The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-05-24

mothers shoulder, and she would
comfort and console him for his de.
feat. n r.'rr.sle sl's..g saj "a
My sisters, too, loved the gentle
boy more than they did me al
but Fanny, who was nearest me ID
age, being fifteen months younget
than i. When the others praise,
Willie, she always had a word ii
say in favor OF brother Tom !; and
indeed, she was the only one in the
house who did not, at some time ot
other, feel the effects of my i'll tem-
per. 10 rat!se.jl1 yi...i#.,, B 4
My parents were pious people;
and my father, in family Worship
often alluded to my wayward dis
position, and made it the subject 81
earnest and heartfelt prayer. /
will not say that it was injudicious,
yet | always felt it unkind, and
thought it would have been bettai
had he reserved it for his private
devotion. 1t irritated and rankled
this exposure of my fault befors
others; and | grew harder and fiercE
er under each prayer. s,urqia1
was fifteen, and Willie seven
teen, when, one day, my father set
us to moving in a small field bel
hind the house. He was going To
the market-town on business. WI
went off to work quite cheerfullH
1t was a lovely July day,1with thS
sky blue and clear, and the birdt
singing in the deep woods whie4
lay just beyond US. 1t seemed 4
day made for heavenly calm and
peace, and but for the swift strokes
of our busy scythes, all nature
would seem to have subsided
around us into a Sabbath stillnessl
Although as l have said, l was
far stronger than Willie, yet he had
the advantage Of me in judgement
and skill 1t vexed me now, even
in that peaceful atmosphere, where
no wicked or passionate thoughts
should have arisen, to see the
smooth, even swath that followed
the steady and patient labor of his
arm. My strokes were quick, has
ty and uneven; and looking back
over our progress, the difference.
was very perceptible in the appear
ance of our work. AT noon, | was
hot, flushed and cross; and my
rough half Of the field compared
poorly with Willis,se Hewas eoof
and composed, and looked back
over his work with evident salts,
faction. tq.r... 49, IT..
We sat down to the meal which
Fanny brought US. Willie ate and
drank heartily, but my demon was
with me, and all Fanny's playful
wiles were Intellectual. e. a.'-
"You will get through soon, Tom,
won't you" she asked, as she took
up the tin pail in which she had
brought our dinner. g5
/ answered her more harshly
than / had ever done before, and
the blue eyes filed with tears. 1t
would have been well if Willie had
not tried to soothe her grief; but
l felt that Fanny belonged to me
and l could not bear any interfe-
renee with her. .., .9 - .r.G
She sat down beside him, and
drying her tears, she spoke again
Of our work. (Which is your half,
Willie?" she said at length. "Guess,
Fanny" % ra-..
She put on pretty air of delib-
GRAFTON, and finally, as I suppose,
relenting towards me, she said.
"The best is Toms know. That
is his" stretching her hand toward
the smooth, even surface where
Willie had been moving.
l never saw Willie's face express
SO much scorn before as he answer
ed.
"Then you think / left that mis-
cradle looking work for father to
find fault with, do you9" -..
She had no time to reply. Quick
er than thought I had seized
stick that lay at my feet, and struck
a blow upon his right arm, which
he had already raised to defend
himself, and another upon his head. |
The hand dropped powerless by
his side, and Fanny's arms were
round his neck, and she was kiss
ing his cheek. ? q .r
"You have killed him p she
shrieked.. "You shall not touch
him, wicked, horrible boy! o,
Willie, Williel speak to mep
In that moment, my fathers an
ger, my mothers grief, the actual
fear that l had really murdered my
brother and tha tarrihla namaIaee