1856.] That John Mason. 95 



* I don't wish to know him. Opportunities have offered, but I have 

 always avoided an introduction.' 



' Who first gave you the character of this man ? ' 



* Mr. Laxton,' I replied. * Do you know him ? ' 



* Oh, yes ; very well. He speaks ill of Mason, does he ? ' 



* He has cause, I believe.' 



*Has he ever explained to you what it was?' 



* Not very fully. But he gives him a general bad character, and saya 

 he has done more to injure the best interests of the village, than any ten 

 of its worst enemies that exist.' 



* Indeed ! That is a sweeping declaration. But I will frankly own, 

 that I can not join in so broad a condemnation of the man. although he 

 has his faults — and no one knows him, I think, better than I do.' 



This made no impression on me. The name of John Mason was asso- 

 ciated, in my mind, with everything that was bad, and I re}dicd, by 

 saying, that I was well satisfiul in regard to his character, and didn't 

 mean to have anything to do with him, while I lived in Moorfield. 



Some one interrupted our conversation at this point, and I was soon 

 separated from my very agreeable companion. I met him frequently 

 afterward, and he was always particularly polite to me, and asked me if 

 I had fallen in with John Mason yet; to which I always replitd in the 

 negative, and expressed myself freely in regard to the personage men- 

 tioned. 



Careful as we may be to keep out of trouble, we are not always suc- 

 cessful in our eiforts. When I removed to Moorfield, I supposed my 

 afi'airs to be in a good way ; but things proved to be otherwise. I was 

 disappointed, not only in the amount I expected to receive from the 

 business I followed in the village, but in the receipt of money I felt 

 sure of getting by a certain time. 



When I first came to Moorfield, I bought a piece of property of Laxton, 

 (this business transaction made us acquainted), and paid cash down 

 one-third of the purchase money ; the property remaining as security 

 for two-thirds, which I was under contract to settle at a certain time. 

 My first payments were two thousand dollars.-. Unfortunately, when the 

 final payment became due, I was not in funds, and the prospect of receiv- 

 ing money within five or six months was anything but good. In this 

 dilemma, I waited upon Laxton, and informed him of my disappoint- 

 ment. His face became grave. 



' I hope it will not put you to any serious inconvenience,' I said. 



'What? 'he asked. 



' My failure to meet this payment on this property. You are fully 



