The true northerner., 1875-08-13

was troubled with fits when he was
child and though they never bother
him now, they left the strange nervous
ness we have all seen. Still, after all,
he did not come fairly by the mill, and
it is strange that old Rutgers was never
heard of.
"Old Rutgers" as he was named by
those who remembered him, was the
owner of the mill before Godfrey came
into possession. Rutgers had been mar
ried but one terrific night, when the
fiend of the storm was abroad, the rain
pouring down rs ii q second deluge were
threatened, and the wind whirling away
everything that obstructed its ravaging
path, the old mill, undermined by the
treachelous river and assaulted by the
pitiless tempest, was swept away, its
massive timhers scattered as il they had
been choti, its ruins strewing the ada
cent field.
When the storm abated, they found
the corpse of Rutgers wife dreadfully
mangled, covered with the heavy stones
OF the foundation. In her arms, which
We're clasped tightly to her breast, was n
bundle of clothes, the garments of her
son but no mangled form of innocence
incarnate was there. The powers of the
air had snatched the object of her dying
care from her arms, and slungit into the
river-in n bend of which the little dead
body was found lying in ashallow pool,
three days after, by it's father, who had
been absent from home on the night of
horror
Rutgers never prospered after this.
His Affections seemed greater than he
could bear. True, the mill was rebuilt,
the neighbors again focked to their old
rendezvous, the miller was even said to
he making money faster than he had
done before. But like some once noble
but now decaying tree, though the top
touches the sky, and its branches, far
stretching, seem to betoken great vivaci-
ty, is afflicted with a general whitening
OF its leaves, Rutgers was blasted at
heart. He became moody, sullen,
morose, avoided the companionship of
those whom before he had esteemed, and
at last tried to drown the poignancy Of
bitter recollection in strong drink.
1t was at this time that Joseph Godfrey
came to the mill. Young and strong he
was, but gauut as if famished. To Rut-
gers he applied for work enough to keep
him from starving. Rutgers, whose ear,
even ~ his bitterest moments, was never
deaf TO the appeal of the suffering,
listened TO the story of the unfortunate ;
and from that time Godfrey became an
inmate of the mill. More, he became a
ompanion-indced, the only one-of
poor Rutgers, the miller. The two were
seldom separate. They became attached
with an affection apparently SURPRISING
the love of brothers.
In n few weeks there was wonderful
improvement i'll the appearance OF God
frey. The sunken cheeks and gaupt
form filed up, the haried look gave
place to the smile Of contentment, the
detected air was SUI planted by the ap-
pearance of comfort.
Happy would it have been had there
been like improvement in his employer.
Alas Rutgers was becoming worse and
worse. He no longer troubled himself
even about business. His days were
spent i'll listlessncss, or in n maudlln
state he would wander among the woods,
the bottle for a companion, staying till
dusk, when Godfrey would go IN search
of him. Often was Godfrey seen bring
ing home on his back his helplessly III
toxicated employer.
About year passed from the time
Of Godfrey's arrival at the mill Rut
gers was now a poor, broken-down
vretch, fit for nothing, unless half tiray,
then quarrelsome and capricious, insult
ing his friends, and often peculiarly
bitter against Godfrey. The latter, how
ever, never lost his temper, but excused
the conduct of his employer by saying
that the old man mad been sorely tried.
This exhibition Of good nature had
always tie reverse of a soothing effect
on Rutgers. He would on these occa-
slons stamp and rave, and curse and
relent.
"What have you to say on the subject
Who told you to speak, you miserable
beggar! | saved you from starvation
Come here, till spit upon you -
Godfrey would then lift up his friend,
spite OF his struggles, as if he were q
child, and carry him to an inner apart
ment III the mill, whence he would
emerge only when Ear gone in intoxi-
cation.
One day when Rutgers came home in
a good natured state of semi-intoxication,
he perceived Godfrey standing i'll cen
ter of a group of amused listeners, re-
lating a laughable annecdote. Rutgers
staggered up and listened, and laughing
heartily at some absurdity, said, in a
maudlin fashion, "You're good fellow,
A good miller, too, thanks to your hum
BILE servant. What'H You give me for
the mill I'll sell it oa easy terms. I
must get away from here. I'm going to
the devil ever since-Oh, my poor
wife and my poor baby Name your
price. L must get away from here,
where everything reminds me. Name
your price"
Godfrey felt uneasy at the commence
ment of Rutgers speech, but began to
listen with a pleased earnestness quite
noticeable when his employer offered to
sell the mill. When all eyes turned on
him his face was flushed, his eye beamed
with glad eagerness, his lip quivered,
and he looked like man who had sud
denly accomplished long-toiled-f for
object
"You'll never leave this place." he
hoarsely answered.
n Al