Southern standard., 1851-04-05

while it was hot, to the house where Ably stopt
that week, and be sure to tell him he was to take
it after he had said his prayers, and while 1t was
screeching hot. She then drew her wheel oppo-
site her husband and began spinning.
4 thought James,, she said, that Abel was
strong pet of yours though you've cooled to him
of late-I'm sure he got you deal of credit
All III ever get by him.
ooh, don't say that! sure, the blessing is fine
thing-and all the learning you give out, James
honey, doesn't tighten what you have IN your
head, which is a great wonder. If L only take
the meal out of the closet, handfusby handful, 1t
wastes away but your brains hold out better than
the meal take ever so much away, and there's
the same STILL
Mary you're fool, agra = answered her hus-
band-but he smiled. The schoolmaster was
man, and all men like flattery-even from their
wives.
And that's one reason, dear, why you can't be
loser bv giving your learning to them that wants
it she continued-'it does them good and 1t does
you no harm
/ The schoolmaster made no answer, and Mary
continued She was true woman, getting her
husband into a good humor before she intlmated
her object.
I've always thought red head lucky, dear
'The ancients valued the color highly, he an
swercd.
Think of that now And boy l saw to-day
had Just such another lucky mole as yourself un-
der the left eye
What boy?' asked the master.
"A poor fatherless and motheresS craythur, with
his Vosters and little books sung in strap at his
back, and purity tidy second shute of clothes un-
der his arm for Sunday. 1t put me in mind of the
way you tould me you set off poor scholarlng yer
self, darn!-all as one as that poor little boy,
Jarrin' tie second sua Of c1othes.'
II -, 1aar
inc his bad temper, for Mary made a mistake IN
her second hit. She Judged of his character by
her own. Prosperity had rendered her more
thoughtful and anxious to dispense the blessings
she enioyed but it had hardened her husband.
Just six months of your taching to make man
of him, that's all
Has he money to pay for i?
I'm sure | never asked him. The thrlt1e col
ected for poor scholar is little enough to give
him a bit to eat, without paying anything to a
strong man like yerself James O'Leary-only just
the ase and commitment it brings to ones sleep by
night, and ones work by day, to be after doing
kind turn to a fellow christian
Mary, replied the schoolmaster, in a slow de-
cided tone, that's all botheratjon
Mary gave a start-she could hardly believe
she heard correctly, but there sat James OLeary
looking as hard as if he had been turned from
man of flesh to man of stone. Under the impress
sion that he was bewitched, Mary crossed herself;
but still he sat there looking she afterwards de
clared, like nothing
Father of Merciesn she exclaimed, 'spake a.
gain, man alive and tell US, is it yerself that's
in it =
James laughed not joyously or humorously,
but little, dry, half starved laugh, lean and hun
gry-a niggardly laugh; but before he had time
to reply, the door opened slow and timidy, and
shock of rusty red hair, surmounting pale acute
/ 1 L Il Ill
to which it belonged.
That's the boy l tould you of, said Mary
Come in, ma bouchol, the master himself is in,
now, and will talk to you, dear
| The boy advanced his slight delicate form bow
ed both by study and privation, and his keen pen
etrating eyes looking out from beneath the project
ing brows which overshadowed them.
Mary told him to sit down; but he continued
standing, his fingers twtching convulsively amid
the leaves of a Latin book, in which he hoped to
be examined.
| What's your name ?--and stand upn said the
master gruffiy.
The boy told him his name was Ed Moore
what do you know? He said he knew
English and Voster-a trife of Algebra and La
tin-and the Greek letters-he hoped to be a
priest in time-and should be- he added conf
IDENTIFY. if his honor would give him the run OF
the school, an odd lesson now and agin-and
/ let MN PICK up as much as ne could.
and what inquired O'Leary, will you give
me in return?'
| 4 have but little, sir, replied the boy, for my
mother has six of us, paying to one, whose face
we never see, heavy rent for the shed we starve
under. My fathers in Heavenly eldest sister
a criple-and but for the kindness of the neigh
bors, and the goodness of one or two families at
Christmas and WhitsuntideF and, above all the
! blessing of GOd-which never layes us-we might
turn out upon the road and beg
But all that is nothing to me, said O'Leary,
very coldly.
! 4 know that, sir answered the boy; vet he
looked if he did not know it, though your
names up in the country for kindness, as we'll as
learning but | was coming to it have trihe
of about eighteen shilngs-besides five, which the
priest warned me to keep, when l went for his
blessing, as he said might want it in case of sick
ness: and | was thinking, if yer honor would take
ten out of the eighteen, for quarter, or So |
know | can't pay yer honor as ought, only lust
for the love of God and if ye'd please to examine
me in the Latin, his reverence said I'd be no dis
grace to you.
Just let me see what you've got said the
schoolmaster. The boy drew forth from inside
his wlstcoat the remnant of cotton night-cap and
held it towards the schoolmasters extended hand
but Mary stood between her husband and his
temptation.
Put it up, child said she, the master does nj
want it, he only had mind to see if it was safe,
then aside to her husband-'Let fall YER hand
James, it's the devil that's under YER elbow keep
ing it out, nibblng as the fishes do at the hook
is it the thin shilings of widows son you'd be
afther taking? It's not yerself that's in it at all
then to the boy-'Put it up dear, and come in