St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-06-13
Young Martin and Old Martin.

Young Martin and Old Martin.
Dung Martin WAS the son of old
! Martin. Both were hlackSmithS. and
! Piled their trade in Tacktown. when
| there WIS none. they sat among the iron
! bars Of the shop. D.. on the timber
Threshold. "cni"yin' Themselves as
they informed the pas>ers-hy "moSt
/ to death duin' nothin'"
Old Martin lived in his flannel shirt
| sleeves. and wolc rusty spcctaclr> ::
Young Martin and Il big Jack knife we've
! iHScparIhlcS. He picked his teeth with
it III his reflective moments. and whit
tied with il when lively. old Martin
/ WAS I'M everlasting talkcI. and drew
| the long how with extreme good nature
| With him, Il lie WAS II benefit to please.
amaze. or instruct. Al middle age he
was seized with Il mission. though he
did not call II 81 packed his goods. and
with his family moved to New London.
distant fifty miles. In five Years he
/ returned ;I> unexpectedly aS he went.
unlocked his front door. made Il fire of
chips. hung oven the tca-kcttlc. and sat
down before II Il happy man: and his
soul hu@gcd the tnrSallcn l.arcs and
Pcnatc>. Amy. his wife. sat dumb in
Il corner. taking vigorous pinch of
snuff
Amy" said old Martin. Il declare
fort: if you can tell me whatever we
went away for. | for one. shall he
ublccgcd to y0u."
"Necdu't he under ANY obligation to
me. | amt the one to calkilate the
Ways of Providence"
Those fN" Years of ah>cmcc. 81 tn
speak. were the battle-ground of cid
| Martin Strcmcndou> hair breadth stories
concerning the InjwnS. the English
man-ut-War. the troubles in the RcNo-
/ lUtiuu. and the Ii>,. and progress. sir. of
the iii Il families in New London. Young
( Martin at this time. was twenty two
slight. pale. with thin fair hair and a
hraIdlcS> chin: but hr had kind. honest
eyes. and Il strong manly voice Some
how. no one doubted his good sense
and good feeling. Those who laughed
AT him. remrmhrriug his old whiting
tricks. and his l"lling against door
posts. or the fence. began To hear. aud
believe. that he WAS something more
than Il lazy mechanic. Tacktowm hati
advanced: : there was more work to do.
. and ii WAS SUom compirhcudcd that
Young Martin ''ho>Scd" old Martin.
About this time he added ln his Nocahu-
larry of wonderful tales Nv hat his son
could do Nv hat they had Thought ON
him when they were "hlrcgcd to leave
New London at dead - night. Maltiu
Was iii such demand plague on them
New I"ndumcrS. Amy also dulrd her
praise day and night. She fitted tInm
ncighh"r to ncighbor after dark. like Il
fat. gray owl. or stood at her porch duur
"t mornings. clacking like Il muthclll
hen. AS good il cr,tur a> ever tIod in
shoe leather WAS Martin, she told
the man that came along with puimcr>
ami fall tuInip>. hat she knew he wash
aS pretty as pictcr. but the narIcI on
him WAS good. When he had the scar
let fever. she thought the Lord had
called f0r him: but she believed the
walm baths had saved him. though h,
WaS Il rUnt uf II boy.
People were attracted bv old Mar
tins manner. He WAS Stranglcl silent.
Vet he appeared on the point of hurst
ing; hr Wimllcd and nodded. went from
store to store. moving his head from
side To side. and making my lsterious
grimaccs. a> if some moment WAS at
hand when everybody would hc aston
i>hcd. His secret WAS revealed the daN
the frame of il new shop wa> raised he
low the ship-yard on the shore. How
he trotted up and down the one main
street of Tacktown. where all the store,
were. aud all the horses tied. and the
oxen swinging through with their va
+ riouS loads
My son did that" he made every.
body hear, pointing to the frame. "IIov
New London has missed it, But Lord
they couldn't keep him And Tack.
town i> going to he a big place" Ole
Martins spcctaCles were dim with plid,
and JOY.
pooh. sir." he cried into amy body,
face that was nearest. Il amt going t,
. give up vet. Martin, SAYS he to me
SAWS he. Father. taint necessary fu
Won to give another blow to the anvil
:, cut up your leather apron to mend the
ints in the hen house door. or the pig
/ sty.' But Fin as capable as ever:
won't eat my sons earnings vet.r
To describe Anny's satisfaction Owe
the new shop would be impossible
that new shop, with stone walls ant
} bclfry on top. She perspired will
E acute JOY. anu Wlped nef lace I'LL Snt
believed she had the CHAPS" No mat
ter who went by. she was ready: will
the air of an orator who fixes his eve,
on distant audience, she began anC
continued. the motto in her mind. ol
rather its spirit. being that Martin mus
be living remembrance to everybody
Never did consider Martin Il for.
rard child but | amt surprised thai
he should come out at the big end o.
the horn at last. He amt a bright ant
shining light anywhere, as | knows on
but ha' massy. do you think that there
Edgar Willis can hold candle to him
for vartu and goodness to his parents 2
The shop was finished. Old Martin
, tied on his apron daily, and hectoreC
the two apprentices with great comfor
l to himself He knew III his heart o.
hearts that ynunU Martin WAS tbe kin,