Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-30
Abraham wllcs's Temptation.


father @ pubhc man honored by all IN the
good old state OF Vermont. Possibly % never |
entered ms busy cultured mlnd that lac |
ought 70 unuend M the least to ms children.
llis manner was stately and reserved repel- /
iilhs rather IMAM drawing ms children to /
MINI ne provided lood, clothes and shelter |
schools and teachers. What further respon- /
@olllty mad hef lie thought none. Ills |
wife was his counterpart in exactncss. She /
had her idea OF circumspect children, orderly |
houses, trim gardens, etc. Her whole life |
was spent IN stew. in vain endoayor to |
have all these Abe's brother was quiet |
mud IN the extreme; so that he did not |
chaie under severe discipline as his merry.
iroiicsome brother did. 1t was no wonder,
perhaps, when Abe was stemly asked 10y his
mother How did you get your pants So
muddy, SIR he should reply, The creek 3
ON rise motheri Or What is the mean
ing OF TINS rent m your coat, SIR his an
swcr was, q" II tored itself, when ! wasn't
n lookini | know nothin' bout it,
Then the inevitable shaking or car-pullmg
I'uoWed.
Abe often wondered, in after life, he had
not developed into mule. lie has been
heard telling his own little ones he loves so
well that he meyer had any childhood he
ever taking him upon their lap, or kissing
HIM. Think of that Never hung up his
stocking ON Christmas; never knew when
his birthday came around, except when it
was made the occasion TO give him a lecture
upon beng more circumspect; never had
had any spending money, except one train
lng-day his father gave him shilling, with
the admonition, Don't spend it all fool
i5hly"
1t was when one OF these wonderful days
was approaching appreciated only in
small towns and villages, where it is usually
the day Of all the year-a day when every
boy, bound or free, wants his time and a lit
tie money. All what so exciting as the
martial music, the bright uniforms and shin
ing arms, the sham-ight. All that was
the crown of the day. Abes teacher had
promised to close school She MIGHT ne
well. or have only emptv benches. One af
ternoon. n week before she had n blinding
headache. and closed her school two honTs
earlier than usual. Abe ran home 10 al,
permission 10 20 fshing with sone or tbe
bows. He found bis pSrents gone. and the
house locked He AID moi dare 70 go S.ith.
out their consent. so he concluded to STAY
at home and make the best of IL Abs
knew where the kew was. SO he went into the
house. and To ransackinr at once he was
hungry. of course; what school-bov would
not beP Tho first attraction, WIS Tho nan
try: he Toasted on bupe douChnuts and
choice Jams. luxury his mother did NOT Of
ten indulge him in considering them nm
healthy Tor children. lie tool 4 who'll
mince.pie WhyY a niece would he u;sseJ
n whole ono ,venId not from tI, ,,roat ~,
lie fool, ono Slammed via, Lo,, WI, .
Ue know tbev v,aIo co,nna,,v ~, o,,d III
nlentv of raisins ,,o 49, hi, J'; H.
ptbas ,ysre VAN, aI ,'. ",l,v '''S
rye nonr Eorol,;,,, 90
o1,,,,,,,,,i ,.,,' iu''','''s ny
rot esneciallv ,sas a s,reat aitraction s,6 S
~ IL ,,;t III ~ lo,io"' 80 ~
NOR dsvs Az NO. nv, 60 ana,,'J \, - ~.
uoro a. - - - - a. ~ ;"
ana s1,,,, him. .,5,,;,h - Nv Nv Law 1 n1',''
know, he might not have been So curions ar
miscellaneous, if one terms it that. He put ON
his grandfather's old blue military coat. ca.
ressinr lonpinply each eaple-pichired hinton
looking back proudly as any peocock nj tbc
tails dragging the floor Then he huckled
on the heavy sword of revolutionary fame
and said aloud
ooh. IL | could only wear these TRAINING
day. and had a little money IN show / was ,
gentleman, wouldn't they stcn aside1
As he stalked grandlv mn and down
bunch of KEYS. dangling from the lock of
small hair trunk studded with brass nails
caught his eyes. lie sat down lv Il. instea,
Of on it, for it was.a favorite horse--imoq
mary horse. YOU understand every brass nai
part of its arlnor. Some one had hee,
there recently, and left the keys. Abe ba,
never seen the inside of the trunk now her
was the opportunity; he knew ii was no
right he counted the rows of nails, and IN
number in each row. all the while the desir
growing stronger to look inside, The desir
cherished soon set conscience aside; h
turned the key and raised the lid "pooh.
he said, nothing but lot OF old musty M
pers. II was in hopes bird would fly out
or mouse jump out like the old fables. :
I'd have TO give chase. But what is this (?
lie raised up some of the pape,s Their
was a bag he drew it out could ii b
money! lie united it yes, il was none,
and all IN twenty-dollar gold pieces, too Ii
counted them-oDe hundred, so many. IS
many, he said TO himself '' surely one woul
not be missed it's inst what / need "a
training-day" lie hastily put one in hi
pocket tied the bag, and replaced all As be
fore. lie went down the stairs they creaked
and seemed to say "Thef, thief I" he starte,
with fear tried TO whistle, and couldn't
tried to sing, and couldn't his voice SCENE,
strange and unnatural Then there SCENE,
TO be a great coal of fire burning in hi
pocket; then it took the form of an eye Tn
gold piece looked at him at every corner
was under every bush rolled from benin,
every tree, like as when one looks at In
bright sun, and turns away the image re
mains dancing before, turn which way ON
will. Finally, the vision pursued Abe :.
that he could not endure It any longer. h,
mn 10. ~