Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-04
GNurrestrr 4allp Spp.
THE OLD oNE-HoRsE SHAY.
BY MRS. M. A. DENNIsoN'


mers old. How brightly and bewitchlngly she
shone-a star amid the sombre company
''But what in the world has he left me 2"
muttered John Clarke. 81 believe he hated
me- believe they all hated me-
"Hush, dearp
81 bequeath to John Clarke, my dearly be-
loved nephew" read the grim attorney, ''as a
reward for his firmness in resisting temptation
the last two years, and his determination to
improve in all acceptable things, my one-horse
shay, which has stood in my barn over twenty
five years, requesting that he slali repair 1t, or
cause it to be repaired, in suitable manner"
That was ALL Some of the people gathered
there Uttered, and all seemed to ENJOY the con-
fusion of the poor young man. LIS eyes
flashed fire-he trembled excessively; poor
little Jenny fairly cried.
"To think" she said to herself, how hard
he has tried to be good; and that is all he
thought of itp'
"Wish you joy" said red-headed youth,
with grin, as he came out Of the room.
John sprang up to collar the fellow, but a
little white hand laid on his coatsleeve, re-
strained 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 Bra
zier. l suppose he calculated good deal on
the old gentleman's generosity; to which she
added, in a whisper that only her own heart
heard, Gle might have married me. he had
the chance, and / loved him better than any
one else-better than that pretty little fool,
Jenny Brazier."
Ill bio
is, said a maiden aunt through her nose che
stopped short in wickedness jest because he
expected fortune from my poor, dear brother.
Thanks to massey that he left me five hundred
dollars. Now can get that new carpet; but
Wen see how much of a change there is in
John Clarke; he always was an imp of wick
edness"
"Wel, I guess John Clarke II have to be
contented with his little ten feet shanty," said
the father of Susan Spriggs to good old Dea-
con 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.
"Pshaw you re all crazy about that gal.
Why, she amt to be compared to my Susan.
Susan plays on the forty piano like sixty, and
manages house frstrat6."
'Bless you, neighbor Spriggs, I'd rather
have that innocent, blooming face to smile at
me when | walked up OF mornings, than all the
forty piano gals you can scare up tween here
and the Indies-factp
I'D like to know what you meanp' exclaim-
ed Mr.. Spriggs, firing up.
"Jest what say, replied good old Deacon
Joe, coolly.
"Well, that John Clarke il die on the gal
lows yet! Mark my words, said Mr. Spriggs,
spitefully.
"That John Clarke will make one of our
best citizens, and go to the legislature yet"
replied old Deacon Joe, complacently.
doubt itp
yes, may be you do; and that's pretty
way to build up a 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 willing to stone
the critter while he's running, 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,
I'm 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. Spriggs p
"Wel, hope you Il do it, that's all p re-
piled Mr. Spriggs, sulkily.
81 hope l shall, and I'm bound to, any way,
IL 4 navy d Siitil(6 HdCl Is, IlC got SUCH IL
smart little wife that he don't really need any
help"
"No-it's pity, then, that brother Jacob
left him that one-horse shay"
"You dn'tlaugh at that; old Jacob never
did anything without a meaning to it. That
old shay may help him to be great man yet
Fact is, think, myself, if Jacob had left him
money, 1t might have been the ruin of him.
Less things than onehorse shay has made a
mans fortin"
"Well, I'm glad you think so much of him.
] don't"
mo" muttered Deacon Joe, as his neighbor
turned away; "but if he had married your
raw-boned darter that plays on the forty-piano,
he'd been all right and no mistake"
"a one-horse shay said the minister, laugh
ing; what fortune!'
And so went, from mouth TO mouth. None
OF the relatives, some already rich, had offered
the poorest man among them-the owner of
the one-horse shay-a dollar of the bequeath-
ment lett 10 MN or her, but they had rather
reJolced In his disappointment.
The truth is, everybody had prophesied that
John Clarke, poor, motherless boy, would
come to RUM and they wanted the prophecy to
prove true one. He had, in his youth, been
wild and wayward, and somewhat prohigate in
the early years of manhood; but his old uncle
had encouraged him to reform-held out hopes
to which he had been stranger-and the love
of the sweet young Jenny Brazier completed,
as it seemed, his reformation
Jenny never appeared so lovely as she did
on that unfortunate day of the reading of the
WILL after they had returned to the poor little
house that was Jenny's own.
mo matter, john" she said, cheerfully !;
you VIII rise, in spite of them. wouldn't
let them think was in the least discouraged,
hat VIII only please them too well. We are
doing nicely, now; and you know, if they do
cut the railroad through our bit of land, the
money will set us up quite comfortably. Isn't
our home happy one, if it is small And
oh! John, byand-byeP
An eloquent blush--a glance towards her
work-basket, out of which peeped the most
delicate needlework-to the story-that ever
new story of innocence, beauty, and helpless
ness, that brings cares akin to angels work.
For once, John Clarke stopped the gossip's
mouth. lie held his head up manfully
ed steadily at his trade-and every step seemed
a sure advance and an upward one.
Baby was just six months old, when the cor
poration paid into John Clarke's hand the sum
OF SIX hundred dollars, for the privilege of lay
ing track through his one little field.
"A handsome baby, beautiful and indus
trlous Wife and six hundred dollars" thought
Jonn with an honest exultation. "Well, this
is livngw
"John," said his wife rising from her work.
look outp
lie did, and saw the old one-horse shay,
dragged by stalwart negro.
"Massa says as how the old barn is gwine to
the African
Thank him for nothingp said John, bit
Terry; but glance at his wife removed the
eyli spirit, and better one smiled out of his
John, You can spare little money, now, to
have thn ala aLo., G.,aJ 40. o,,.,A 80, w..