Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-03-12


the like.
Again locking at the man, Mrs. Har-
row. who studied people as some men and
women do pictures, saw, amidst those
ruined features and watery eyes, that
wistful look which had touched her be-
fore, and her heart yearned to prove to
the man that Christian charity and kind.
ness were not call talk. She believed the
poor fellow was in earnest, and that by
hiring him she might save him; but then
what would Mr. Harrow sayP Mr.. Har-
row, the clergyman of Marsh Mallow,
and her husband whose preconceived ideas
of what servant should be were exem-
plitied in the persons of the Scotch gard
ener, Rufus Furgerson, who had, in his
white cravat and black coat, more than
once been taken for Mr.. Harrow himself
by strangers. and Betsy Ball, the prim
and highly respectable female domestic of
the household. Mr.. Harrow, his wife
knew, could not but disapprove. It's all
very well to go to India to save the souls
/ of heathens but Mrs. Harrow felt sure
that. jealous as he was in such cause,
Mr.. Harrow couldnot think of taking any
one heathcn into his own house for the
same purpose.
1T will never do, l KNOW" she said to
herself, with sigh.
But just then the man spoke again.
"If YOU could only see Lizzie, and know
about her, ma'am."
And she saw his rough hands clutch
themselves in a despairing way that de-
cided her TO risk Mr., Iarrow's disapprov-
al.
"l'll take you on trial." she said, with
smile. Never mind the reference. If
You really love your child you'll not make
me repent of it, and think you do"
And the man. with face all agiow,
ruined as he was. made what he meant
for bow, and said only:
"Thank'y ma'am."
Reading him rs she did. Mrs. Harrow
could not have understood his gratitude
better had he knelt and kissed the hem of
her robe.
James told me not to trouble him-to
choose n man for myself, so she tried 10
comfort herself; but she knew just what
would come after all-the astonished ele-
vation of the eyebrows, the frigid disap-
proval, the quiet censure, so much harder
to bear than any scolding and, though
the Rev. James Harrow never guessed il,
took up her cross in the cause of Christian
duty. when she resolved to bear it, for
the sake Of trying 10 save one poor soul
and body. She did not presume to say
why she had hired this man, instead of
one of dozen reputable sober persons,
with characters and savings, who applied
for the position, and no one fathomed the
motive. She had prided herself little
on being considered a sensible woman,
especially 10y her husband, and she gave
that up with sigh, and heard that mutter-
ed, Il fancied could entrust an import
tant matter TO your charge, Elizabeth.
find am mistaken" in silence. If only
this man should keep his word, she should
berewarded.
Hawker came 10 fill his place next day,
and hard place he found it for while.
The gardener scorned him; the house
maid was, or pretended to be. afraid OF
him; and the very dog barked at him
with that Serocious bark that dogs in re-
spectacle families keep for vagrants; but
he bore it all humbly, as he bore the
speechless disapproval of his MASTER
Mrs. Harrow. crushed under the same
disapproval, watched him and comforted
herself with the thought: "He Is think
ing of his daughter Lizzie"
Those who have been drunkards speak
of the agonies endured by men who leave
off drinking Probably Hawker passed
through all these, but for all that he re-
NAMED sober. and drove Mrs. Harrow's
little pleasure wagon, and did the odd
Jobs confided TO him carefully.
A bushel of recommendations could
have been productive of nothing more,
but still he did not win on tie clergyman.
The gardener continued to scorn him, and
the woman servant counted the spoons
and forks and shook her head over their
probable fate, as persistently rs on the
first day of his arrival.
Folly inevitably brings its own pun
ishment, my DEAR" said the clergyman,
and the respectable Scotch gardener had,
in effect declared the same opinion, when
he hoped that Hawker wouldn't drive
over the edge of the cliff some day in a
drunken frolic, and kill the bonnie lady
and the high priced beastie-" While Bet
sey, more privileged, cautioned her mis-
tress TO take off watch and purse, for
drunken Hawker" was known to be
none too honest, and she, for her part,
did not believe in these here sudden re-
pentances." 1t was the opinion OF the
household that Mrs. Harrow was not able
to take care Of herself, after such token
of weak intellect as engaging drunken
Hawker,n and the lady knew it. Yet, as
the time passed on, Hawker wore better
hat and neater coat, and had his hair cut.
His features began TO be features again,
his voice became clearer, the little room