Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-06-19
THE MILL AND THE TAVERN.
BY Il. s. ARTHUR.


erty"
So the will read A deep silence, and
then a single word of dissatisfaction. 1t
came from Jacob, the younger son of the
deceased Richard Cragan. His brother
looked up with troubled expression on
his face, and their eyes met.
"The will is not to your mind" Richard
said, gravely, but kindly.
mo, it is not" answered Jacob, with
hardness in singular contrast with his
brothers. subdued and gentle manner.
"You prefer the tavern stand?"
'Of course | would" rejoined the
brother.
"And | would prefer the mill. So all
can be satisfactorily adjusted" replied
Richard, in a frank and cheerful way.
Jacobs face was not the only one that
showed surprise But as none present had
right to question Richards decision,
there was no remonstrance Or deprecatory
remark.
"Well, you are precious fool" said
Harry Glenn, in an angry voice, on meet
ing Richard Cragan next day; "and, if
Katy follows my advice, she'll give you
the mitten."
"What do you mean?" asked Richard,
showing some resentment at this rude as
sault
"Just what 1 say. Didn't your father
leave you the Red Lion tavern-stand?"
Eyes"
''And you've given it to Jacob for that
miserable old grist-mill on Dart Creek?"
Yes"
''Humph r'-contempt knew
you were not remarkable for wit, but did
not imagine you were such cursed fool
as you are. Why, the tavern stand is worth
forty times as much as the grist-mill."
Maybe SO, and maybe not" replied
Richard, with a flash in his eyes that was
unusual to their blue tranquility; "time
will show. AS for me, | am satisfied and
no one has a right to question any decision
| may choose TO make touching my own
affairs"
Il have right" said Glenn, with some
thing offensive in his voice, ''as the brother
of Katy
stop there, Harry!' lnterposed Rich
ard, in voice SO stern and indignant that
Glenn moved back step or two in sur
prise. Il never permit any one to NEEDLE
in my affairs, and you cannot be made an
exception. Katy has cast her lot with
mine, and her happiness is in my keeping,
not in yours
Not quite cast in yet" muttered Harry
Glenn, as he turned away from Richard,
whose ear caught the sentence. Its mean
ing he well understood.
On the evening of the same day Rich
ard met Katy Glenn, and noticed, with
sudden chillness about his heart, a change
in her manner. She was very dear to him.
He had loved ner ever since he was boy
loved her with steadiness that ne cold
ness on her part, no flirting with other
boys, or, as the years went on other young
men, could diminish. She was pretty,
but wayward-the very opposite to Rich
ard Cragan, who was so quiet, reserved,
and true of purpose. After long series
of tender vicissitudes, of pains and dis
couragements, of hopes and fears, Rich
ard at last had the ineffable happiness of
giving her the kiss of betrothment. This
happened only a short time before his
fathers death.
A cloud that looked no larger than
mans hand at first now appeared in his
sky. But it grew rapidly, and in little
while filled the whole horizon, obscuring
the sky
rs this true that hear?" said Katy
"What?" asked Richard, his heart fall
ing like lead for he understood what she
meant.
THAT you have given Jacob the hand
some tavern stand your father left you, and
taken that old gristmiH and few acres of
poor land for your share?"
at is true" answered Richard.
"What could have possessed you to do
this?" said the maiden, with all the beauty
in her face dying out under the hot tlushes
of selfish Indignation.
Because I would rather have the MILL
and earn my bread by useful work, than
burden my heart and life with evils that
are inseparable from tavern keeping"
o. toI
BILE tone. CAS- good men as you have kept,
and still keep tavern, Are you better than
your father2'
Il don't set up as being better than any
one, Katy" replied the young man, whose
face had become very pale; 81 only deter
mine for myself what | ought or ought not
o do, If had not let my brother take
the Red Lion it would have made no diff
ference as TO my own future-I should
have sold 1t and put the money in farm,
or something else by which l could make
a living"
Katy bit her lips, and looked angry and
disappointed.
II will never consent" he resumed, "to
bring up family amid the baleful asso-
Citations of d tavern. There are only two
of us left out of six brothers. Four of
them died years ago-and it is better that
they died. oh, Katy! try to think and
teel as do. The mill has good run of
custom. | shall improve it in many ways,
and double its capacity. We shall get
along well-trust me for that, and be, oh
so much happierl As for me, l should
have a restless, miserable, guilty feeling
all the time if / kept a tavern, and sold
drink to the young men of our place
hurting all, and doing good to none"
And he shuddered at the bare thought
of such responsibility.
AS you like" answered Katy, in a chill
ling voice. But, one thing is certain, I'm
not going to be cooped up in the little
plgeon-house over at the mill, you may
count on that as settled"
will have it done up new all over
and make 1t the incest place in the world"
said Richard.
but you'll never put me into it." cried
Katy, with a sudden passion in her voice
''You are surely not in earnest, Katy"
demonstrated Richard
Il surely am" she replied, tossing her
head in a way that hurt and amazed the
bewildered young man.
Richard Cragan sat quiet and still for a
long time. Then, rising slowly, and with
a culver of pain running over his pale
face, he put out his hand to Katy She
let hers fall into his coldly, not returning