Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-03-24

thing about Mrs. Raymond she never
scolded out of business hours, and then
it was always so we'll meant that one
felt very little disposition to find fault
with her. It was habit she, in COM
mon with many others, had acquired in
the care of large and trying family,
and although age and experience had
smoothed down in great measure the
roughness of her temper, she was still
prone to mag as Jared called it, when
he talked things over to himself.
~'This is nice, isn't it grandmother % /
said he, as he shut his geography
-.What is the reason we are never lone
some here evenings %
why, because things are nice and
| tidy. and comfortable, L suppose" said
grandmother.
II don't believe that is it, said ia
red, evidently very busy with his thoughts
/ II think it's because both of us are try
ing to do as we'll as we can; and if we
know that, grandmother, way down in
our hearts, [ believe we could be happy
any where in the world
Grandmother knitting had dropped
into her lap.
.'The good kind of comfort comes from
in here said the boy, striking his heart
forcibly. 'These things are very nice,
this bright fire, and carpet, and clean
room, but we could get along without
them, and still be happy if we knew
that we were doing the right thing. I
suppose Martin Luther, cold and hun
cry, locked up in that horrible old con-
vent cell by those dirty monks, was as
happy man as ever lived in the world
Grandmother, what does ''true as steel''
mean p
| Grandmother's eyes were full of tears,
but Jared didn't see them for she adroit-
! ly wiped her spectacles, and shaded her
eyes with her hand for moment, while
/ she thought how to answer him.
''Steel is our most trusty metal, ia
red, said she. ''Steel can be so highly
wrought, is so susceptible of develop
ment, that most anything can be done
with it. What metal can be made to
cut like steel ?"
"What is it about the Damascus blade,
grandmother You can bend one of
those clear back to the sword hilt and it
won't break, and it will be just as good
as ever when it straightens out again"
That's it, I" said grandmother
'Just like Martin Luther" answered
: Jared. THE monks could starve him,
and freeze him, and screw him all out
of shape on the rack they could bend
up his poor body, but they couldn't break
him. nor they couldn't hurt him in here
) Now [ know what true as steel means. %
Some way Mrs. Raymond didn't feel
7 much like talking. There was strength
and power about her grandson that she
: had never noticed before; and the chief
points of his character suddenly become
: disclosed to her. That Jared was .as
good as the average" she had said a
' hundred times but she had never given
him credit for more truth, or honor, than
r most boys of his age. He obeyed her
well, any boy would obey her she thought,
Y his father and uncles and aunts always
e minded her, why shouldn't Jared? This
: was the very first intimation she had re.
: ceived that her grandson obeyed her be.
: cause from the bottom of his heart he
believed it was light to do so. There
: was silence for several minutes. The
clock licked away steadily, the fire blazec
) and cracked, but no one spoke. Final
ly Jared said, while look of determin
e alton lit up his boylsh face:
:? II am not as true as steel, grandmoth
20 er."
care you not, Jared-why not ?" sh'
s asked, again unmindful of her knitting
sc Because I'm not honest
Y mot honest. child % repeated the OLE
e. lady leaning forward eagerly, ''you hav
MT stolen any thing have you %
:, mo, grandmother, and Jared coult
i'd not help smiling at the question; but
IN am not honest with you. May be In
IL not made of good steel, for break ever
he once in while.
D. 'sBreak, Jared ?"
e. "Yes, break I broke tonight righ
o. square in two about that wood hous
~ door; and | said lots of ugly thing
u about you
h. about me, jared" said the old lad
n adjusting her spectacles. "Who to :?
ITO myself, grandmother to the mea
u coward that jumped into me about tha
DO time. It's just as bad as if l went
ce mile and talked it out to some one elst
ed | suppose. This is it, grandmother
ed ought always to remember that whate,
er you say Of do for me is for my good
as that you are so much older. and know
" hundred times as much but the frs
ur thing know, | forget. Some way
Mt hate awfulIy to be nagged at
to ITO be aohat at?, inquired Mrs. Ra.
rst mond in surprise.
Ich Il call it nagging, grandmother, e.
nlained Jared ..Nou Let NE toll w