The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-07-23

"No."
"Then, sir, you shall learn a double les
son before dinner"
~ like double lessons, said Harry, fling
ing himself back to his place, and learning
rapidly long row of words and mean
ings.
Before dinner-t time had come, the dou-
BILE lesson was perfectly mastered, and
hard sums got through sums and les
sons were all play to him.
The master looked at him with feelings
of pity, regret and admiration.
"Oh, my boy !" said he, how can you
throw away such abilities on mischief and
wickedness9"
Harry colored up to his temples; his eye
flashed and moistened; he was going to
make passionate reply, but turned short
round, and went out of school whistling,
| with his hands thrust among the marbles
and whip cord in the pockets ofhis ragged
corduroys. Beside the pond in the centre
of the village he stopped and looked jeal-
ously around, and seeing he was unobserv-
ed, he pulled out the marbles and top
from his pocket and flung them into the
water.
"There," said he, 'now I shall give up
everybody, what can do. I'm thirteen
years old and shall soon be a man, and
must look out for myself. AS the master
says am clever and all that; and SO am
clever, and have got abilities I feel it,
that do p
she walked on, still talking with him
self; presently he burst out
sWhat does uncle hate me for should
like to knows What harm have done
him9 What's he always thrashing me for
Why don't he let me alone9"
Again he went on, every now and then
lettering to think.
II wish," said he, turning his pockets
inside out, II only wish had some money
there"
With this fresh wish on his lips, he went
into the dirty cottage of his uncle. 1t was
homestead that did anything but credit
to its occupants. The floor was unswept,
the hearth covered with coke and potato
peelings; the remains of a dinner of the
meanest kind were scattered over the table.
The boy felt disguised. He looked at his
aunt, sitting in dirty cotton gown and
discolored cap in the chimney corner, and
compared her to the schoolmaster's suffer-
ing sister, who ever looked so neat and
clean.
The passion for change and improvement
that had been silently taking root in Harry's
breast was momentarily becoming more
developed. All at once he said to his
aunt:
Aunt, can you give me little money
ever so little ?"
"Moneyt' She looked at him in utter
surprise. What do you want with mon
eyn'
"Never you mind only see, though, if I
don't pay you back some day, and plenty
to it.''
| A violent blow from behind sent the boy
reeling against the wall. There stood his
savage uncle, with his fist doubled, and
face distorted with intoxication.
"I'll teach you to ask for money" said
he, and other blows and fierce abuse fol-
lowed.
The boy started forward into the centre
of the room, and gazed with steady bold
ness into the tyrant's face, and said
| "You have done nothing but i'll use me
since my father died. I have never done
you any harm, and shan't bear any more
of it." '.
The blacksmith caught up heavy
stick.
evil you not2"
"No, I will not; so take care what you
are about"
"I'll break your spirit, or I'll break ey-
cry bone in your body"
"You won't do either"
"We1l try that"
The blacksmith rushed forward to grasp
Harry by the collar, and Harry sprung to
meet him with wild resistance. They
stood foot to foot and hand to hand, wrest-
ling for the mastery, when the door was
opened, and the schoolmaster of Bon
the good man made the blacksmith pause,
and the boy broke from him trembling vi
olently, and now subdued to tears.
II am sorry to see this" said the master
"What is the matter9'
The blacksmith muttered something and
his wife took the stick from his hand.
"They are always quarrelling," said
she.
"What have done" exclaimed Harry;
shut it don't matter, master; l like you
you have been good to me, and /
shall think Of it; but as for him-I hate
him and despise him, and have nothing
to thank him for; and after this day will
never see his face again, nor eat of his
bread"
In an instant the lad was gone.
Some hours after the master returned
home, and the first thing he did was to
take his strap from the table ana put IT in
the fire.
His sister smiled but said nothing.
Afterward they conversed together re-
specting the poor boy, and the master ex-
pressed some uneasy apprehensions as he
repeated Harry's words on going off
Those apprehensions increased when it be-
came known through the village that Har-
ry Bonner was missing, and could not be
found.
At dusk the villagers were traversing
the road with lights-that old upper road
which viewed from the lower cliffs, ap-
peared but as lofty terrace out on the
green mount side.
At that time the now fourishing town
of Ventnor had scarce begun to exist; only
few houses relieved the picturesque wild
ness of the scenery, amid which the shouts
of the villagers formed an exciting &C
compartment to the dash of the waves
among the numerous breakers, and the fu-
ny of an equinoctial gale.
Up and down the steep activities OF
that old road, winding about the face OF
| the upper cliff did the villagers continue
moving with their lights until long after