Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-06-18
THE MILL AND THE TAVERN.
BY T. s. ARTHUR.

acres of ground attached thereto; and to
nv other son, Jacob the grist-mill on Dart
Creek, and the residue of my landed prop
erty''
So the will read A deep silence, and
then 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.
."No, it is not" answered Jacob, with
hardness in singular contrast with his
brothers. subdued and gentle manner.
"You prefer the tavern stand?'
+ "Of course I would" rejoined the
brother.
"And I would prefer the MILL So all
can be satisfactorily adjusted" replied
Richard, in frank and cheerful way.
Jacobs face was not the only one that
showed surprise. But as none present had
a right to question Richards decision,
there was no remonstrance or deprecatory
remark.
"Well, you are a precious fool!' said
Harry Glenn, in an angry voice, on meet
ing Richard Cragan next day; sand, it
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 I say. Didn't your father
leave you the Red Lion tavern stand?"
eyes"
seAnd you've given it to Jacob for that
miserable old grist-mill on Dart Creek?"
eyes"
"Humphp' -contemptuously-"I knew
you were not remarkable for w.t. 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 right to question any decision
| may choose to make touching my own
affairs"
81 have right" said Glenn, with some
thing offensive in his zee, "as the brother
of Katy"
"Stop there, Harry" 1nterposed Rich
ard, in voice so stern and indignant that
Glenn moved back a step or two in sur
prise. 81 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 we'll understood.
On the evening of the same day Rich
ard met Katy Glenn, and noticed, with a
sudden chillness about his heart a change
in her manner She was very dear to him.
He had loved her ever since he was a boy
loved her with steadiness that no 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 inefable 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 a
mans hand at first now appeared in his
sky. But it grew rapidly, and in little
while filled the whole horizon, obscuring
the sky
"Is this true that I hear?" said Katy.
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 grist-mill and few acres of
poor land for your share?" s4
cit 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 flushes
of a selfish ndignation
Because / 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."
"Pshaw!" calculated Katy, in no amia-
bic tone. GAS good men as you have kept,
and still keep tavern. Are you better than
your father?o m4s sill u .h8
81 don'tset 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
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 it and put the money in farm,
or something else by which | could make
living.' 3ot>
Katy bit her lips, and looked angry and
disappointed. g5l
II will never CONSENT he resumed, 'sto
bring up family amid the baleful asso-
Citations of 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. On, Katy! try to think and
feel 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 happier! AS for me, I 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.
CAS- you like" answered Katy, in chill
ling voice. "But one thing is certain, I'm
not going to be cooped up in the little
pigeon-house over at the mill, you may
count on that as settled''
II will have it done up new all over.
and make it the incest place in the world,'
said Richard.
"But you'll never put me into it." cried
Katy, with sudden passion in her voice.
''You are surely not in earnest, Katy"
demonstrated Richard.
ct surely am ,, shp ren1ia6 tocoinp har