The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-08-09

rest Of tho day, calling myself all the
weak.mindcd idiots under tho sun, and
telling the wife TINT business was going
to the dogs, and I should be ruined.
"You ought to he ashamed of your
self, Tom, she said.
$50 am," says I. II didn't think
I could be such fool
"Such n fool rs to do good, kind
action to ono who was evidently lady
born, and come down in the world"
EYES," says, "to live in Benefits
place, where I've sunk no less than ten
machines in five years"
eyes" says the wife, "and cleared
hundreds OF pounds. Tom, I'm ashamed
Of you-you man with twenty workmen
busy up stairs, couple Of thousand
pounds worth OF stock, and in the
bank a.
"Hold your tongue, will you I" l said,
roughly, and went out into the shop to
try and work it all of.
Luke came back soon after, looking
very strange, and went to him directly.
"Where's the seven an six!" says,
angrily.
He didn't answer, but put three half
crowns down on the desk, took out the
book, male his entries--date OF delivery,
first payment, when the others due, and
all the rest of it-and was then going. in
to the house.
Mind" I says, sharply, "those. pay
meuts are to be kept up to the day, and
tomorrow you go to the Rolly's, who
live nearly opposite to 'cm, aud tell 'em
to keep m eye on the widow, or we shall
lose another machinass'-.
"You needn't ls1ffaid, father" he
said, cOllIy; '%H S honest enough,
only poor" - ~
to quarrel with somebody, and that did
it.
"When I ask you for your opinion,
young man, you give it to me, and when
I tell you to do thing. you do it," l
says, in rs savage way MS ever l spoke
to the Ind. "You go over tomorrow and
tell Rolly's to keep strict lookout on
those people-do you hearl"
"Father," he says, looking mo full in
the face, 81 couldn't insult them by do
ing such n thing, when, without another
word, he walked quietly out OF the shop,
leaving me worse than ever.
1t was about eight o'clock that I was
sitting by the parlor fire, with tho vito
working audvcry quiet, when Luke came
in from the workshop with book under
his arm, for he had been toting up tho
mems piecework, and what was due to
them, and tho sight OF him made mo feel
rs il | must quarrel.
He saw it, too, but he sail nothing,
only put the accounts away and began to
read.
The wife saw the storm brewing, and
she knew how put out was, for | had
not yet lit my pipe, nor yet had my
evening nap, which l always have after
tea. So she did whit she knew so well
how to do-filled my pipe, forced it into
my hand, and just as was going to dash
it to pieces in the ashes, she gave me ono
of her old looks, kissed me on the fore
head, rs with one hand shc pressed me
back inlo my chair, and then with the
other sho Lit splint and held it to my
tobacco.
was done. She always gets over me
like that, and after smoking in silence for
half IN hour, / was lying back, with my
eyes closed. dropping eff to sleep, when
the wife said (what had gone before l
hadn't heard): ...
Yes, he's asleep pow."
Tint woke me up, of course, and il !
didn't lie there shamming and heard all
they said in whisper!
How came you to make him more
vexed than he was, Luke!" says the
wife, and he told her.
"I couldn't do it, mother" he said,
cxcitedly. at was heart-breakiug.
She's living in q wretched room there
with her daughter, and, mother, when l
saw her l felt rs if-thoro | can't tell
yo,l."
"Go on, Luke" she said.
"Thcy'rc half starved" he said, in
husky way. "Oh mother, its horri-
BILE. Such n sweet, beautiful girl, 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 to live by ordinary
needlcwork, and failed, and that as Il lust
resource they had tried to get the
machine"
"Poor things |" Raid tho wife "but
are you sure the mother was u lady3"
i"A clergyman's widow, said Luke,
hastily; "There isn't doubt about it.
Poor girl and they've got to learn to
use it before it will be of my use."
"Poor girl, Lukef" says the wife,
softly; and l saw through my eyclashes
that she laid hand upon his arm, md
was looking curiously at him, when il he
didn't cover his face with his hands, rest
his elbows Oh the table, md give u low
groan Then tho old woman got up,
stood behind his chHir like thoioolisll old
mother would.
"A1other," he says, suddenly, "will
you go and see themf"
She didn't answer for Il minute, only
stood looking down ut him, ind then
said, softly:
"Thoy paid you tho first money!"
"No," he says, hotly. 81 hadn't the
heart to tako it,"
"Then that money you paid was
yours, Lukel"
"Yes, mother" no says, simply; and
those two stopped looking one at tho
other, till the wife bent down and kissed
him, holding his head Nftcrwartl, for n
few moments, between her hands; for
she always did worship TINT chap, our
only ono; and then I closed my eyes
tight, and went on breathing heavy and
thinking.
For something like now revelation