Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-06-11

the fence. am not blacksmith"
That speech killed all the riches and
family position of the Willis family forever
with Matilda. She turned to Amy, young
Martin still standing beside her in silence,
and as Edgar Willis walked slowly down
the street, said, 81 will 60 in, Mrs. Pell,
for few minutes. think your son must
be used up, trying to put me over the fence.
You did it like lightning" turning her
face toward him.
You see my son strikes when the iron
is hot" said old Martin. "He did so
when he was in New London" Young
Martin put his hand on his fathers
sbonlder; the gesture was enough-old
Martin was mum from that moment.
Mother" said young Martin, can't
you give Miss Northwood some refresh
ment2'
"Oh, | am so put by! What will you
have-a cup of tea p
Nothing in the world. thank you. Do
you suppose that my brother William will
hear anything from Mr.. Willis. and bring
the wagon for me? expected to meet
him at Mrs. Milers about this time"
Martin might 60 round with you,"
said Amy. Il am afraid your folks way
down on the Neck will worry if you are
late. l should worry, if 1 had such
daughter out all alone" The sharp old
woman looked at young Martin, and be
knew that then and there she had divin-
ed his hopeless secret. Matilda also
intercepted these glances, and was aston
ished and disturbed. Was circus man to
be thrown out of his buggy at Mr.. Pell's
door, that she might discover secret
impossible to learn otherwise ? What did
it mean? Young Martin, too, was misera-
bly, frustrated; he had painful sense of
his mean home, the homeliness of his
mother. the commences Of his father
Not in this fashion would he have selected
to make Matilda's acquaintance. A shade
fell upon them ALL Old Martin got up
for his pipe, also embarrassed. Young
Martin, telling him to sit still found it, and
held match for him to light it. Vel, it
was something to see this little fellow SC
gentle, and through goodness so refined
Matilda thought. rising to 90. She held
out her hand to Mrs. Pell, and then kiss
ed her There were tears in Matilda's
eyes; why, no mortal could guess.
"Shall | wait upon you to Mrs. Mil
ler's ?" asked Martin, simply.
IF you please"
And the pair walked down the yard
Mrs. Pell saw with kind of dismay tha
Matilda's bonnet was just above young
Martins fiat cap. q wish, father, thai
he had on his tall hat" she said. Old
Martin pounded his knee with his fist anC
broke his pipe.
Lord, used to smash pipes in New
London. But it's no use, Amy, we ain
high enough up in the world for then
Northwoods Martin must have bloweC
off bis wits with that darned offclide b,
has gone from one big thing to another
and now if he amt trying to reach up t
that six-foot GAL"
"pIl tell you what he's got to. H
put that girl over our fence when ht
thought ishe was in dauger, and when tina
Edgar Willis jumped over and left hel
behind him.
Old Martins cup was full. He coul
say nothing, but stared at the fire unit
Amy began to be alarmed, Then he sal
solemnly, /" Suppose l go there"
Where upon airth, father ?"
To New London, to tell 'eIi this cir
cumstance, you know. There was a ma
there who used to advise me on list sue
pints."
Amy put old Martin to bed at once
with spoonful of picra ard gin, and h
was himself the next day.
Matilda shook hands with young Marti
at the Miller's door, and saying til
simplest thing she could conjure up, tol
him that but for his impulse that night sh
might have been farther off-and shove
him the rent in the skirt of her dress
, there was rent in it which turned hir
cold to look at.
Yes" he replied, al thought tn
horse was bearing down on you when
caught you. o, heavens !" and he clappe
his hands together with passion"
, am all gratitude. But you mustn't than
me. Yes, you may-but l only did whs
, | ought to have done for any helpless per
son."
And Edgar Willis ?"
"He is not blacksmith, and is to be e.
cused" This was Martins first sarcasm.
"Well, good night and Matilda pu
out her hand again she only felt the yer
tops of his fingers, and could not decid
whether his hand was rougher than h,
fathers. She was silent on the way hom
her brother entertained her with an az
count of the circus trouble and upset. Il
: had seen Edgar Willis with the man th;
t had been turned out of his buggy, and b
could not tell which looked the mo
scared.
, The world went on the same afterwarC
| Martin drove work like the very oil
chepi, old Martin remarked to Amy bu
, he fell off on his musical evenings appea
ing restless of nights, and went about NOR,
One night he brought home bran ne
, suit of clothes, with blue neck-tie, an
:. told his mother he had joined the cotillio
party. Every week there was to be on
and he had engaged to play in the ban
] alternate weeks; the other nights
: should 60 on the floor.
. "Now who was that plaguy chap
: New London" said old Martin, musngl,
! who used to cut such tremenjis pigeon
: wings?"
Martin" said his mother, sadly, :"
| almost wish father and l had stayed
, New London; it might have forraded yo'
3 plans, and you been the better for it.
feel as if we was your drawbacks; al
r how could We help being poor ignora
q creeturs And oh, Martin, | see as ho
, you are eddicating yourself; we did n
{ think of doing so, and don't know how
9 make things out"
: You see." interpolated old Marti
0 he has got stamini, and status, al
: a sinking fund Of character, which '