2
An Odd Man.
ONE of the greatest enjoyment Which
can befall a man, Is to spend a week
or so with an old school fellow who was a
jovial companion, and who you have not
seen since.
-1 wbh heartily glad, therefore, when at
last I found that there was nothing to pre
vent me paying a visit (long promised and
looked forward to, ' but against which I
began to think, gods and men bad conspir
ed) to my old true friend Lumley. I dare
say he has a Christian name ; indeed, I
have no reason to doubt it, and, on the
strength of an initial not very discipher
ablo, prefixed to the L in his eiguature, I
have never hesitated to address bim, "J.
Lumley, Esq. ;" but I know him as Long
Lumley, and so does every man who, like
myself, remembers bim at Oxford ; and as
Long Lumley do all biB contemporaries
know bim best, and esteem bim accord
ingly ; and be must excuse me if 1 immor
talize bim to the public, in spite of god
fathers and godmothers, by that more fa
miliar appellation. A cousin was with
hiiri at college, a miserable sneaking fellow,
who, was known as " Little Lumley ;" and
if, as I suspect, they wero both Johns or
JamcscSjit is quite desirable to distinguish
them unmistakably ; for though the other
ha the best shooting in the country, I
would not be suspected of spending even
the first week of September inside such a
fellow's gate. .
i But Long Lumley was and is of a differ
ent stamp ; six feet three, and every inch a
gentleman. , I wish be was not, of, late
years, quite so fond of farming; a man
who can shoot, ride, and translate an ode
of. Horace as ho can, ought to have a soul
above tui nips. It is almost the only point
on which we aro diametrically opposed in
tastes and habits. We nearly fell out about
it the very first morning after my arrival,
j' Breakfast was over a somowhrtt late one
in honor of tho supposed fatigues of yester
day's journey, nnd it became necessary to
arrango proceedings for tho day. What a
false politeness it is, which makes' a host
responsible for bis guests' amusement ! and
how often, in cousequence, aro they com
pelled to do, with grimaces of forced satis
faction, the very thing they would not !
However, Lumley and myself wero too old
friends to have any scruples of delicacy
on that point. I bad been eyeing1 him for
Rome minutes while be was fastening on a
pair of formidable high-lows, and was not
taken by surprise when the proposal Came
out, " Now, old fellow will you come' aud
have a look at my farm ?' :l " "
" "Can't I seolt from the window?"'-
" Btuflf ! come I must show you my sheep;
1 assure you they are considered about the
best in this neighborhood." ' ' '
" Well, then, I'll taste the mutton any
day you like and give you my honest Opin
ion." ' '
1 "Don't be au ass now, but get your hat
and come along ; it's going to be a lovely
day ; and we'll just take a turn over the
farm tfiere's a new threshing machine I
want to show you, too, and then back here
to lunch." ' - " " i .
'' "Seriously, then, Lumley, I ' won't do
anything of the kind. - I do you the Justice
to believe, that you asked me here to enjoy
myself ; and that I am quite ready to do
' n any fairly rational manner ; and I flatter
myself I am in nowise particular ; but as to
going bogging myself among turnips, or
staring into the faces and poking the' ribs
of shorthorns and southdowus why, as an
old friend, you'll excuse me." '" 1
"Hem I there's no accounting for1 tastes."
i i
said Lumley, In half a disappointed tone.
" No," said I, "there certainly U hot."
, "Well, then,"' said be he never ' lost
his good-humor " what shall we do? I'll
toll you you remember Harry Bolton?
rather your Junior, but you ' must 1 have
known bim well, because he was quite in
our set from the first to bo sure, didn't
you spill him out of a tandem at Abington
corner? Well, he Is living now about nine
miles from here, and we'll drive over and
Bcebim. ' I meant to write to ask him to
dine here, and this will save the trouble."
x " With all my heart," said I ; "I never
saw him since I left Oxford. I fancied I
heard of his getting into some meg's in
volved in some way, was be not?"
" Not involved exactly ; but he certainly
did make himself scarce from a very nice
house and curacy wblch he had when he
first left Oxford, and buried himself alive
for I don't know bow long, and all for the
very queerest reason, or rather without any
reason at all. Did you never hear of it?"
