12 THE TIM BUNKER PAPERS. 



tors for five generations back have been members of the 

 church of the standing order in that ancient common 

 wealth. He is not himself a member of the church, but 

 his orthodoxy is as vigorous and sturdy as the most de 

 vout member of the Puritan church where he worships. 

 He reveres the institutions of religion, and is as punctual 

 at the meeting-house on the Sabbath, as the preacher or 

 the sexton. His model man is Deacon Smith, though he 

 follows him afar oif, both in horticulture and in religion. 

 He is as zealous as the Deacon in the defence of the spec 

 ulative doctrines of the church, and is quite as correct in 

 his moral deportment. By all but his intimate friends, he 

 is supposed to be a member, so correct is he in his opin 

 ions and practices. His personal appearance is somewhat 

 striking. He is just about medium size, square built and 

 stout, and though past fifty, can keep up with the smart 

 est of his hands in the field at any kind of work. He has 

 an open, manly face, expressive of benevolence, and his 

 look does not belie his character. He is known far and 

 near as an excellent neighbor, always ready to help at a 

 bad job, to change work, to lend his horse or oxen, even 

 when it is not quite convenient for himself. In dress he is 

 always behind the times. The Sunday hat has been his for 

 five years, and neither rim nor crown has changed with 

 the changing fashions. His dress is of the same age, and 

 the only trouble pertaining to dress that agitates him, is 

 the apprehension that his habiliments will sometimes wear 

 out in spite of his scrupulous care. A change of suit al 

 ways goes hard with him, and it requires the most adroit 

 management of his good wife to get him safely out of the 

 old into the new. He has been in a condition which she 

 calls &quot; not fit to be seen &quot; for a full year, before she can 

 effect a change of Sunday suit. 



In politics Tim Bunker was a whig until the last Presi 

 dential election, since which time parties have become so 

 much split up, that for once he has found himself entirely 



