The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-07-05
STORY OF AN OLD ROMANCE.
Cash and Steers Had Stronger Appeal
TO Young Man Than Love

An old copy of the Yarmouth tMass)
Register published in 1S49, contain
ed story of romance, which is re-
,printed here by REQUEST:
tradition has preserved a singular
anecdote of John Thatcher, son OF
one of the early settlers OF this town.
He was married in 1851 to Miss Rebec-
ca Wfnslow of Duxbury. in Plymouth
county, il we mistake not. On his way
home with his new bride he stopped
for the night at the house of friend
q Colonel Gorham of Banrstable, one
of the most prominent citizens of the
town. Merriment and gayety prevail
ed. and during the evening female
infant about three weeks old was in
troduced, and the night of her birth
being mentioned, Mr.. Thatcher obser-
we'd That is the very night on which
we were married. and taking the child
In his arms he presented 1t to his
bride and jokingly said, Here, my dear
is little lady that was born on the
same night that we were married. /
wish you would kiss her, for intend
to have her for my second wife, i
will, my dear, with great pleasure,
replied she. but hope it will be very
long before your intention is fulfilled
in that respect
"Mr. Thatcher and his wife lived
happily together for about 20 years,
and faithfully fulfilled the scriptual
injunction to multiply and replenish
the earth. Mrs. Thatcher left large
family of children among whom was
a son named Peter
After Mr.. Thatcher had mourned a
reasonable length of time he began to
think of getting another partner. None
of the maidens, young or old seemed to
please him like Lydia Gorham, the lit
tie lady of the proceeding part of the
story, now grown up, if we may be-
lieve tradition, to a fair, comedy girl.
full of gushing life as the poets say.
But there was one impeachment in the
way. His eldest son, Peter, had shown
O prediction for the girl, and the old
man was at loss to decide whether
son. The one rode black horse in
his visits, and the other rode white.
There was kind of tacit agreement
between the two that one should not
interfere with the visits of the other I;
so that when the father found white
horse tied in front Of Col. Gorham's
unlike the Good Samaritan, he cross
ed over on the other side; and the son
when the black horse was there, re-
turned the favor.
Thus things went on until the pa.
thence of the old gentleman was we'll
nigh exhausted, and he resolved upon
desperate step to decide the matter.
Taking his son one side, he said to
him: Peter, are you or are you not
going to marry Lydia Gorham? Peter
replied that he had not yet made up
his mind Well said the old gentle
man, will make you an offer: II
you will give her up and court her no
more | will give you 13 pounds in
money and pair of black steers
What do, you say to that?' The young
man hesitated but moment. IT'S a
bargain he said: and it is due the
parties to say that it was observed by
them all with perfect good faith.
Whether Lydia knew the bargaining
that her charms had occasioned, ira
dition sayeth not, but she subsequently
became Mr.. Thatcher's wife. and bore
him 10 children, from whom many
members of the numerous and highly
respectable family of Thatcher have
sprung. ssRgz