"No ;' only some vague rumor, as I said
just now." 1 ' ' "
" You never beard, then, how he came
Into this neighborhood ? Have the dog
cart around in ten minutes, Bam, and we
dine at seven. Now, get yourself in march
ing order, and I'll tell you the whole story
m me go along.' ) , :
' He did so, but It was so interrupted by
contluual expostulations with his horse,
ud remarks upon the country through
which we were driving, that it will ' bo at
least as intelligible if I tell it in my own
words ; especially a I had many of the
most graphic passages from Bolton's own
lips afterwards. 1
It was before be left Oxford, I think, tlmt
Bolton Kiht bis father, and was thrown
protty much npon his own resources. A
physician with a large family, however
good his practice, seldom leaves much be
hind him ; and poor Harry found himself,
after spending a handsome allowance and
something more, left to begin . life on his
own account, with a degree, a good many
bills, and a few hundreds, quite insufficient
to pny them. However, be was not the
sort of man to look .upon the dark side of
things ; and no heir, long expectant, and
just stepping iut6bis thousands pet annum,
carried away from the university a lighter
heart and a merrier face than Harry Bol
ton. He got ordained in due course ; and
though not exactly the material out of
which one would prefer to cut a country
curate, still he threw off with his sporting
coats aud many colored waistcoats, most of
the habits thereto belonging, and loss suit
ed to his profession. To live upon a cu
rate's stipend be found more difficult ; and
being a fair scholar, and having plenty of
friends and connections, be announced bis
intention of " driving," as he called it, a
pair of pupils, whom ho might train up iu
so much Latin and Greek, and other ele
ments of general knowledge (including,
perhaps, a little shooting and gig-driving),
as they might require for their matricula
tions. . The desired youths were soon
found ; and Harry entered upon his new
employment with considerable ardor, aud a
very honest intention of doing his best.
How the Latiu and Greek prospered is a
point in some degree obscure to present
historians; but all the pupils were unani
mous in declaring the wine to be unexcep
tionable, and their preceptor's dogs and
kbootiug first rate ; in fact he sustained
with them, as with the public generally,
tho reputation of being one of the heartiest
and best fellows in the world. From tho
poorest among bis parishioners, to whom
ho was charitable above bis means, but
who felt almost moro than his gifts tho
manner of his giving, to the squire tcu
miles off, who met his pleasant smilo once
a year at a dinner party, all Bpoke well of
Harry Bolton. Nowondor his pupils looked
upon him as tho very paragon of tutors, nnd
found their path of learning strowod with
unexpected flowers. How many scholars
he made is still unknown ; but bo mado
many friends. With the uncaloulating grat
itude of youth, all remembered the pleas
ant companion when they might have for
gotten the hard-working instructor ; and
frequent were the tokens of such remem
brance, varying with the tastes of the
senders which reached the littlo parsonage
by the Oxford coach, from those who sue
cessfully assumed tho toga tirilit, and be
came (university) men. Collars of brawn
and cases of claret whore indeed but per
ishablo memorials ; but there came also
whips extravagantly mounted, aud tomes
of orthodox divinity in the BOberest bind
ings, all bearing inscriptions more or less
closical, from bis "quondam alumni."
Tho first named delicacies wero duly passed
on, with Harry's compliments, to grace
more fittingly tho tables of some of his
hospitable entertainers ; and, in an equally
unselfish spirit,be seldom sat down alone to
any of his literary dainties, but kept them
in honorable Btate on bis most conspicuous
bookshelf, for tho use and behoof of any
friend who might wish to enjoy them.
But here I am anticipating. For some
time the puzzling went on pretty smoothly.
Two or threo couple of youths wore fairly
launched upon the university, and nothing
particularly ' untoward had occurred to
ruillo the curate's good-humor or injure
bis reputation. There bad been no attempt
at elopement with the cook or house-maid
(Bolton's precaution had secured ugly
ones); no poaching on Sir Thomas' favorite
preserve, though closo at hand, and sports
men of eighteen are not over nice in their
distinctions ; a tall Irishman bad been with
him, summer vacations and all, for nearly
two years, and had not made love to either
of the squire's undeniably pretty daugh
ters. In short, the pupils were less of a
bore than Harry bad supposed It possible,
and iu some cases, very agreeable com
panions to enliven tho occasional dullness
of a country parish.
