National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-07-16
A Struggle for Life With a Madman.
A CARPENTERS STORY.

and as the season had been rather
dull, and | had been out of employ
for "A month previous, of course /
liked the prospect of work, and
ready pay when the job was com.
pleted.
'Look out, Dick, and keep clear
of the madmen,' said my little
sister Lucy, who being an invetc-
rate novel reader had probably
read of lone travellers locked up in
railway carriages with lunatices, or
something of the kind, and was
consequently always on the look
out for adventures.
| aughed and held out my hands,
brown and hard as steel.
Il rather guess 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 etfeminatc
pigmies of men has "A right to be.
But you know crazy people are
always very strOng,' urged Lucy;
and they do get out of their cells
sometimes; so pray be careful. that's
a dear.
| kissed Lucy by way of consOla.
tion-nothlhg consoles a gentle,
loving woman, in difficulty, like
kissing and kind words, and went
OIL to my work.
St. Mary's Asylum was lovely
iocality-altogethcr too lovely to DO
wasted on Il set of people who had
no sense to appreciate beauty, /
thought, as walked up the broad
elm shaded avenue leading through
the Wilderness of flowers which
filed the spacious grounds-but
then that was none of my business.
The work was repairing. A largo
portion of the east wing, which was
four stories high, needed renovating,
and the inmates were ali removed
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 will, for
ilatter myself that | am an honest
man as well as good workman,
and when | am hired l always try to
do the very best | can for the in
terests OF my employer. | was
nearly four weeks about st. Mary's
and ut last--one Friday night
found that IA half hours more work
would finish my lob. This last hall
hour would keep me on the roof of
the building till little past sunset,
| calculated, but did not mind
that, for wanted to get done that
night. 1t was break in one of tho
caves cutters and | ascended the
roof by means of a ladder set upon
the staging which had been erected
across the second story front of tho
building.
went to work, whistling, as l
am very much il the habit of doing
-whstling and thinking of Minnie
Ashton. She was the girl to whom
had plghtcd my troth, and | loved
her with my whole soul. | had
been Il year engaged to her, and
we were to be married as soon as
could save money enough to buy the
Ferrlll estate-a little cottage and
Il half dozen acres of land that we
set our hearts upon. | might have
married any day and taken Minnie
to my fathers or ! might have gone
home with her, but | always thought
young people just beginning are
better by themselves for awhile
They get used to one another better
with no third person by to look on
and make comments, and they learn
each others faults and failings more
!, easily when there is no one to preju
dice them either way-learn tC
forgive and overlook them, mean
for You know we all have failing,
enough of them, Heaven knows, an(
if we get along in peace with any
body in this world we must leran t,
bear and torbear-to forgive with
out being asked, and to beg pardon
' when we are conscious of havin;
} given offence. For it is bcyon'
dispute that we are illnaturcd ant
I. cross grained at times.
! Minnic-bcss her gentle innoccn
:, hcart-was working early and lat
;. in Miss Nanmorc's millinary store
? and saving all her little earnin
that she might furnish her HON
- / comfortably. She denied hersc
- ribbons and collars, and otht
,f dainty feminine knick nacks, an
every woman knows how much {
II sacrifice anything of this kin
involves.
-, y, After all, it is not by grcf
~ sacrifices once or twice in u liietim
~ that the true courage of the mori
=, nature is brought iorth--it is thes
:, - little daily closes taken up ever
!" hour OF our lives, and which W
y, W can never forget in the lapse of tim
- because every moment brings alon
W. new one to take the place of Il
~ ~ one last carried. do not know {
y, YOU get my mciniuing, for ! am
y. rude, uneducatcd fellow, and Ia,
y, not much book learning ut II
~ :" command, but know what l mcs
10 10 myself, which is more than some
~ your fine scholars can say, fame
~ ~, 1t was u beautiful afternoon, til
- Friday--one of tho loveliest of q
ro season. remember distinctly ju
b' how sollly the slky was nt the zeuit