The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-02-24

- come SPEAK ont, don't be alarmed 80
Hush-h-hf" whispered the bow. treu
bling as he spoke; " don't speak ~ loHd-
he might hear you"
:. And who e heg" asked HoIlIster, with
won't talk TO you Charley" replied
the Doy, IN q Whisper so low as 10 be AL
most inandlbie, :" If You don't speak lower.
know he IS around somewhere, and / tell
you he viii hear you. p
Well then" Whispered HOLSTER, who.
willlngto crafty the lad, brought his voice
down to the lowest pitch. . Will speak
low; and now tell me who is that ne you
you are so much afraid OF "
The Boss!" replied the boy, in n fright
ened tones . and you'd be afraid too, If
yen knew him as well as do" - 'Il
Well, donf like him cry much my
self, DICK" replied HOLSTER: but 1 don't
and don't see as we've much TO complain
about. Ho uses us pretty wen. We've got
and don't have 10 work very hard"
On, yes, whispered Dick, Significant
", taat's COS mes got a new boy on trial.
We alters do have high old time when
ever new boy comes; but we have to
pay up for IT afterward. It seems to me
almGst as II you were my brother Charley
and viii say this much to you, III / die
for it--tt01I goH Js bound 10 hlnl"
= W hat are you whispering about there,
Richard" broke In the shrill voice OF the
king-bee FROM the entry outside ;-s'I am
AFRAID Will nave to curtall your sleeping
hours; you've got too much time for sleep
- knew lie was around ?" whispered the
little unfortunate. 'Oht won't i catch il
for thisg" Aud turning his back TO his
companion, he refused to say another
word.
The boys warning was not without It's
effect upon the mind of young HOllistef;
but having once resolved upon his course
of action, he was not easily TO be swerved
therefrOm: and before closing his eyes in
sleep he determined to carry out hts Origf.
which be subsequently, did but he had not
been an indented Apprentices forty-eight
hen Il
ing to ken his little room mates advice.
From the moment the documents were
sis 5Su " 'tlcn Pplcea Snafes i1oI lister De-
neath me entire control OF Mr.. Jeffres for
seven years, the dameanor OF the latter to-
ward hts apprentices underwent 50 com
plete change, that the nowly bound lad,
of the kind fiona what Dick Manners had
said, was greatly astonished. Ignorant Of
the world. and thoroughly artless and
honest himself he never imagined that
anyone could exercise such hypocrisy.
Durlns the whole fortnight while he was
on Trial, he had noticed that the boys were
treated with great consideration. All this
was changed, however, as soon as the neo-
phyts became a fulI dedged a. bee ~ en
apprentices, the completion of which took
from twelve 10 sixteen hours per day, and
they Were compelled 10 submit daily 90
a Thousand narrowing pieces OF injustice,
which We're calcuated 10 wound the
pride ana lacerate the feelings OF any boy
possessing the slightest spirit.
1t was on the morning OF the Secoud day
OF young HOLSTERS apprenticeship. and
he was busilv employed at the Side of
Dick Manners, under whose tuition he
had temporarily been placed, when Mr.
Barak ienries catered the " beehive" and,
as was his wont, began the exercise OF his
daily fortunes. Walking from one TO an
other of his apprentices, he bestowed upon
each as he passed along some biting innu-
endo or soul-cutting remark which admit
ted of no reply, till at length he stood
behind Dick Manners, who felt his pres
eilce githough he did notsee him, and who
AZ n AZ rhr
out looking up.
"Richardr 70 squeaI1ed the immaculate
proprietor Of the " beehive"
At the sound of his voice both boys
looked up, and HOLSTER noticed that the
tyrant he'd in his hand rawhtde, which
TIL then he had kept concealed behind
him.
