Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-08

Tom CroSby'S Deed of Magic.
By SYLvANCS COBB, JR.

Tom Crosby was a Cobbler-or, at least,
SO his ncighbOrs called him though he was
in fact. one of the best shoemakers in the
country. He often had to turn applicants
away cmptv-handed for he had more work
always on his hands than he could attend to-
Toms cottage was near the centre of the
village, and his little shop was close by it, and
from morning till night the merry music of his
lapstone rang out upon the air Tom was a
steady Industrious man, and everybody liked
him. He was always kind, always good-na-
tmed. full Of fun and anecdote, and above all
else he was one of those rare persons who
spend their leisure moments looking after their
own business. Tom was now forty years of
are, and though he had always worked hard
and steady, vet he had not accumulated much
property, He owned the small house and the
shop, together with some four acres of land,
which lay back Of the buildings, upon which
he raised a goodiy store of fruit and vegcta-
bcS Besides this, he had some one or two
hundred dollars laid safely away in savings
bank to serve him on a rainy day.
Mrs Crosby was an excellent wife, and one
Of the best mothers and no one could have
Kept the humble cottage looking more neat
and tidy than she did The little front room
always presented the same spotIess purity of
floor and wainScot, and white curtains never
had spot or wrinkle The kitchen was more
iin>tered, but never dirty, while even the
ground floor Of the woodShed was kept swept
and clean This excellent couple had four
children. Young Tom was thirteen, and help
ed his father some in the shop when school
didn't keep. Willie was ten Lizzie FIVE, and
Etiie only two. Tom named his first child
himself Mrs. Crosby had selected very
pretty name, but her husband was determined
that he should be Il "Bouag T6m.7 and the
wife gave in; but the rest Of the children she
named herself, and We can see that her tastes
differed somewhat from Toms He had want
ed TO call the second boy Peter, in honor Of
h> grandfather and then he suggested the
name OF Hannah for the first girl but his
Pr5o", (Such was the term Mrs c. used.
names were not quite up to the mark. But
ae>c children were good. They were, in fact,
the best children in the ncighborhood. for
Def father took great pains in the formation
o 'hcr characters, aud their mother felt no
greater pride than to have them appear well.
Leople pointed to Tom Crosby as pattern
o. happiness and peace and yet he was not
aVayS happy. An evil genius had crept into
N> houSe-nto his house-and he was grow
r rs more and more unhappy every day for
LON had never been happy only when he could
H'Ae those around him happy The pain or
'SIuet OF single Individual in his family
va, sure to upset his own cup of joy.
Now the truth is, the sweet angel of con-
@.' which had for so long time kept guard
NJ "T IONS household, had flown away and
,''lcr spirit had come in, Mrs. Crosby had
S,l'f S dI>contented and unhappy. She had
'.g"el .g the spirit of envy to gain possession
'ef soul and from the moment she let the
" '.'.a IN, her peace of mind was gone.
LON Crosby she said, after the children
'' gone to bed, one evening, "what is tie
sc o. living >o?"
Living how ?" uttered Tom, shaking the
a'y ,.U!I from his pipe, and putting it away.
"h!-hylng as We do now. Plodding
s year after year in this same old train.
5IaTe, I'm almost fit to go crazy when /
'.akof it.o
,,up Hu', Hannah, | thought you used to be
1! happy here
.'"' 50 dId but what does that signify?
t'ss l was happy when ! was a child, does
l7,, ,g''e that should always want to be a
.@,s, ni used to be happy here when I
-" We were on the road to something
e,I I l didn't think when YOU married me,
was to live stuck down here in this
~ -'1 ana that was to grow old and die with
,amo. mooa1I.:tmg thumpety thump of your old
1p '. alIging in my ears"
,loo5 o"S "hat wonld YOU have Hannah ?" the
i, ''u asked, with tone and expression of
i M, ~'I uttered the woman, encrgeticaIly.
1r5Lld 1r5 IL have some higher place in the
4 Han An a mere cobbicr's wife ~
a,, ,", Hannah, we were once the happiest
a ~. ~ Town, and you were then only what
Y "'" You only want what you have
n y L1', Mr. Crosby
~ Hannah. You only want back that
q oi contcatmcnt.