Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-06-22
Struggle for Life with a Madman
A CARPENTERS STORY.

the Insane.
1t promised to be profitable job,
and as the season had been rather
dull, and | had been out of employ
for month previous, of course liked
the prospect of work, and ready pay
when the joo was completed.
"Look out, Dick, and keep clear of
the madmen,' said my little sister Lu-
cy, who being an inveterate novel
reader had probably read of lone
travellers locked up in railway carri-
ages with lunatics, or something of
the kind, and was consequently al
ways on the lookout for adventures.
| laughed and held out my hands,
brown and hard as steel.
81 rather guess a man would find
as much as he could manage in Dick
Carghon," said proudly, for was
proud of my physical strength, as any
man in these days of etfeminate pig
mics of men has right to be.
"But you know crazy people are al
ways very strong" urged Lucy ''and
they do get out of their cells some.
times; so pray be careful, that's a
dear"
l kissed Lucy by way of consola.
tion--nothing consoles a gentle, low
ing woman, in difficulty, like kissing
and kind words, and went off to my
work.
St. Mary's Asylum was lovely To-
cality-altogether too lovely to be
wasted on a set of people who had no
sense to appreciate beauty, | thought,
as | walked up the broad elm shaded
avenue leading through the wilder
ness of flowers which filled the spa
cious grounds-but then that was
none Of my business.
The work was repairing. A large
portion of the east wing, which was
four stories in height, needed renOva-
ting, and the inmates were all remOv-
ed from that part OF the building ex-
cept two or three incurables, whom it
was not thought best to disturb, and
who were not near enough to the part
where | was to work, to render their
removal necessary.
| set to work with a will, for fiat,
ter myself that | am an honest man
/ as we'll as a good workman, and
! when | am hired | always try to dc
+ the very best | can for the interests
? of my employer. | was nearly foul
S weeks about St. Mary's, and at last
a one Friday night found that a half
hours more work would finish my
Job. This last half hour would keep
me on the roof of the building till g
little past sunset, | calculated, but
4 did not mind that, for | wanted tC
5 get done that night. 1t was a break
= in one of the caves cutters, and | as
A cended the roof by means of ladder
5 set upon the staging which had beer
erected across the second story iron
i of the building.
| went to work, whiStling, as an
very much in the habit of doing
q whi5tling and thinking of Minnie Ash
?. ton. She was the girl to whom | haC
! plighted my troth, and | loved he
I with my whole soul. | had been ;
n year engaged to her, and we were t.
n be married as soon as | could saw
money enough to buy the Ferrill es
- tate-a little cottage and a half dO2
/ Ell acres of land that we set our heart
!. upon | might have married any da.
1t and taken Minnie to my fathers, or
i might have gone home with her, but
d always thought young people just be
st ginning are better by themselves 10
n awhile. They get used to one anott
} er better with no third person by t.
look on and make comments, and the
learn each others faults and failing
more easily when there is no one t
prejudice them either way-learn t
E, forgive and overlook them | mean
es For you know we all have failings-
: enough of them, Heaven knows, an
IS if we get along in peace with anybod
Of Of in this world we must learn to bea
e and forbear-to forgive without beln
- asked, and to beg pardon when W
- are conscious of having given ofens'
For it is beyond dispute that we al
Ill 9
times.
Minnie-bless her gentle innocer
heart-was working early and late
Miss Vanmore's millinery store, an
saving all her little earnings that 81
might furnish our home comfortabl
She denied herself fresh ribbons an
collars. and other dainty feminiI
knick-knacks, and every woman know
how much of sacrifice anything G
this kind involves.
After all, it is not by great sacri
a. ces once or twice in a lifetime tht
er the true courage of the moral natul
ol- is brought forth-it is these little da
mur m ly crosses which come to be taken u
g every hour of our lives, and which "
ed can never forget in the lapse of tin
because every moment brings along
5 new one to take the place of the or
- last carried. / do not know as yG
get my meaning, for | am a rude, u
educated fellow, and have not mut
book learning at my command, but
or know what | mean myself, which
: more than some of your fine schola
can say, | fancy.
nd 1t was a beautiful afternoon, th
nd nd Friday-one of the loveliest of tt
lid season. | remember distinctly ju
Ia how softly the sky was at the zenit
,i!e and how, as the sun dropped towal
n rse the west, a belt Of white cloud lyir
,.a low down over the hills, changed
h vivid crimson, and the whole we
he glared and burned at the touch of tt
id great ball of lurid fire.
The south wind crept up from Il
oe river, and the marshy intervals lyir
. between. fresh and damp; and In Il
9 great elm, by the windows OF the As