But somehow or other, in one chief point
which ho had aimed at, be found himself
disappointed. Iu counting so many ad
ditional hundreds to bis scanty income,
Harry Bolton had fancied he was going to
make .himself a rich man. He was not
avaricious, or even selfish far from it ; but
be wanted to be independent ; thore were
visions, perhaps, Hitting indistinctly before
bim, of a time when he might tire of a
solitary homo, and resign in some fair aud
gentle band the reins of the liberty he was
so fond of boasting as a bachelor. He did
not grudge his time or labor ; he bad cast
off much of his old habit of idleness, and
took a real interest in bis pupils; still be
bad expected some of the results to himself
would take the tangible shape of pounds,
shillings and pence. But though the checks
came duly in at midsummer and Christmas,
the balance at bis bankers increased very
slowly ; in short, be found that the addi
tional expenses, necessary and unnecessary,
entailed upon bim by the change in bis
establishment, nearly counterbalanced the
additional income. Not to speak of such
ordinary matters as butchers' and bakers'
and wine merchants' bills for his table
was always most liberal, now that he had
to entertain others, as it bad beoii simple
and economical whilo alone indeed the
hospitality of the neighborhood had then
mado his housekeeping almost a siuecure ;
but, independently of this, Harry had been
led to extend his expenses ho said una
voidably In other directions. A rough
pony bad hitherto contented him to gallop
into th,e neighboring town for letters, and
to carry him and bis valise to the dinner
parties even of the most aristocratic enter
tainers. But now, inasmuch As sometimes
a hospitablo invitation extended itself to
"the young won," ho had felt In duty
bound, for his and their joint accommoda
tion, to replace the pony by a showy looking
mare, aud to invest the legal sum of nine
teen pounds, nineteen shillings and six
pence in the purchase of a dog-cart. As
au almost necessary consequence, the boy
Jim" gave way to a grown-up groom,
who did rather less work for considerable
more wages, hissing and whistling over the
said mare and dog-cart in tho most know
ing manner, and condescending, though
with somo scruples of conscience, to clean
boots and knives. Harry's reminiscences
of bis more sporting days were yet fresh
enough for him to make a point of seeing
bis turnout "look as it ought to do." Jim
and the pony, and all their accoutrements,
were rough, and useful, and cheap, and
made no pretensions to be otherwise. Now,
things were changed, and saddlery aud har
ness of the best (thore was no economy, as
Harry observod, in buying a poor article)
found their placo among the bills at Christ
mas. In short, he was led into a maze of
new wants, individually trifling, but col
lectively sufficient to toll upon bis yearly
expenditure ; and ho was beginning gravely
to attempt to solve that universal problem
the asses' bridge, which the wisest do
mestic economist stick fast at year after
year "where tho deuce all tho money goes
to?" when circumstances occurred which
put all such useless inquiries out of his
head, Rnd indeed put biB debtor and cred
itor transactions on a much more primitive
footing.
Iu tho final settlements of tho accounts
of one of his pupils, who was loaving bim
for the university, somo misunderstanding
aroso between himself aud the father. The
sum in question was hut a few pounds ; but
the objection was put forward iu a manner
which Bolton considered ns reflecting upon
his own straightforward and liberal deal
ing ; and it eo happened that the young
man had, from circumstances, been indebt
ed in an unusual degree to bis kindness.
He thcrcforo, I have no doubt, took the
matter up warmly ; for those who remem
ber bim as I do, can well imagino how his
blood would boil at anything he considered
mean or unhandsome It ended in bis in
sisting on the wholo amount a hundred or
so respecting which tho dill'erenco had
arisen, being paid into the treasurer of the
county hospital instead of to himself; and
he vowed silently and determinedly, to re
nounce pupilizing thenceforth forever. In
vain did some of his best friends persuade
bim to change his resolution ; he kept two
who were with him at tho time for a few
months, when they also wero to enter col
lege ; but ho steadily refused any other of
fers. He sold off at once all his super
fluous luxuries, aud, as soon as practicable,
gave up bis curacy, and quitted the neigh
borhood,' to the general regret of all who
knew bim, and to tho astonishment of all
but the very few who woro in the secret.
When Bolton's friends next beard of
bim, be was living in a most remote district
of II shire, on no income necessarily
small ; for it could have been scarcely more
than the proceeds of his curacy ; and our.
acies iu that part of the country were then
but a wretched provision for any man
especially for one accustomed as ho had
been to good living and good society,
However, he was not much - troubled with
the latter in his present position ; not to
Bpeak of the fact that bis nearest convers
ible neighbor lived seven miles off. Where-
ever parsons are mostly poor, and many of
them ill-educated, they are not much
thought of, by either farmers or noblemen.
