University of Virginia Library

21. CHAPTER XXI.

I have not said a single word as yet of our neighbour
Tinkerville; a village whose rising fortunes have
given occasion for more discussion in the select circles
of Montacute than any thing but the plan of the new
school-house. I know this rambling gossiping style,
this going back to take up dropped stitches, is not the
orthodox way of telling one's story; and if I thought I
could do any better, I would certainly go back and
begin at the very beginning; but I feel conscious
that the truly feminine sin of talking “about it and
about it,” the unconquerable partiality for wandering
wordiness would cleave to me still; so I proceed in
despair of improvement to touch upon such points in
the history of Tinkerville as have seemed of vital and
absorbing interest to the citizens of Montacute.

Tinkerville was originally one of the many speculations
of the enterprising Mr. Mazard, and it differed
from most of his landed property, in having been purchased
at second hand. This fact was often mentioned
in his proffers of sale, as a reason why the tract
could not be afforded quite so low as was his general
practice. He omitted to state, that he bought of a

person who, having purchased at the land-office without
viewing, was so entirely discouraged when he saw
the woody swamp in which he was to pitch his tent,
that he was glad to sell out to our speculator at a large
discount, and try elsewhere on the old and sound principle
of “look before you leap.” The tract contained,
as Mr. Mazard's advertisement fairly set forth, “almost
every variety of land;” and as he did not say
which kind predominated, nobody could complain if
imagination played tricks, as is sometimes the case in
land-purchases.

An old gentleman of some property in Massachusetts
became the fortunate owner of the emblazoned chart,
which Mr. Mazard had caused to set forth the advantages
of his choice location. There were canals and
rail-roads, with boats and cars at full speed. There
was a steam-mill, a wind-mill or two; for even a land-shark
did not dare to put a stream where there was
scarce running water for the cattle; and a state-road,
which had at least been talked of, and a court-house
and other county buildings, “all very grand;” for, as
the spot was not more than ten miles from the centre
of the county, it might some day become the county-seat.
Besides all this, there was a large and elegantly-decorated
space for the name of the happy purchaser,
if he chose thus to dignify his future capital.

Mr. Tinker was easily pursuaded that the cherished
surname of his ancestors would blend most musically
with the modern and very genteel termination in which
so many of our western villages glory; so Tinkerville
was appointed to fill the trump of fame and the blank
on the chart; and Mr. Mazard, furnished with full

powers, took out the charter, staked out the streets,
where he could get at them, and peddled out the lots,
and laid out the money, all very much to his own satisfaction;
Mr. Tinker rejoicing that he had happened to
obtain so “enterprising” an agent.

We are not informed what were the internal sensations
of the lot-holders, when they brought their families,
and came to take possession of their various
“stands for business.” They were wise men; and
having no money to carry them back, they set about
making the best of what they could find. And it is
to be doubted whether Mr. Mazard's multifarious avocations
permitted him to visit Tinkerville after the
settlers began to come in. Many of them expressed
themselves quite satisfied that there was abundance of
water there to duck a land-shark, if they could catch
him near it; and Mr. Mazard was a wise man too.

While the little settlement was gradually increasing,
and a store had been, as we were told, added to its many
advantages and attractions, we heard that the padroon
of Tinkerville had sold out; but whether from the fear
that the income from his Michigan property would
scarce become tangible before his great grandson's
time, or whether some Bangor Mr. Mazard had offered
him a tempting bargain nearer home, remains to us
unknown. It was enough for Montacute to discover
that the new owners were “enterprising men.” This
put us all upon the alert.

The Tinkervillians, who were obliged to come to us
for grinding until their wind-mills could be erected,
talked much of a new hotel, a school-house, and a tannery;
all which, they averred, were “going up” immediately.

They turned up their noses at our squint-eyed
“Montacute house,” expressing themselves certain of
getting the county honours, and ended by trying to
entice away our blacksmith. But our Mr. Porter, who
“had a soul above buttons,” scorned their arts, and
would none of their counsel. Mr. Simeon Jenkins
did, I fear, favourably incline to their side; but on
its being whispered to him that Montacute had determined
upon employing a singing-master next winter;
he informed the ambassadors, who were no doubt spies
in disguise, that he would never be so selfish as to prefer
his own interest to the public good. No one thought
of analyzing so patriotic a sentiment, or it might have
been doubted whether Mr. Jenkins sacrificed much in
remaining to exercise his many trades, where there
were twice as many people to profit by them as he
would find at Tinkerville.