Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-09-14

llSbcueu Will StTdluCu cal loI oOiAC
words of condemnation from the moth
er, but listened vainly. She only
worked over her butter the more bus
lily.
|, too, wondered what made the boy
tell lies; he came of a good, honest
stock; as far back as could be re-
membered, none of his race had ever
been imprisoned, or hanged; none Of
them had been remarkable as liars,
yet Jim Uould lie; there was no ques-
ton of that, and I resolved to know
why.
Deacon Thorne shaved, washed and
combed himself, and | heard him ask
his wife for clean shirt. 1t was Sat.
urday, and I wondered where he was
going, and Yankee-like, set myself to
guessing,and, Yankee-like too, guessed
it out. He belonged to the Baptist
Church, and today was "Covenant
meeting day. Pretty soon [ heard
him come out upon the stoop, and say
to his wife, 4" Nancy, it seems to me
you might get your work done up, so
as TO go to covenant meeting some
times. 1t don't look we'll for you, and
it plaques me to have the brothers and
sisters ask where sister Thorne is.
What shall tell EN- Nancy? p
You can tell 'em, replied Nancy,
in rather a tart tone, " that I've no
one to help about my work, and it's as
much as | can do to get ready for
Sunday"
Deacon Thorno got flea in his ear.
He had told his wife that he thought
she could get along without girl,
now that the summers work was done,
and the weather cool. Mrs. Thorne
had reluctantly consented to try it, for
she, too, was-as Peggotty observed
OF Barkis, pretty near, and had an
eye to the " main chances"
When | saw the old piebald horse
hitched to the old green wagon, and
the deacon seated therein, and all to-
cether moving through the gate, | hur-
ricd down stairs, and through the
woodshcd, and took my way to the
barn. Pushing open the door. and fol
lowing the sound Of suppressed sobs,
found Jimmy crouching in a corner,
with his head half-hidden in a tuft Of
hay, quiyering with excitement and
pain. When | put my hand upon him,
lie shrank from the touch; when |
spoke his name he looked up with the
look Of a dog that has been beaten
when lifted his head and pillowed it
on my ap,aoods of tears gushed forth.
let him have a good cry, soothing
him by passing my hand lightly over
bis damp hair, When he grew calmer,
| loosened bis shirt band and looked
at his back; and, as | did so, bit my
lips to suppress a scream. 1t was
/ literally covered with liyid welts, and
in some places the blood came through
the skin
Drawing his shirt-band up, fasten
ing it round his neck, and command
lug, as well as | could, my trembling
voice, | proposed to him to 90 witt
me to his room, and rest awhile. HI
rose slowly to his feet, aud, putting
his hand in mine, we proceeded to
ward The house, and gained the cham
bers in the same way l had left them
unseen by Mrs. Thorne.
| persuaded him to undress and liz
down upon the bed, while | bathed hi.
aching head and bruised back, he tolC
me what the offence was for which hi:
father had beaten him. I'll give thC
story in his own words,
Last week, he referring to BIZ
father; it was curious to see how h
avoided speaking the word father
' told me if | would dig all the 'tater:
in the south patch, I might 90 chest
nutting the next day; and when
asked him next day he said he did no
promise me, but | stuck to it he did
and told him right where he was whel
/ he said it. Then he said he didn't car
if he did say so. couldn't, for | mus
pick up cider apples, and if Id be
good boy and work right smart nigh
90 oday; but | knew he wouldn'
keep his word, and SiIas Bruce was
going to-day, and l wanted to 90 toe
for the squirrels was a-carrying off tn
nuts as fast as they could. and Sill
Bruce, and all the boys, have got a
many agin as | have, and when | ask
! ed him if | might 60 out he said, No,
shouldn't, and told me to go over /
the back lot and git the sheep, and
pretended to go, and went off with th
other boys to hunt chestnuts, and h
come through the woods a-huntin 70
, the old mare, and saw me there, an
, he asked me what | was there for, an
, | said | couldn't find the sheep in tn
lot and was a-looking for 'em in th
! woods, and he said the sheep was i
, the lot, and he seen 'em when he wa
a-comin, through it, and told me | la
lied, and he would kick me; but
, stuck to it | did not lie, for | knew he
lick me anyhow, and he has, and
r hate him and III run away; I'd rathe
live way off on an island like Robin
5 son Crusoe, and have Friday live wit
D me, than to live here and be licke
} every day"
: What could | say?
said nothing; but sung him ia:
r asleep, and left him sleeping, and wei
: down stairs thinking to talk to h
mother about him; but | found her u
Y to her elbows in -four, and her hea
e full of the baking for tomorrow, an
/, a pursed-up expression of her mout
? warned me to keep shady. And so
wandered off to the orchard, and S;
e down among the yellow apples, an
e held my tongue; but in my heart
t hearts, | thanked God | was an o.
maid, and had no boys TO bring up.
: At night the Deacon came HON
+ turned out his horse, ate his suppe
y and then enquired where Jimmy wa
S Mrs. Thorne did not know. He locke
r surprised, not to say alarmed, toe
: down his hat and went at quick pat
n toward the barn. Soon he came bac
!. and-I'il confess it-I chuckled to S,
st that he looked pale and scared. | hs
y a good mind to keep still and let hi
ir get what Theodore Winthrop calls