And as it did not suit Harry's tastes to
enjoy bis pipe and pot in tbe society of the
fu st, as bis predecessor had done with much
contentment, nor yet to wait for the arrival
of tbe one landed proprietor in tbe
parish before he oommenoed tho morning
service, he was voted by tho overseers and
churchwardeus to be "mighty Bet up,"
aud by the squire to be "ad unmanly
fellow." Both, indeed, soon found out
that thoy were wrong ; and the farmers had
the grace to confess it, and came, in course
of time, to believe it possible for a curat
to be a gentleman without being proud,and
that it was at least as well for bim to be
visiting the sick aud poor, and overlooking
the parish school, and able to give him a
little good advice to themselves in matters
of difliculty, bb to be boozing in their com
pany at the Crown aud Thistle. And, in
course of time, those rough and honest peo
ple came to respect bim almost as much
perhaps, iu their way, as bis more enlight
ened neighbors had done In his former po
sition. It roust have been a great change,
however, to a man like Bolton, used to
good society, fond of it, and readily wel
comed In it, as he bud always been. No
doubt be felt it ; yet be declared that aftor
the flist fow weeks, be never was happier
iu bis life. His guu was given up, as au
Indulgence too exponsive.but there was ex
cellent trout fishing for miles on both sides
of bis cottage ; and, though a sport to which
he had no great liking in his early day, ho
now took to it vigorously as the only amuse
ment at hand, and became no unworthy
disciple of Isaaq. The worst effect of this
new life of isolation was, that he became
somewhat negligent in his habits ; took to
Binoking a great deal, and made his tobac
conist's account a good deal longer than
his tailor's. Ho httd still manv old friends
and connections at a distance, with whom
be might have spent half the year if be had
pleased ; but with his first pique with the
world general, he had fixed himself pur
posely as far out of their reach as possible ;
traveling was expensive (railways as yet
were not); assistance in bis clerical duties
was not easily obtained ; and so, partly
from choice, and partly from necessity,
bis new life became one of almost utter
isolation.
Of course there were occasions when he
found it necessary to visit the neighboring
market-town if it could bo called neigh
boring when it was twelve miles off. The
main road lay about a mile from Harry's
little cottago, and a coach, passing daily,
would usually deposit him safely in High
Street in the course of tho afternoon al
lowing an hour for waiting for it at the
crossing (it was always after its time), and
about two more, if the roads were not un
usually heavy,for gettingover tbe distance.
It was not a very luxurious style of travel
ing ; and Harry often preferred to walk in
one day aud return the next. It was one
of these rare visits that a soaking rain dis
couraged him from getting out for home
on foot, and giving the Regulator tho un
usual full complement of one insido and ono
outside passenger. Ou the box was our
friend Harry, inside a rather precise-looking
porsonago, whoso costume, as far as a
cloak allowed it to be seen, looked some
what more clerical than tho curate's, the
latter being clad in a smart upper benjamin
of tho landlord's of the Swan, . finished
round the throat with a very gay shawl of
his daughters, both forced upon him in
consideration of the weather ; for narry,
though Dy no means a lrequent, was a
highly favored gusest.and they would soon
er have kept him in No. 1 for a week gratis,
than have allowed him to turn out in the
rain without duo protection.
Blower than usual that day was the Reg
ulator's progress through tho mud and
against the wind, and briefer tbau usual
its driver's replies to Harry's good-humored
attempts at conversation.
" Whom have wo inside, do you know,
Haines?"
" W ell, I reckon it's what you'd call a
hopposition coach like," grunted out Joe
Haines.
" Eh? I don't exactly understand."
" Why, I mean a Methodist bishop, or
sumn' o' that sort. You see there was a
great opening of tho Independent College
here o' Tuesday, and there was a lot o
them gentry about the town, looking too
good to live. I druv' five of 'em down
yesterday, and they gev' mo a shilling and
a fourpouny amongst tho wholo lot. O I I
love them sort, don't I just?" and Joe
gave his nigh whoeler a cut, illustrative of
his affection. It was a longer speech than
he bad made all the way, and relapsed into
a gloomy silenco.
The wind was driving right into their
teeth, and the evening closed fast, and
they wero passing the last milestone to the
turning without any furthor attempt at
conversation, when there came first an
ominous crack from under their foot, then
a jolt, an unsteady wavering motion for a
few Beconds, when, with scarcely time for
an exclamation, the coach toppled over on
ono side, and Bolton found himself reclin
ing on the portly person of Mr. Joseph
Haines, who in his turn, was saved from
contusions by a friendly heap of mud by
tho roadside. Beyond a brokon axle, how
ever, no damage was done. Tho horses
were glad of any opportunity to stand still.
