Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-01-08
NJ | S c E L L A N Y.
JOHN CLARKE AND HIS FORTUNE.
from pe,erson's Magazine.


"Never mind the the house, John, we've got
one of our own," whispered John Clarkes wife.
She was a rosy little thing, only twenty sum-
mers old. How brightly and bewitchingly she
shone-a star amid the sombre company.
"But what in the world has he left me ?" NUT
tered John Clarke. 81 believe he hated me
l believe they all hate me-"
"Ilush, dear -
81 bequeath to John Clarke my dearly below
ed nephew" read the grim attorney "as re-
ward for his irmness in resisting temptations
the last two years, and his determination to i'm
prove in all acceptable things, my one-horsc
shay, which has stood in my barn over twenty
five years, requesting that he shall repair it, or
cause it to be repaired in a suitable manner"
That was all. Some of the people gathered
there Uttered all seemed to enjoy the confusion
of the poor young man. His eyes flashed fire,
he trembled excessively; poor little Jenny fair
ly cried.
"Io think she said to herself, show hard he
has tried to be good, and that is all he thought
of it,"
"Wish you JOY" said a red-headed youth with
grin, as he came out of the room.
John sprang up to collar the fellow, but lit
tie white hand laid on his coat sleeve restrained
him.
Let them triumph, John, it won't hurt you,'
said Jenny, with her sunny smile "please don't
notice them for my sake"
"Served him right said Susan Spriggs, the
niece of the old man just dead, and to whom he
had left all his silver, "served him right for
marrying that ignorant goose, Jenny Brazicr.
suppose he calculated good deal on the old
gentleman's generosity" To which she added
in a whisper that only her own heart beard,
ole might have married me. He had the
chance, and loved him better than any one
else-better than that pretty little fool, Jenny
Brazier."
"Now we shall see how deep his goodness
is, said a maiden aunt, through her nose she
stopped short in wickedness Jest because he ex-
pected fortune from my poor dear BROTHER
Thanks to massey that he left me five hundred
dollars. Now ! can git that new carpet but
well see how much Of a change there is in John
Clarke-he always was an imp of wickedness."
"Well, guess John Clarke ii have to be con-
tented with his little ten feet shanty,' said the
father of Susan Spriggs to good old Deacon Joe
Hemp.
"Well, l reckon he is content-if he amt he
ought to be, with that little jewel of wife, she's
bright enough to make any four walls shine,'
was the deacon's reply.
P"shaw you're all crazy about that gall
Why she amt to be compared to my Susan
Susan plays on the forty piano like sixty, and
manages "A house first rate"
"Bless you, neighbor Spriggs, I'd rather have
that innocent, blooming face to smiles at me when
walked up of mornings, than ali the forty piano
gals you can scare up tween here and the In
dies-factl'
I'D like to know what you mean" exclaim-
ed Mr.. Spriggs, firing up.
"Jest what l say" replied good old Deacon
Joe, coolly.
"Wcll, that John Clarke II die on the gallows
fully.
"That John Clarke will make one of our best
citizens, and go to the legislature yet" replied
old Deacon Joe, complacently.
"Doubt it ~
"Yes, may be you do and that's a pretty way
to build up young fellow, isn't it, when he's
trying his best. No, John Clarke won't be
good citizen, if you can help it. People that
cry mad dog are plaguey willin' to stone the
critter while he's arunning, take it; and if he
amt mad they're sure to drive him So WHY
don't you step up to him and say, John, Pm
glad you're right now, and I've got faith in you,
and if you want any help, why come to me and
I'll put you through?' That's the way to do
business, Mr.. Sprggs."
"Well, hope you'll do it, that's all, replied
Mr.. Spriggs, sulkily.
81 hope | shall, and I'm bound to, any way,
if have chance. Fact is, he's got such a
smart little wife that he don't really need any
help"
"No-it's a pity then that brother Jacob left
him that one horse shay"
.Hou needn't laugh at that old Jacob never
did nothing without meaning to it. That old
shay may help him to be great man yet. Fact
is, think myself if Jacob had left him money
it might been the ruin of him. Less things
than one-horse shay has made mans fortin."
"Well, Pm glad you think so much of him !;
don't"
"No," muttered Deacon Joe, as his neighbor
turned away, "but if he had married your raw
boned dartor that plays on the forty piano, he'd
a been all right and no mistake"
"a one-horse shay" said the minister, laugh
ing "what a fortune !"
And so it went from mouth to mouth. None
of the relatiyes-some already rich-had offered
the poorest manamong them-the owner of the
one-horse shay-a dollar of the bequeathment
left to him or to her but they had rather re-
joiced in his disappointment
The truth is, everybody had prophesied that
John Clarke, poor, motherless boy, would
come to ruin, and they wanted the prophecy to
prove true one. He had, in his youth, been
wild and way ward, and somewhat proAigate in
the early years Of manhood but his old uncle