The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-09-08
Cooper is going" he said, after some me
ments' thought

Joseph, do you mean 2"
Yes, sir" .... ......
am sorry for it then, for Joseph Cooper,
Know is kind, generous, honest youth, and he
ought not thus to ruin his reputation. You look
surprised, but / speak the truth No man, be he
ever SO pure, can associate long with evil com
panions without losing his standing among
respectable people. Why, you are looked upon
by some as having had a hand in the mischief Of
which have spoken" .....
But people who know me would know bet
ter" uttered Nathan, quite confidently
How should they know better? You seek
those evil companions, and are present at thei,
evil work Yon know who pulled down East.
mans fence, of course. don't mean to ask
yon who did it, but say you know"
g Yes sir, do"
ana you, were You asked who did it, would
not tell
vi course not. would not expose a com.
panion.'
So supposed And now look a: it. You
were IN the company one of the party; the
party did certain deeds, and YOU must bea,
your share of the blame. But let this PASS
GU know that those young men with whom
you would associate are evil disposed; and YOU
know too, that if they go over to MacWayne's
tonight they will be up to some sort of mischief
think have said enough to enable YOU to un
derstand the rest. Now you may spend the eve
ming With Mabel, or you may 90 over to the
back village, just as you choose''
Nathan Wilder started as he heard these
words; but before he could make any reply, his
master was gone. But be was not long left
alone, for in moment more bright.eyed love
iy girl, of some nineteen summers, came trip
ping into the room. She was Mr. Clarks only
child. Long had the youth loved that fair girl
and he knew she loved him in return; but he
had not yet had the courage to mention the sub
Ject tc his master, for he was only an apprentice
now, though few short months would set him
free. But strange hope started to life in his
bosom now. Those last words of her parent
and the peculiar tone in which they were spoken
meant something
" Are you going out this EVENING"" the girl
asked
No" he promptly answered
Good. shall have company for father and
mother are both going out to spend the even.
ing"
Half an hour afterwards, Joseph Cooper
called for Nathan to accompany him, but his
mission was fruitless. He urged, and urged,
but Nathan said "No," v
\" Never again on any such scrapes, and 1 ad-
wise you to follow my plan"
Cooper at length found that the youth was in
earnest, and with a derisive laugh he went his
way. M|
We need not tell how Nathan spent the even
ing. or how happy he was. But one thing we
will state. Very late, after many meaningless
things had been talked about, Nathan arrived
at point where ne found courage to ask Mabel
if she thought her father would ever consent to
receive him for son-inlaw
" He has spoken to me on the subject" an
swered the maiden frankly and firmly, and he
told me that if you made as good man, moral
ly and socially, as you had thus far been boy
and youth, he should be happy to see me your
wife"
For some moments after that the youth
thought more than he spoke and the g,istening
tears that stood in his eyes told how deep were
his feelings.
On the following morning, Nathan went early
to the shop, happy and buoyant. About an
hour afterwards, Joseph Cooper made his ap-
pearance, looking sleepy, and with a pale face
"Well, Joe," said Nathan, what sort of
time did you have last night ~
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." cried Cooper. "Rum
enough, though, and was fool enough to drink
some."
This last clause was spoken in a changed
tone.
why, l did not know that you ever drank ;"
said Nathan, with much surprise. .-..
81 don't like to; but l had to last night.
They hung on so that could not get rid of it."
All, Joe, you'd better have taken my advice
ast night"
" And how long is it since you have become
SO nice 7" asked Cooper, with some irony
Only since last evening" kindly replied
Nathan, and even then I became 80 only from
But we had some rare sport. o, some-I
tell YOU" And as Cooper thus spoke, he gave
a significant wink, and then went to his bench
Joseph Cooper was only two and twenty, and
had been an apprentice to Mr.. Clark until his
majority, since which time he had been at work
as ajourneyman.
Nothing more was said on the subject of the
last nights scrape until near the middle Of the
afternoon. 1t was about three o'clock, when the
deputy Sheriff entered the shop and inquired
for Joseph Cooper.
"Where is Cooper 2" the officer asked of Ma
than Wilder
"That's him at the other end of the shop SIR
!" Let's sec, resumed the visitor, glancing at
the paper he held in his hand Z" where were
you last night?''
SAT home, SIR
" You didn't go over to the back village p"
"No, sir. I've concluded to let that company
go without me hereafter"
GOOD. I'm glad of that" uttered the
sheriff, cmphatically and then he went along
to where Cooper was at work.
He spoke with the young man, and the latter
turne pale as death. There was much evil
dent begging and pleading, but in vain. The
officer had come for Joseph Cooper, and he
could not go without him. So Joe washed his
hands and put on his coat and hat, and then,
with a trembling step, he accompanied the off,
Ger from the shop.
When Nathan went out, after his days work
was done, he learned the whole story. On the
night previous, party of young men had gone
over to the back village and had carousal at
Billy MacWayne's; and on their return they
tore down fences, and carried away barn doors,
opened barn yards and let the cattle out, stole