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While my business in Bethel continued to increase beyond my expectations, 1 was also happy in believing that my suit with the fair tailoress, Charity Hallett, was duly progressing. How I managed one of our sleigh rides may be worth narrating. My grandfather would, at any time, let me have a horse and sleigh, always excepting his new sleigh, the finest in the village, and a favorite horse called "Arabian." I especially coveted this turnout for one of our parties, knowing that I could eclipse all my comrades, and so I asked grandfather if I could have "Arabian " and the new sleigh. "Yes, if you have twenty dollars in your pocket," was the reply. I immediately showed the money, and, putting it back in my pocket, said with a laugh : ' ' You see I have the money. I am much obliged to you ; I suppose I can have ' Arab ' and the new sleigh ? " Of course, he meant to deny me by making what he thought to be an impossible condition, to wit: that I should hire the team, at a good round price, if I had it at all, but I had caught him so suddenly that he was compelled to consent, and " Chairy " and I had the crack team of the party. There was a young apprentice to the tailoring trade in Bethel, whom. I will call John Mallett, whose education had been much neglected, and who had been paying his addresses to a certain "Lucretia" for some six months, with a strong probability of being jilted at last. On a Sunday evening she had declined to take his arm, accepting instead the arm of the next man who offered, and Mallett determined to demand an explanation. He accordingly came to me the Saturday evening following, asking me, when I had closed my store, to write a strong and remonstratory"love-letter" for him. I asked "Bill Shepard," who was present, to remain and assist, and, in due...
