Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-03-18
Joseph, do you mean

] know is kind, generous, honest youth. and
he ought not thus to ruin his reputation
You look surprised, hnt | speak the truth
No man, be he ever so pure, can associate long
with evil companions without losing his stand
ing 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
better" uttered Nathan, quite confidently.
"How should they know better; You seek
those evil companions, and are present at
their evil work You know who pulled down
Eastman's fence. of course. don't mean to
ask you who did it, bnt say you know
Eyes, sir, do"
"And you, were you asked who did it,
would not tell"
"Of course not. would not expose a
companion"
$50 | supposed. And now look at it. You
were in the company-one Of the party; the
party did certain deeds, and you must bear
your share of the blame. But let this pass.
You know that those young men with whom
You would associate are evil disposed; and
you know, too. that. if they go over 70 Mac
Wayne's tonight. they will be up to some
sort of mischief l think | have said enough
to enable you to understand the rest. Now
you may spend the evening with Mabel, or
you may go over to the back village, just as
you choose"
Nathen Wilder started as he heard these
words but, before he could make any reply,
his master was gone. But he was not long
left alone, for in a moment mote a bright eyed
lovely girl, of some nineteen summers, came
tripping into the room. She was Mr. Clarks
only child Long had the youth loved that
fair girl, and he knew she loved him in re-
turn; but he had not yet had the courage to
mention the subject to his master, for he was
only an apprentice now, though few short
months would set him free. But a strange
hope started to life in his bosom now. Those
last words of her parent, and the peculiar
tone in which they were spoken, and the look
which accompanied them, meant something.
Are you going out this evening = the
girl asked
NO be promptly answered
Good. ! shall have company, for father
and mother are both going out to spend the
evening"
Half an hour afterwards, Joseph Cooper
called for Nathan to accompany him, but his
mission was iruitless. He urged, and urged,
but Nathan said NO"
"Whcn will you go:' asked Cooper.
Never again on any such scrapes, and l
advise you to follow my plan"
Cooper at length found that the youth was
in earnest. and, with dersive laugh, he
went his way.
We need not tell how Nathan spent the
evening, nor how happy he was. But one
thing we will state. Very late, after many
very meaningless things had been talked a.
bout. Nathan arrived at a point whore he
found courage to ask Mabel if she thought
her father would ever consent to receive him
for a son-n-law.
He has spoken with me on the subject"
answered the maiden, frankly and firmly, "and
be told me that, if you made as good man,
morally and socially, as you had thus far been
a 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 glist-
ening 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 pale face.
"Well, Joe, said Nathan. "what sort of a
time did you have last night :"
"Glorious-glorious cried Cooper. "Rum
enough, though, and l was fool enough to
drink some.
This last clause was spoken in changed
tone.
"Why, l did not know that you ever
drank - said Nathan, with much surprise.
II don't like to; but had to do it last
a.. Il, | t,.ft
rid of II
"Ah, Joe, you'd better have taken my ad-
vice last night"
And how long is it since you have become
so nice:' asked Cooper, with some irony.
"Only since last evening" kindly replied
Nathan; "and even then | became only
from the plain advice and counsel of another" "
"But we had some rare sport.
"And what kind of sport was it,"
80, 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 un-
I'll his majority, since which time he had been
at work as iourneyman.
Nothing more was said on the subject of
the last nights scrape until near the middle
of the afternoon. Ii was near three o'clock,
when the deputy sheriff entered the shop and
inquired for Joseph Cooper
"Where is "COPPER" the officer asked of
Nathan Wilder.
That's him, at the other end of the shop
sir"
Lets Sec resumed the visitor, ganciug
over paper he held in his hand; where
were you last night
"At home, sir.
"You didn't go over to the back village -
mo, sir. I've concluded to LEI that com
pany 20 without me, hereafter"
Good. I'm glad of that" uttered the
sheriff, emphatically and then he went along
to where Cooper was at work,
lie spoke with the young man, and the lat
ter turned pale as death. There was much
evident begging and praying, but in vain
The officer had come for Joseph Cooper, and
he could not go without him. So Joe wash
ed his hands and put on his coat and hat, and
then, with trembling step, he accompanied
the officer from the shop.
When Nathan went out, after his days
work was done. he learned the whole story.
On the night before, party Of young men
had gone over to the back village and had a
carousal at Billy Mac Wayne's; and on their
81. and garriad