Bolton got up, shook himself, aud laughed.
Joe Haines was proceeding to philosophize
rather Btrongly ou tho accidont, not exactly
after tbe manner of Job or Senaca, when
the insido passenger, putting his hoad out
of the only practicable window,begged him
to spare his oaths, and help him out of bis
prison.
Tbe stranger was soon extricated, and
the horses taken out ; and the driver, re
questing his passengers to await bis return,
set off to seek assistance at the nearest cot
tago. As to the coach proceeding further
until partially repaired, that was evidently
out of the question ; and so Harry observ
ed to ins companion, who uul not appear
very known in such matters.
" And how far might we be from 8 ,
sir?" inquired he, upon receiving this not
very agreeable intelligence.
" Fifteen miles at least," replied Bolton.
" Indeed ! so far, and is there no place
near where I could procure a conveyance
of any kind ?. I have au engagement there
I particularly wish to keep to-morrow."
Concluded iu two weeks.
tlfP He who can look up to bis God with
the most believing confidence is sure to'
look most gently on bis fellow men ; while
be who shudders to lift his eye to heaven
often casts the haughtiest glances on the
things of earth.
llf Btudy in your course of life, to do
tho greatest amount of good.
. -. r
HP The Bloomfikld Times has the
largest circulation of any paper in this seo
tlou of the State.
Newport Advertisements.
NEW STORE ROOM
NEW FIRM!
NEW GOODSf
E. B. WISE,
Having opened a New Store at the corner of
Fourth It Cherry Strrots, just above the Fenn'a.
K. 14. depot, In Newport, are now prepared to
show a
Complete Stock of New - Good,
Consisting In part of
DRY GOODS,
GROCERIES,
BOOTS & SHOES.
HATS & CAPS,
NOTIONS,
and a general assortment of all kinds of goods
which they will sell
AS CHEAP AS THE CHEAPEST.
They ask the citizens of Newport and vicinity
to cill and examine their stock and see that they
are ollerlng goods at such prices as will secure a
share of tho public patronage.
J3. J3. WISE,
WALNUT STREET,
as tf Newport, Pa.
Do You Want Bargains?
IK SO, CALL ON
W.H.MUSSER,
At Newport, Penn'a.
0
Having Just returned from the City with a
SPLENDID STOCK
OF
DI J Y - G OODS,
U K : 11 n I E H ,
AND U 0 T tO N S y
I am prepared to offer to the citizens of Ferry
Comity one of tho II EST ASSORTMENTS of
GOODS ever brought into this vicinity. My
Stock of ;
DRESS -GOODS,
DRESS-TRIMMINGS,
AND NOTIONS,
Is complete, and were bought at PANIC PRICES,
aud will be sold at SHOUT i'KOFlTS, tor Cash.
- Call aud see for yourself.
W. II. MUSSEE,
43 tf NEWPOKT, l'A.
Drugs! Drugsl
rpHE Subscriber has on hand and for sale, at
JL low prices, a complete assortment of
DRUGS, MEDICINES
AND CHEMICALS,
Of all kinds. Also, a full stock of
Concentrated Remedios,
PATENT MEDICINES,
ESSENTIAL OILS,
PERFUMERY,
HAIR OILS,
BRUSHES,
AND FANCY ARTICLES.
Pure "Wines
AND
LIQUORS,
Always on hand, for Medicinal and Sacramen
tal purposes.
tk&i'hyfician' Orderi rurrj'ully and
promptly jilted.
B . M . EBY,
NKWrOltT, PEltltY COUNTY, TA.
New Millinery Goods
A.t Newport, In.
IKKtl toliifoim thepuMIc that I have Just re
tuined from Philadelphia, with a ful tuwwrt
ment of the latest styles of
MILLINERY GOODS.
HATS AND BONNETS,
RIBBONS, FRENCH FLOWERS
FEATHERS,
CHIGNONS,
LACK CAPES.
NOTIONS,
And all articles usually found In Itrst-class Mil.
lliutry Establishment. All orders promptly at
tended to. WWe will sell all goods as Cheap as
can be got elsewhere.
DRESSMAKING done to order and In the la
tost style, as I get the latent Fashions from New
York every month. Gollerlng done to order, In
all widths. I will warrant all my work toulve sat.
Isfacllon. All work done as low as possible.
ANNIE ICKE3,
Cherry Street, xu the Station,
Ml) 13 Newport, F.