Page:Peterson's Magazine 1842, Volume I.pdf/334

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day, fur the green loaves were on the trees, and tho verdant grass was gay in its summer attire before they were completed. Laborera were plenty, and the spring planting being over, Mr. Smithe gave them an English fete—an ox was roasted, and beer and ale wore briskly ctroulated. Popular with all classes, the glury of the Englishman was at its height. Mrs. Smitho was pro- nounced the most notable of house-keepers, and her butter and cheese became the country’s talk—the young, ladies went on their course entertaining with music and conversation all who would come and listen, and accept ing all the civilities so abundantly oflered them. They Promptly returned their catls—they visited and male themselves egrecable, talking of London and Birminghmin—they walked and talked—they rambled and chat- ted—they roile horse-back, with Tartan shawls pinned about their waists, and falling in long but scanty drapery, and little nine-penny chuck bats on their heads. Their steeds—not ficry Arube—but good ploughing horses, with considerable ability in walking, and excellent trot fers, but knew no other guit—were dignificd by the namea of Bucephalus end Mazeppa. Not a awain but fell captive to English charms—but it was John Browu’s forluno to be the favored one—ho, upon whuse educated heart, rosy checked, bright-eyed damsele hud fuilod to take an impression, becmmne the accepted of Misa Caro line Smithe—and as he inwardly thought, possessor of a handsome fortune—as she expressed it « their troth was plighted.”. "The charming Miss ’Arriet’s ‘eart was now the besieged citadel—she sentimentalised, flirted and played with all—but upon tha consummation of her sisters felicity, smiled 80 sweetly upon Mr. Simpson, a widower of six months standing, with a fine family of children and a pleasant house, thot it was supposed he would be the happy man. No! slas for him, for in her pitying and sympethising refusal of his offer, she more than intimated “that” her h-aifeetions had long been placed upon a member of the royat family—it was a moxtual h-attachment that though h-opposite and h-advvoree circumatznces hd combined to separate thom, she yet trusted to give her ‘ani where she bad bestowed her Yeart, ‘The fair Indy was not the less cought, aftcr this intimation, for to be the husband of one who had been beloved by a duke, @ lord, a prince, or perhaps by the king himeelf, was worthy of an effort.

August came, and with it a slight diminution of in- terest in the Sinithe family, An announcement that hoarl might be obtainod there aroused Mrs, Thomas of “the Lion,” and in her angry astonishment she guve ‘Utterance to the wish, “that if the Englishmen were going to mind their Intsiness they would pay them their ues.” Colonel Grimes called for the sctilement of a bill due to him, and not offecting his object, remarked that he guessed * Englishmen were just about as good now as they were when old Ethan Allen whipped them.” As winter approached, Mis Harticl, on accomnt of her loveliness, now that Mrs, Hrown had left them, Proposal opening a school fer young Missee—Mivs Prim immediately discovered that she liked English curls better than English manneni—and intimated that she thought it would be “as well to pay for Amy’s tuition as to take away hor lawful rights’'—rights sho had maintained 40 many years, Notwithstanding these beginnings of murmur, the Smithes' had buarders, and Miss Harriet hail schotars—the scholars soon left, they {ae not like English teaching—the boardefs followed their cxample, they did not like English eating. Not Hong after thia Mr. Smithe was scen nhout night-fall, taggeting to his barn, and vainly endeavoring to feed his horses, A travelling lawyer came to Laurelville, his purpose to collect a debt duc to @ cabinet:maker in Troy, for English fumniture—not being able to obtain money, he attached sufficient property to cover the debt, The homely tenth thut “bad news flies faster than goad,” was never moro fully proved than in this case. Each of ‘Mr. Smnithe’s ereilitors became anxious to secure their , them—farmers came and took away their own shevp and cows—not to trouble the Englishmen, hut to pay {Ro one—and no one personally molested biin—indeed _ he was rarcly to be ween sober, and ecemed passively to drunken forgetiulnesa,
 * own claims—and with no lack of good fecling toward
 * him, each came and took that which secmned right in
 * his own eyes, Cropa were sold to pay for planting
 * themselves, ‘The mastor of the house quarrelled with
 * receive all his misfortunes, seeking relief only in stupid,

The year came round. Smithe Park wae stil} there, but how shorn of its glory! Dvors creaking on rusty hinges, wore blown by the wind to and fro, and gave forth that hollow sound which hetokens empty barns and vacant stables, The house was closed and gloomy. The family—their English glory all departed—ita head might always by day be seen cowering by the hitchen fire, his elbows supporting his head by resting on his knees—and hie face covered with hie handa—be seemed neither to know or care that his eredit, his character, his reputation wera ali gone—that he himself was a drun- kard. What wes now the prospect of that English famity, who a year before hd taken possession of the Holladay farm, and the good senso of the villagera? and who coming to Lauretviile with litile property, were first ratued, more by the will of the people, than by their own pretension, to a height which made their fall, cheir ruin? ‘They left their houso as the spring retummed—te to be carried to his grave—she to go to her English friends in compliance with the urgeut request of both Mr. and Mrz, John Brown, taking litle Amy with her. Smithe twok apprentice hunds with Mr. Pegg, the slioes maker, who ig now the ’andsome Mise ’Avriets ‘oppy ’usband, and has ascertained that the former luver was

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