Therefore the family, being ousted by the march of progress from
their chosen employment, took up with a general country store as
being the next thing to a country tavern, the principal difference
consisting in the fact that all the guests were transients, never
requiring bedchambers, securing their rest on the tops of sugar and
flour barrels and codfish boxes, and their refreshment from stray
nibblings at the stock in trade, to the profitless deplenishment of
raisins and loaf sugar and crackers and cheese.
The flitting of the Townsends from the home of their ancestors was
due to a sudden access of wealth from the death of a relative and
the desire of Mrs. Townsend to secure better advantages for her son
George, sixteen years old, in the way of education, and for her
daughter Adrianna, ten years older, better matrimonial
opportunities. However, this last inducement for leaving Townsend
Centre was not openly stated, only ingeniously surmised by the
neighbours.
"Sarah Townsend don't think there's anybody in Townsend Centre fit
for her Adrianna to marry, and so she's goin' to take her to Boston
to see if she can't pick up somebody there," they said.
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