indolent-
in fact they knew he was, for he might
almost always be seen on the main street
of the village, sauntering along while
other men were at workout he was
handsome and he dressed with real taste,
and his breath never smelled of liquor or
tobacco, and he was always polite, and
he never was awkward or i'll at ease or
presuming when in the society of ladies,
and he seemed to understand all his fair
companions SO well. In all these respects
he was quite different from most of the
Kingsboro boys, so that when good
mothers warned their daughters against
Young men who could only give fine
words in proof of affection, the damsels
experienced strong misgivings as to what
they would say if 10 Madison were to
propose.
But 10 saved them the necessity of de-
Gliding any such question. He proposed
to nobody; he made love to nobody; he
seemed to have no special favorites
among the girls of Kingsboro. He never
even fiirted; he seemed to heartily enjoy
himself when with ladies, and to express
his gratitude so deftly as to leave no one
a word upon which to base suspicion
of any stronger sentiments. And he did
not stop with conquering the hearts of
all the Kingsboro girls. Without any
seeming intention to do so, he won the
hearts of few of the elderly women in
the town. They did not mean to give
to a snowy idler. but some
how, when jo would coax some bad or
fretful child to take a walk with him |
and then send the child home with a |
head full of Bible stories and mouth !
full of pretty songs, the mother of the
child would reluctantly admit that the |
Young do-nothing did have a
real good heart.
There was not at Kingsboro any club, |
that institution so industriously hated /
by all good women, but there was gath
ering place which fulfilled all the re-
quirements of club, and that was the
postoffice. The mail stage was nomi-
nally due at in the evening, so that
half the male inhabitants congregated in
Bill Burth's saddle shop, which formed
the anteroom of the postoffice, immedi-
itely after supper, and they usually en-
ioyed a two hour season of conversation
before the arrival and distribution of the
nail gave them hint to go home.
Subjects for conversation were not
very numerous at Kingsboro, and as the
lew native characters with any salient
points had been thoroughly discussed
hiring the many sessions of the men
who waited for the mail, the arrival of
10 Madison was perfect godsend 1t
S hardly necessary TO say that 10 found
out few companions among the Kings
,oro men. The young mon hated him
or estranging their sweethearts, and
ZACH of the older men was afraid that 10
night marry his daughter and come I'M
Ter the paternal roof for support.
One cool night, several weeks after
los appearance at Kingsboro. the oppos-
ng theorists as to JOS character in
lulged in many cornered and very live
y duel. It was during season when
hidden atmospheric changes made most
f the Kingsboro people bilious; other
wise the bitterness with which the con-
'ersation finally came to be character
zed would have been inexplicable.
'quire Ripson so far forgot his years and
ignity of character as to call Bill Burth
lis temporary host. fool for holding
hat Jo could be nothing worse than
veil to do young man enjoying himself
vhile Bill, notwithstanding the kindli-