Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-09-24

hand she pressed me back into my chair,
and then with the other she Iii a splint and
held it TO my tobacco.
was done. She always gets over mo
like that; and after smoking in silence for
half an hour, was lying back, with my
eyes closed, dropping Off to sleep, when the
wife said (what had gone before l hadn't
heard)-
"Yes, he's asleep now"
That woke me up ofcouise, and If didn't
lie there shamming'and heard all they said
in a whisperl
"How come you 10 make him more vexed
tlan lac was, Luke?" says the wife and he
told her.
81 couldn't do it, mother" he said, ex-
citedly. at was heart-breaking. She's
living in wfetched room there with her
daughter; and, mother, when I saw her, /
felt as if-there, I can't tell you"
"Go on, Luke" she said.
"They'ie half starved" he said in
husky way. ooh, mother! it's horrible.
Such a sweet, beautiful eirl, and the poor
woman herself dying almost with some
terrible disease
The wife sighed.
"They told me" he went on, "how hard
they had tried 10 live by ordinary needle
work, and failed, and that as a last resource
they had tried TO get the machine"
"Poor things r. says the wife "but are
you sure the mother was lady?"
"a clergyman's widow says Luke has
lily; "there isn't doubt about it. Poor
o.;, 81 T.. l.,
fore it will be OF any use
"Poor girl, Luke?" says the wife softly;
and saw through my eyeashes that she
laid hand upon his arm, and was looking
cutiously ut him, when if he didn't cover
his face with his hands, rest his elbows on
the table, and give low groan! Then the
old woman got up, stood behind his chair,
aud began playing with and caressug his
| hair like the foolish old mother would.
Mother" he says, suddenly. twill you
| 90 and see them?"
She didn't answer him for minuto, on
| ly stood looking down at him, and then
said softly:
"Thcy paid you The first money!"
"No,' he says, hotly. 81 hadn't the hca I
to take IT,
"Thcn that money you paid was yours,
| Luke?'
"Yes, mother" he says simply; and
those two stopped, looking one at the other,
| til The wife bent down and kissed him,
holding his head afterwards, for a few mo-
| ments between her hands for she always
did worship that chap, our only one; and
then closed my eyes tight, and went on
! bleathing heavy. and thinking.
For something like new revelation had
come upon me. I knew Luke was five
and-iwcnly, and that was hty-four. but
! be always seemed like a boy TO me, and
here was waking up TO the fact that he
was grown man, and that he was think
ing aud feeling as l first thought aud felt
when ! saw hi, mother, nigh upon twenty
years ago.
l lay Lack, thinking and telling myself l
was very savage with him for deceiving
me, and that l wouldn't have him and his
! mother laying plots together against me,
and that / wouldn't stand by and see him
make a fool Of himself with the fist pretty
! cir! be set eyes on, when he might marry
| Maria Turner, the engineers daughter,
and have nice Bit Of money with her, 10
! put into ihc business, and then Ge my part
ner.
No. says; iii you plot together, I'll
! plot all alone" aud then l pretended to
wake ~, .cck no notice, and had my sup
per.
kept rather grun the next morning,
and made myself very UuNy about the
place, and l taic say spoke more sharply
than usual, but tie wife aud Luke were as
quiet a, coulu lie; and about Twelve went
out with a little oi-can and two or three
tools in my poaAei.
1t was not lar 10 Bpnnetrs place, and on
! getting 10 the riSLi house | asked for Mrs.
! murray, and vas directed to the second
floor, where, a, l reached the door, could
hear ,ho clicking of my sewing machine,
and " hoover was there was so busy uver it
that she did not hear me knock 50 l open
ed the door softly, and looked in upon as
sad a scene Is l shall eve., ! dare say, see.
There in The bare room sat, asleep in her
chair, tie widow lady who came about the
machine, and l could see that in her face
which told plainly enough that the pain
and suffering She must have been going
through for years wUGld soon be over
and, situated as she was, ii gave a Kind OF
turn.
''Its no business Of yours" | said TO my
self roughly; and ! turned then TO look at
who il was bending over my machine.
could see no face, only a slight figure
in rusty black and a pair of busy white
hands were trying very hard TO govern the
thing, and TO learn how TO use it well.
$50 that's the gal, is it?' | said TO my
self.
"Ah Luke, my boy, you've got 10 the
silly calf age, and dare say
got no further, Tor at that moment the
girl started, turned round, and turned up
on me timid wondering face, that made
my heart give a queer throb, and I couldn't
take my eyes of her.
"Hush I" she said softly, holding up her
hand and saw 1t was thin and transpa-
rent as if she had been i'll.
"My names Smith," said, taking out a
screwdriyer. "My machine how does il
60? Thought I'd come and see."
Her face lit up in a moment, and she
came forward eagerly.
"Pm so glad you've come" she said. 81
can't quite manage this"
She pointed 10 the thread regulator, and
the next minute was showing her that it
was too tight, and somehow, in gentle
limid way, the little witch quite got over
me, and stopped there two hours helping
her, ill her eyes sparkled with delight, as
she found out how easily she could now
make the needle dart in and out Of hard
material.
"Do you think you can do it now9 ?" 1