Year: 1861

William Newell was q strange hu-
morist. In his boyhood days he had
been a very hard worker, having been
left at an early age an orphan, his
own hauds had kept him out of the
poor house. He claimed to be the
smartest boy in town, and every holt
day he held himself in readiness to
prove his claim, if any chose to dis
pute it and year after year he step
ped into the ring, wrestled with and
threw every sturdy young fellow that
dared show himself on the village
green. When he was twenty -one he
married, much against her fathers
wish, pretty Ida Lee, the miller's
daughter. A few days subsequent
he received intelligence that he had
fallen heir to an immense fortune from
a distant connection in England, Of
whom he had never heard before.


The fortune did not change William
although it did every one else in the
village, and people began to call him
Mr. Newell, or squire Newell, and he
threatened to whip any one within an
inch of their lives who would call him
anything but plain Bill Newell. He
bought the large farm formerly owned
by Squire Flanders, where he had
gathered the finest stock of blood
horses and dogs in the country, and
the farm of Bill Newell was celebra
ted for miles around as the best place
in tie world for fun on holiday
There was o constant routine of foot
races, horse races, cricket and base
ball matches, pitching quoits, throw
ing weights, sparring and fencing,
leaping and jumping, boat racing and
wrestling, and in fact all manner of
rugged manly sports.


One daughter blessed the marriage
of William Newell and Ida Lee-a
charming girl, with all her mothers
beauty and her fathers robust health.
AS young Ida grew, she was made an
honorary member Of all the boating,
cricket ana base ball clubs about the
country and at the age of fourteen
she could sit horse, handle an oar,
or fire pistol with many an older and
more experienced head, and half the
young fellows in the country round
about had fancied themselves in love
with the young and pretty Ida but
their ardor was generally cooled by
the bold assertion Of Newell that the
man who would marry his daughter
must first out ride him, out jump him,
out run him, whip him with the foils,
and gloves, and beat him with quot
and cricket bat In vain Mrs Newell
called her husbands decision absurd
and foolish, and tried to laugh him
out of it; and the hand of his daugh-
ter remained unsought.


During the sdmmer succeeding Ida's
eighteenth birthday, her mother deci-
ded that she should see something Of
the world beyond the Newell farm
and to this end trip was arranged to
Niagara and Saratoga. Mr.. Newell
raised no objection, and the projected
tour was carried into effect.


At the Falls, Mrs and Miss Newell
made the acquaintance of young
gentleman from New York-Alvert
Whipple, a young man Of good family
education and fortune. Whipple. fol-
lowed the Newells to the Springs, and
his acquaintance ripened into intima-
cy, and in due time he proposed for
the hand Of Ida. Mrs. Newell told
him candidly Of her husbands peculi
arities she favored his suit, thought
him a capital match, would be pleased
to welcome him to the farm, but she
warned him of what he might expect
from Mr.. Newell


Nothing daunted young Whipple
returned to the farm with the ladies,
and was introduced to Mr.. Newell,
who look at him attentively from head
to foot and muttered


Poh a milksop--a candy boy