Richardi" repeated Jeffries, "you did
not finish soldering them ere tnimbles
:" No, sir" replied the boy, apprehen-
sively, g if you please, sir, / couldn't"
Couldn't" exclaimed Mr.. Jenries, as
suming a look of offended dignity,
. coz oiaE, sir? Do you mean TO tell me to
my face that have imposed a task upon
one OF my boys which no couldn't per-
form? / am grieved, rarely am grieved,
Richard Manners, to nnd that you are SIGH
n hard case-sieh a very hard csase-in spite
of BIZ my tatkin' to you, and advising or
you, and persuadin' OF yOu to do better.
can't allow SIGH ron@ uct in my beehive
when think OF dofn' OF IL, 1 shall have
to punish you severely again. It's very
tryln' to man Of my sensibilities, but |
shall have TO do IL, can't help myself. IT'S
dooty wot owe TO you and your mother,
and to myselff"
He TOOK the trembling lad by the sb0uI-
der, AS bespoke, and elevated his whip i'm
the arr; hut before he had struck n blow,
HOLSTER, who was at first rendered dumb
by surprise, exclaimed, implorlngly;
On, don't whip him, Mr.. JeffrseSE
Please, don't, siri L know he tried his best
this morning before ne got to bed. Resides,
sir, he's EEK. He couldn't get to stsep for
caughibg, tor an hour after he laio down -
MIR. Jeifries dropped his uplifted arm and
stood gazing at the new nppre uLice with a
look of perfect amazemeut.
- Is AZ possible that can he In my right
senses?" ne exclaimed AT length. Have
acted as principal of the 'beehivea up 10
tins iaie day, to have fresh. made app
Hoihster, you have committed very
grave offense. sir-a Offense, sir, which
notntn' but your Ignorance of my rules
ana regulations could induce me To over
look. viii forgive you this time, sir; hot
look ont in futur' how you ventur' to
speak afore yOu, re spoken TO- As for this
'ere boy l can't forgive him II wish /
could Il shall have TO give him some
wholesome punishment, and shall also,
port ms outrageous conduct TO his mo
tber!"
Tins last sentence was one OF Mr.. Barak
JetITles master-strOkes IN the exercise Of
torture. IL pierced like q sharp knife the
heart of the boy, and the 6end knew &C
would when he uttered 10. Mrs. Manneis
the boys mother, was widow, and lse.
was her only soft-the child OF her old age.
She idoiized him, al most, and before She
appren ticed II i'm TO the mOnst err of the fkfsa-
hive" she fondly hoped that he wonId
grow up respected by his fellow-men and
"A blessing To her-the pride OF ner heart
and the staff OF her deciding years. But,
all such happy anticipaiiOns were crushed
as soon as communication was established
between herself and Barak JesHries. who
pictured her poor boy as a very monster Of
q isObedience and ingrai ituds-a iuventta
hend, in whose character IL would be harI
Il * lVEaF a Fnf aEFf al "a 20 tVa.
The poor woman did not wish to believe
the terrible stories; but when they came
IRON man OF sucn umquestionabie re-
S pectsbility as Barak Jeffries--s man who
dweit upon her sons SHORTCOMINGS with |
apparent reluctanee, now could she re- |
frain rom CT niuTing him by the memory
OF his dead father, not 10 ado he sin OF /
fllsehood to his other misGeeds by deny |
ing the charges which were alleg ID again & |
him. y % ~
OBJ how many tender hearts have been
sroken, and how many sterner ones ren-i
lered ctllus and dead TO all feeling by the I
1eyJish- skill OF a Barsk Jehries? How /
many thieves and assassins, aud desperate /
ru1Iitns have received The bent of their dis
pos tons from such establishments as the |
No cry OF pain escaped the lips OF Rich |
ard Manners, as the fiend who held nina i
~ his grip proceeded to shower upon i
aim a succession OF heavy Flows. ne. did i
not strive 10 get away, although the as
amt increased in violence with his pas
ilEeneSs, ana llie vital nued stained his
'htrb as the instrument OF torture lacerat-
his flesh, for hlsheaFt was bleeding too,
ind the pain which he Ielt there was /
greater than eVea has physical sufferinRs. |
He was thinking Of his mother and OF the
punishment SO OFT repeated, which his
'ruel fyrant had threatened TO indict upon 1
ler. But there was one VINO felt every /
bow which descended upon the back OF
he helpless boy as keenIy as though 10
lad been inflicted upon himself or & lust
md generous, but ln petuous and fiery
lature: his young spirit chafei under such
~ exhibition Of manifest cruelty and In
ustlce. Tractable ana mild TO a degrees I
Inder the 20 Wer OF kinciHess, he was =
cry demon when excited by wrong aat1
oppression. A boy ia years he was at |
iearba man. and fear had no part IA his
imposition.
From the moment that Barak Jeffres
truck the first blow, he had dropped his !
OOis, ana stood looking on like one sud /
emily stricken dumb by sufpriSe. A. fine |