Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-02-02

~ service to the
house Of Wey-
mouth as chattel, servitor and friend.
OF the color Of the mahogany bank
furniture was Uncle Bushrod-thus
dark was he externally; white as the
uninl6ed pages of the bank ledgers was
his soul. Eminently pleasing to Uncle
BushrOd would the comparison have
been, for to him the only institution
in existence worth considering was the
Weymouth bank, of which he was
something between porter and general
issimO in charge.
Weymouth lay, dreamy and UNI
brageous, among the low foothills
along the brow Of a southern valley.
Three banks there were in Weymouth
VILE Two were hopeless, misguided
enterprises, lacking the presence and
prestige of Weymouth to give them
glory. The third was the bank, man
aged by the Weymouths-and Uncle
Bushrod
In the old Weymouth homestead
the red brick, white porticoed mansion,
the first to your right as you crossed
Elder creek coming into toWn-ltved
Mr.. Robert Weymouth, the president
of the bank; his widowed daughter,
Mrs. Vesey, called Miss Lefty" by ev-
cry one, and her two children, Nan
and Guy. There also, in a cottage on
the grounds, resided Uncle Bushrod
and Aunt Malindy, his wife. Mr.. Will
liam Weymouth, the cashier Of the
bank, lived in a modern, fine house on
the principal avenue.
Mr.. Robert was a large, stout man,
siXty-two years of age, with smooth,
plump face, long iron gray hair and
fiery blue eyes. He was high temper
ed, kind and generous, with a youth
full smile and formidable, stern voice
that did not always mean what it
sounded like. Mr.. William was a mild
er man, correct in department and alb
sOrbed in business. The WeymOuths
formed the family of Weymouthville
and were looked up to, as was their
right of heritage.
Uncle Bushrod was the banks trust
ed porter, messenger, vassal and guar
dian. He carried a key to the vault,
just as Mr.. Robert and Mr.. William
did. Sometimes there was ten, fifteen
or twenty thousand dollars in sacked
silver stacked on the vault floor. 1t
was safe with Uncle BushrOd. He
was a Weymouth in heart, honesty
and pride.
Of late Uncle Bushrod had not been
without worry. 1t was on account OF
Mr.
Robert had been known to indulge in
too much drink. Not enough, under
stand, to become tipsy, but the habit
was getting hold upon him, and ev
cry one was beginning to notice it
Half a dozen times a day he would
leave the bank and step around to the
Merchants and Planters hotel to take
drink. Mr.. Roberts unusual keer
Judgment and business capacity be
came little impaired. Mr.. William,
Weymouth, but not so rich In expert
ence, tried to dam the inevitable bacl
flow of the tide, but with incomplete
success. The deposits in the Wey
mouth bank dropped from six figure
to five. Past due paper began to &C
cumulate, owing to injudicious loans
No one cared to address Mr.. Robert OF
the subject Of temperance. Many 0
his friends said that the cause Of it ha
been the death Of his wife some tw
years before. Others hesitated on az
count Of Mr.. Roberts quick temper
which was extremely apt to resent pei
Eonal interference of such a nature
Miss Lefty and the children notice
the change and grieved about it. U1
Gle Bushrod also worried, but he wa
one Of those who would not have dare
to demonstrate, though he and Mars
Robert had been raised almost as con
panions. But there was a heavie
shock coming to Uncle Bushrod tina
hat caused by the bank president
toddies and juleps.
Mr. Robert had passion for fishin
which he usually INDUCED whenevt
the season and business permitte,
One day, when reports had been con
Ing In relating to the bass and perez
he announced his intention of maxim
q two or three days visit to the lake
He was going down, he said, to Reed
lake with Judge Archinard, an oil
friend