The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-04-22
PETER RAYMONDps son.

PETER RAYMONHS SON.
Twenty years ago Peter Raymond
owned a hard, stony farm eighteen miles
from Hartford. One September evening
about 8 o'clock, as he returned home
from o neighbours, he suddenly r~ecollect-
ed that he had left his bride hanging on
a baz-post by his sheep barn when he
turned his old white'mare in the pasture
that afternoon. He sprang vel the wall
and struck across lots, hoping to secure
it before any greedy-mawed bovine
should make it forever useless for bride
purposes. AS he drew near the barn he
thought he heard voices inside. What
any one should be there for he could not
conjecture. He stepped astlightly as he
could on the unmowed rowen and slipped
in behind the big door, which was stand
ing ajar, and listened.
Philip, his eldest son, was there, and
Clinton Dexter, a son of the man at
whose house he had been to call. The
lads were about of an age-both nearly
fifteen. Philip was talking when his faith
er went up to the barn, but he finished
what he was saying just as Mr.. Raymond
got into position to catch the words, and
young Dexter commenced to reply. He
said:
"WeI, Phil, my father is just as in
considerate IS your father is. 1 don't
think he remembers he ever was a boy.
There is scarcely a day in the year that
he does not ride out-he rides more'n he
used to before he was selectman, and
you may be sure that he always has
something on hand to be done, Just IS
your father does. Soon as the frost is
out of the ground in the spring, he tells
me before he rides off that 1 may pick up
stones or spread manure till it is time to
milk and fodder; a little later In the
season he tells me to hoe corn or pota-
toes, or weed the garden till it is time to
get up the cows; and if he is at home
when 1 take the pals to go out and milk,
he always tells me to be sure and strip the
COWS clean, just as though he thought l
should be lazy and dishonest enough to
leave half the milk In their bags if he did
not tell me so; and he would be just as
likely to tell me that before a dozen visit
ors as any-makes a fellow feel mighty
uncomfortable, you know. In winter [
have to chop wood most of the time that
I am not at school; and I don't think
my father ever feels quite satisfied if 1
don't chop quite as much,.and hoe as
much, and pillow as much as a full-grown
man could do in the same time. L did
not know till the other day how it was
with you, Phil. 1 don't wonder that
your patience is worn out; and I assure
you that 1 am quite as tired of living in
this way as you are"
81 hesitated a good while, Clint" Phil
replied, "before 1 decided to speak to
you about it ; but I made up my mind in
haying time that it wa the last summer
that l should stay at home and help hay
it and fare as 1 did then. Father is
always ready to find fault-he generally
says when he gets home, Il don't think
you've hurt yourself working to-day,
Philip And sometimes he asks me if
my back doesn't ache, I've chopped SO
much or hoed SO much ; and no matter
if 1 work as hard IS I can from sunrise
till shutdown, I never heard anything
more acknowledgement get one word
of praise. I feel s7rry to clear out on
mothers account. / love her, for l be-
lieve she loves me but if father loves
me he never shows it-never speaks a
tender or loving word to me. My mind
is fully made up, Clint. l am going to
run away and I want to get off tonight.
Never mind about your cohesive got
shirts and stockings and handkerchiefs
enough put up, and I'll divide with you
till we can earn more. Last week /
thought it over, and I thought it would
grieve mother SO I pretty much decided
to give it up but l got so provoked the
day that father went to Hartford 1 de-
termined 1 would go anyway. You see,
here I've lived ever since / was born,
within eighteen miles of Hartford, but
never was there, nor in any other city. !
asked father if 1 might go with him, last
June, when he was going, and he said
that 1 couldn't go very well then, but
should go with him the first time that he
went after haying. Well, when he spoke
was going to take me along, and he
answered pretty crabbedly, mo, sir
pretty time for you to think of going,
when the hired man is gonel' I told hin
that I would get you to come and do the
chores, and that you would be as faith
full In doing them as 1 would be but he
wouldn't hear a word about ii. I didn't
feel light hearted after he was gone, but
l tried to brave it out the best I could
and 1 worked hard all day. That after.
noon was a dark, cloudy afternoon ; and
/ got up the COWS and MIXED then
a little earlier than I supposed thai
I did /; but I don't think the SUI
was five minutes high when I got the
chores done. I took the newspaper and
sat down in the door, so as to be G inland
to take care of the horse when father
came; and I hadn't read a quarter of
column, when he drove up. Well, a,
true as 1 live and breathe, after hi
promising me that / should go to Hart
ford with him the first time that he wen
after haying and then breaking his word
leaving me to feel disappointed and t.
work hard all day, the first thing he sale
to me when he drove up was 'Wha
are you sitting there a reading for?-
why aren't you doing your chores? 2 l
CALLED, l tell you, but 1 replied a
calmly as I could that the chores were al
done, and he said ooh, oh, that is it, i
it, You do the chores the middle of tn
afternoon when I I'M gone, and then 81
down and read, do you2' 1t was SO con
founded cutting, if he had stuck a knit
into me he wouldn't have hurt me an,
worse. 1 vowed then that 1 would Sc
Hartford on my birthday, and 1 shall b
much mistaken if 1 am not there to-mor
row morning; and if my father sees m
again for n year he'll see more'n
think he will. Twill be here at the bar
at just midnight. My bundle of clothe
is here now in the oat bin. Don't fai
to be on time, Clint. We must get +
Hartford by sunrise. 1 want to get
little glimpse of the city before tn
steamboat goes out. I don't know wha
the fare is TO New York. I doubt if W
have money enough to take us there. !
we haven't we can stop at some of til
landing places on the way"
What a variety of feelings Peter Ray
mond had in the fifteen minutes he stoo,