Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-27

Inn Scarborough's bound boy L think
may call my life a success
And, if surroundings earthly and tenn
poral are the standard Of measurement
you would not have pronounced him far
wrong had you glanced around the apart
ment. half study, half breakfast room,
where he had just been taking his MORN
ing meal To be "a gentleman had been
one Of his ambitions, and as soon as he was
able to live elegantly he had surrounded
himself with the appliances OF luxury. On
the floor of this his fayorite room, Il soft.
warm carpet yielded like woodland moss to
his football. Handsomely-bou books
filled the cavern cases from floor to ceiling.
Chairs upholstered in Russia leather held
out capacious arms to him. His breakfast
service was Of silver and porcelain, and at
the least touch of that bell beside him, it
self Il dainty tov trained servants were
ready to obey his behests.
These things to-dav-and back fifty
vears-the little three-roomed cottage
the mother. pale and weary. but tender
and himself barefooted, coarsely clad, but
Young and strong and eager, hopeful, and
with all the futures possibilities before
him Was he rich now ?
y tap upon the uOOr ctlClIeu Il Hall uIl-
gracious come IN" for he was not yet
ready to break the spell OF his own
thoughts. He had traced the career of
that barefooted dreamer Of fifty years ago
to the present standpoint of the Hon.
Pierce Richmond He wanted to look on
ward little and speculate whether any
more ground remained 70 be possessed.
But when he saw the new conner he reused
himself at once from his dreams, and be
came the alert watchful man Of business.
II was his confidential agent, Solomon Os-
GOOD. who was charged with superintend-
inc his real estate and collecting his rents.
1t was the first of the month now, and
there were accounts to be rendered Ill.
They seemed satisfactory for the most
part but at last Mr. Richmond said in
an inquiring tone
And the Widow Mafit -
Yes. | was going to speak about her
/ | hope YOU will be willing to wait little
tor her rent She has been in trouble
Hum, YES, so she was last month
and the month before, and the month be-
fore that" Mr.. Richmond said rather
curtly.
Very true the agent answered grave
'fNNfN N'AN'A- H''iN
the month before that he was very sick
and now the only one She has left seem.
irving to follow in his brothers footsteps
Sickness brings deal Of expense, anC
comes hard on poor folks.
Mr.. Richmond considered little: thel
said with quiet discrimination
Il don't want to be unteeling, Osgood
80 I'll not tell YOU to send her of now bu
| must say plainly that | don't want sucl
tenants. Giving in charity is one thing. am
renting house, is another. When | wan
to give | can give; but | want the interes
on nv investments. when it comes to be
= matter OF business.
- I'll be security for Mrs. Mafht-yo
Shant lose by her" the agent remarked i
= the tone Of one wounded little. His en-
plover looked at him curiously.
=. You're a philan,hropi4t, Mr. Osgood,
he said. with smile rather satirical. We
not altogether unkindly. IL don't car
about your undertaking the burden Of IN
n bad debts Seven children, and wit
al none too strong. are about as big a load q
h. you can carry Didn't say you need'r
+ send the woman off now ? Let her stay ol
4. through March, whether she pays or not
le and see if YOU can't find me another tenar
~ bv the first Of April"
ie Thank YOU, sir, as to Mrs. Maftit's pa
is of your remark" Mr.. Osgood answered
n :. As for that about me and mine. | thinl
It. Mr.. Richmond, if YOU had the same burdC
nd to carry, you'd find it about the pleasante
e. one you ever bent under
he There was an air of sincerity iii his mar
W. ner. 4 beam Of secret delight in his loo
as which fingered with the Hon Pierce Rici
H. mond after his agent had gone away. /
H. wondered if there were indeed 50 mu'
n blesscdness III family ties-H II were goo
: for a man to have wife and mouths to loo
NJ out for And, 80 speeuatimg, the bite
en- est memory In his whole life came back
nd him-the one sole time since his mother
w death when he had loved some being b
De- yond and apart from himself. 1t was
ow score of wears AGO and he was torty-t'
Ms then. and she-the loved one-just twemt
aid He met her in lodging house where
had a fashionable suit Of first floor apai
ler mentS. and where she lodged in the att
.pt used now and then to meet him OH his ste
he or in the hall, until he learned to think tn
old dav dark lit by no CLEAN OF her dun ha
md How well he remembered the face. swe
ler vet Spirited the red young mouth. a
:e: the hairs young gold'-the dainty Int
ell figure, the springing step the musical, j
on tones. How it was he hardly knew. but
his the cold, selfish. hardened man OF
she world. felt swelling up III his heart foC
he tain of sweet waters-and then when
would have slaked at it his souls thin
of beautiful and deceitful a mirage 1t ';
fly ishcd and his heart lacking its sweetne
md turned to desert waste.
hy. For not all his gold beguiled the Int
his girl he loved INTO wedding nm Nhe 100
her ed INTO his face with her pure hoiieN' ey
and this Julia Insted, and toid nm so
me. truths hard to bear. He was old for
nile forty-two years. and she told him so h;
ore and cold. used to living by himself, self
even in his wish to bind her youth to
,rd stern. middle age. Receiving his propo
ORR of marriage as an attempt TO buy her fire
d ness and beauty, with her pitile>s plalnn
was OF speech she maze nun leei II a.
vim The next DAY She l'I' 'hr i""He'
who since then he had never seen her. But
of had never forgiven her. She stood III
five memory as his enemy-hs one enemy
for curiouslv enough he had made no other
his the course of his long life. But toward
to his resentment was keen Is on the
his when he had been so Stung by her ll'
,pen nant refusal to give him her hand, VII
his as she said. he must know in the very
,uId ture of things it was impossible for hel
eer. give him her heart. He remembered
ran. pitilessly well. IF he had been an ar
en- a he could have painted the dun gold OF