The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-07-05

his whole manner was restless and uneasy,
and there was occasionally an anxious
glance at the door, as if he expected OF
feared the arrival OF some one.
allow is little Tom?" inquired one o
his visitors, upon whom his look was mol
lost. .It's a long time since he was here.
"a month";" replied John; "but he's bet.
ter now. He'll be out soon. very soon"
As he spoke, he struck heavy blow
upon the red.hot iron which he held, and
bent his head down as if to examine it;
then turning away, went back into the
lshop to search for something.
A meaning glance passed between the
former speaker and one of the group, but
nothing more was said. When John came
back he did not go to the fire, but went to
the door and looked up at the sky.
"The night has set in dark, hasn't it?''
John. said the other.
| "Yes. very dark-dark. indeed" said
John partly to himself and partly in reply
to the question.
He stood at the door for some time, and
was turning to re.enter, when the sharp
sound of galloping horse caught his ear,
and he stopped to listen. In a minute
afterwards, horseman checked his horse
in front of the door, and holding his hand
before his eyes to shut out the bright light
Of the forge, called Out:
"John Biggs. are you here?"
"Aye." replied John, laconically.
"Mr. Lindsey wants to see you to-night.
He's very i'll. Can you Gomez"
! "Aye," replied John, in the same lacon.
ic way.
"And can you bring Harry Lindsey with
you? He's been with little Tom all day"
HAS he? God bless him!" CALCULATED
John. I'll bring him."
The man gave his horse sharp cut OF
the whip, and galloped off. John walked
into the shop and took up his ponderous
hammer but he had struck but one or two
blows with it before he rested on the anvil
and stood gazing in the fire.
| There was q movement 10 60 in the
group, for they saw that there was some.
thing weighing heavily on the mind Of the
blacksmith, and with an instructive feeling
of delicacy they left him to himself He
did not observe their departure, but long
after they had gone continued absorbed in
thought.
1.-The good have gone. and are going.'
said he sadly, "whie !, a poor useless
hulk, am left. He was good man! God
bless him, and little Harry. God bless the
boy!'
The fire in Johns forge became dim.
and at last went out. John looked round
for those who had loitered there, but they
had gone. and he closed the shutters oI
his shop, bolted the heavy door, and wen,
\ to his shonaa.,..sz-zs-.s.a 49, ..s-- .s.a.,...,.
| He walked with sturdy step until he
came to the door Of his house; but il might
have been observed that there he hesita-
ted, and the expression Of anxiety deep
ened on his face as he entered it. He
!, crossed a narrow hall and went into Q
small room, which had usually been occu-
pied by himself and his child before Tom
| had taken to his bed.
He looked anxiously about. There was
a little chair drawn near the fire; the well
worn hat and coat Of the boy hung on q
peg, and beneath was pair of small
shoes. John took the shoes in his hand
and eyed them wistfully then placed them
gently down. and going to the hearth,
stood with his arms folded and looked into
Il the fire.
4 At that moment, the door Of an inner
room opened and a woman entered.
"How is he?''inquired John in subdu-
| ed voice.
.He's BETTER" was the reply. "Harry
Lindsey is with him -
! John followed her into the child Is room.
His eye rested for a moment on Harry,
and then wandered to the bed on which
lay little Tom, wasted by disease. The
bright look of childhood was gone. and
had given place to an expression of patient
suffering He seemed prematurely old
His dark eyes frightened. however, as he
caught sight Of the blacksmith, and he
s,reached out his arms to him.
"How is it with you. my little boy?''
said John, as he got on his knees by the
bed side, so as to bring his face on a level
with that of the child. The boy placed
his thin arms about his fathers neck, and
drew his face down on the pillow, and
nestled his cheek against it.
"I'm better, father" he said endeavor.
ing to smile, and turning his face so as to
look into the kind eyes which were gazing
upon him.
"And you'll be well soon, won't you
Tom?"'said John. cheerily.
"Oh, very soon, very soon," replied the
!. boy.
}, "And when you get stronger" said
John, "I'll carry you down to the old viii.
lows, and I'll make bed OF fresh hay
and you can lie there near the forge. and
watch the fish swimming about in the
pond; and you'll be near me, and | can
see you all day long, and the fresh ali
will soon make you quite well again.
The child's face bightened as he listen
ed.
"And Harry-he'll 60 with usl" said
he. pointing TO the boy at the bedside.
"Aye, replied John, "that he will; and
we'll have fine times."
"Aye. said Tom. echoing with his fee
| ble voice something Of his fathers CHEEKY
tones, .that we will"
/. Harry Lindsey said nothing. but looked
earnestly into the eyes of the boy. ant
then into the face Of the black smith. as i
, endeavoring to read there an explanation
Of some perplexing thought.
"And how is the pain which troubled
| - 1T har