Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-10-23

|
cheerfully, as he came into the kltct
en-.
Somehow the words vexed him
She had said that often enough Ibefor
but they had never struck him jus
| in this way till now. Johnnyl ]
she would only remember that h'
twenty-five years old.
Eyes, I'm tired" he answered
dOgedly.
"Well, draw right up to the table
live got nice cup of tea all read.
for ye. "Tbstll rest ye, and bright
en- ye up "a little
Mother" said he, with bitter
ness for which he hated himself TO
wears afterwards. II wonder if yoU
ever had a trouble that a good cup o
tea would not cure? Things don't g
deeper than that with some folks"
His mothers eyes clouded, but sh'
answered him very gently. She felt
that tonight, for some reason, he wa'
not esponsible for himself.
al have bad trouble that went deep
enough, John. Five children that
have play around my knees, SLEEP
Wonder, behind the old Westinghouse;
and to bear and nurse, and then lose
there's none knows what 1t is but
lust them that have borne 1t, and
God that made mothers hearts. Yes,
I've bad troubles that creature com
forts wouldn't help much; and yet L
don't despise this worlds good things,
You havn't any graves where you
feel as if your heart was shut in and
smothered, and for bein' tired and
mopiu,' DO think there is virture in
good cup of tea"
Her patience and geDtleness touch
ed him. He drew up his chair to the
table, where his father was sitting,
aud answered her in soft tone:
81 suppose you are right, mother,
but rm not just myself to night"
Then he ate his supper in silence,
and after it was over, sat for a few
moments thinking silently. AT last
he took courage and opened the sub
iect of which his mind was full.
"FatLer, James Mccormick is
wanting place. Don't you think,
with you to oversee him, he could do
the work on the farm this summer"
Mrs. OsgoOd did not speak, but the
cup she was wiping fell to the floor
with sharp crash. For full inmate
it was the only sound which broke the
stilluess.
"At last the old man answered.:
81 don't know, John-may be he
could. never like to have any
strangers working GU The place 10 my
time. did it all myself till you
were old enough to help me, and
everything has prospered under your
hand, John. Still, may be james
Mccormick could. Did you think
of leaving. John|
IL don't feel satisfied, father, to be
farmer in this small way. | want
to do something more WI b my life.
You could hire a man to do all the
word | do for twenty dollars a month
and | want to see what | am worth
somewhere else
Then there was another long ST.
lence. Tie mother finished washing
no her dishes, and came and sat be-
teween her husband and her son; her
face was very white, and her hands
shaking little. After a while the
Old man reached out and took one OF
her trembling hands in his own.
ave mustn't blame John, mother
he said, trying to speak cheerfully.
"W hat he feels isn't unnatural. 9th
er young men says the same. Very
few of them are conteDted nowadays
to live their fathers lives over again.
Ouly it's come sudden. Don't think
we blame You, boy. It's all fair and
right, ouly sudden"
John got up and went up stairs
| His mothers pale silence, bis fathers
attempt at cheerfulness, seeDd more
than he could possibly bear. he
went away to his OWn room and sat
down by the window. Over across
the fields a light burned steadily. He
knew it was the lamp in Angeline
| Wilmarth's porlor. Was she worth
| all this that be was making these
two old people suffer? Was he sure
that she would love him as they did!
| Was he sure that she would love al
ali? And iu this uOtried life, in thi:
great world where so many faded
how did be know that be should sue
ceed? What was be goiug to doi
How vague all his purposes were
Just dream, born of soft spFinG
night, aud Angie NilUarth's fsi1
face. And for it he was going tC
overturn the fabric Of his whole life
No, he would not be so mean
This summer, at least, should 60 OF
as before. He would take tine t,
consider. BY autum he ShouIC
know better what he could do, snC
whether be could bear to leave tha
old father and mother-fVe Of who's
treasures the churchyard held, au'
whose all he was-quite alone. H
began then to think that this yer,
fact that he was th,ir all, laid on hin
sn Obligation net to be evaded, tha
10 sccess purchased at such expendi
, ture would be worth having. At an
J rate be would wait. And so slee
came to hin, aud the moruin
brought him straight, and ealmnesI
} seemed to give him back his old Sc
again.
= "Will you see James McCOrmic
, - loyor he catbar osLo1 a, braa