The true northerner., 1875-08-13

room. The day before the appointed
festival, Godfrey appeared in the village
tavern and said that Rutgers, in n fit of
his usual perversity, had departed the
previous night, and that he promised to
come back within a month, when the
merrymaking would take place.
No one thought it strange, ms Rutgers
had become utterly unreliable of late.
But when month had passed, and there
was no appearance of the truant, some
of the more inquisitive began to ask
such questions as, "Was Rutgers sober
when he left2 ,"Did he take all his
clothes with him :" Did he go afoot, or
how"
To all which Godfrey answered that
his friend was neither drunk, nor yet
sober, when he left; that he took small
bundle with him, but left most of his
wardrobe behind that he started on
foot, intending to take the stage at the
crossroads.
These answers were given in an Off
hand, impatient way, but good-naturedly
enough but when some of the more
tedious and pertinacious repeated ques-
tons, in various forms, regarding Rut-
gers sudden leave, Godfrey would start
and stammer, grow uneasy and Mt last,
with an oath, would tell the persevering
inGu;rers that was all he knew about it,
and there was no accounting for the
freaks of drunken fools, or the obsti-
macy of inGuisitive ones, and that when
Rutgers came back he would tell all
about the matter.
Months passed, and there was no word
from Rutgers, nor information OF him
! from any one else.
Godfrey, meantime, by his genial
manners, had won the good will of his
neighbors and, as they saw that he was
irritated by inquiries concerning Rut-
gers, they forebore to press the subject
One wag, it is true, celebrated for his
conceit and his high appreciation OF his
own shrewdness, came one day TO the
miller, and said that he had seen Rut-
gers half an hour ago, and that he said
| he intended TO stop at the mill in the
course OF the morning. The effect of
this announcement on Godfrey was pc
culiarly strange. He started back "a if
bitten by snake, leaned against the
mill as if paralyzed grew pale, and
trembled as if afflicted with ague then
recovering himself in a moment, he
rushed at the young man, seized him by
the collar, and exclaiming, "l'u teach
you to play tricks on me I'll make you
as helpless as Rutgers before I've done
with you ~ pummelled the jester till he
howled alternately for help and mercy.
This little episode eflectually stopped
the mouths of impudent inquirers.
None after that day approached the sub.
iect except in a cautious manner, and
then they We're subdued with short
Goodness knows" or 81 don't know,
do you?" or "Rutgers can have the
money whenever he likes to come for it. ,
Years passed. Godfrey grew pros
perous. Rutgers name was almost for
gotten. A new generation grew up, who
knew little and cared less for the history
of the eccentric owner OF the old mill
Eccentric he was. Ready ever to assist
the unfortunate with his purse, he never
ventured near scene of distress. He
had been known to fly like one possessed
from the place where laborer had beer
struck by falling brick, and received {
deep wound. One OF his intimateS
dying, expressed wish to see him
After repeated messages, Godfrey went
When he was ushered into the sick-roon
and saw the eyes of the dying MAJ
turned anxiously toward him, with AZ
oath and yell Godfrey burst from the
room, and raved like a madman alons
the road. He supported the family
however, after all was over. 1t was re
marked, to, that though Godfrey con
tributed freely to religious objects, he
never entered place of worship. Con
sequently, the pious shook their heads
mysteriously, but said nothing, as til,
miller had plenty of defenders, the re
cipients of his benefits or the partakers
of his kindly Offices.
Godfrey never married. No railel
against the fair sex was he. Reputet
well-to do, and being of good appear
ance, he was by no means an object o.
disgust with the unmarried fair. Ye
none of them could boast of ever receiv
ing a special visit from him, but one
and she the daughter of an old farmer il
embarrassed circumstances, whom God
frey had befriended. The gossips haC
declared it match but the visits Were
suddenly broken off and neither of tn,
"There were some men who dare not
marry, was all the answer could be got
from him, even by his most intimate
friends, when they advised him to take G
wife and settle down comfortably.
And yet the sight of an infant seemed
to transfigure bis somewhat severe fea
lures. He would take the chubby hand
in his loving palm, kiss it, pat the velvet
cheek, and looking into the dreamy
eyes, would, signing, mutter, How in
nocent We were all so once" Some
said that on these occasions tear would
gather in the miller's eye; but most
laughed at the idea. For Godfrey was
not of the tender mood. Thus when
any one ventured to say that the mill
was old, and the foundations crumbling,
the water undermining the walls, and
that it should be repaired, assuredly it
would be carried away by freshet -
4" Let it go to the devil with its owner
1t will last my time.
And then. would follow such remarks
that the astonished listener, looking on
Godfrey's comtenance, would perceive
that his eyes were glaring like a wild
! bpaSt'S his nOstrila 1istan ,lp1 with mas