Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-31

brother was in earnest and si,nnix said.
GLOW. then shall we sprnd the ,ime till
Steve comes hack. II Won wont talk 10 mo
nor let any one come IN 10 helm Won We've
nothing that we want To read fm sure"
"I'll read to You in the 'Schonberg Gotta
Family IL YOU like"
No, we mustn't no ON without Steve. wa
promised to read il with him and explain IT,"
4 silence Of some minutes followed. dur.
ing which Maria watched her brothers un-
usually crave face ~ no looked into the fre.
The wind blew and whistled and shook the
blinds The Girl diopped her sewing.
and said.
al hope Steve wore his oyercoat he il so
apt to run on without it,
The shadow on JAMES face was heavier
for au instant. and he turned resilosslv In
his chair. I.r. ..
What's the matter, Jamie ?" said Ma
ria, laying down her needle and looking her
brother full in the face. "Come, you know
You cannot be comfortable II YOU keep any
secret from your Nav. She IL mana pyo
iem's wife now, you know"
You are sly little sister, any way." he
said, half laughing.
Come. what is itl You are not afraid
to tell me ;" and the girl rose, and stood by
her brother A tender caress completely
broke up The reserve which her words had
only shaken little.
" It's a wonder that can be such cruel
boy with such girl for a sister" he said
There, we'll not begin with compliments
or comparisons, il you please. Aud don't
call yourself names. Tel me the story, and
! will do all that"
I'm br--," brute, he was about to say,
but the hand Of the listener was playfully
put over his mouth before the syllable was
finished.
Let everything be true as scripture, and
without note or comment as the transla-
tors say Promise, or | shan't let you speak
at ALL A smothered assent then the young
man rose, passed his arm round his sister
anectionately, and they walked up and
down the room together.
We boys met Booby Ben Just as we
came out Of school. lsuppose he has broken
Jail again. We gave him good SNOWFALL
ing, but 81, who is always carrying things
too far, led us on till we almost killed the
old fellow"
"hWedf' broke IN Maria, are you sure
you do not eNaggerateF" z"
mean that we abused him shamefully,
hitting him when we were close to him,
and then leaving him in puddle"
"Why, did you throw him down Not
you, jamie z"
No, did not trip him. but | took no
pains 10 see il he was hurt"
Where did he 60 after you left him ?"
asked the anxious girl
He lay there till we were out of sight.
! suppose he's gone TO the tavern before
this"
You must 20 this minute and find out
If you were cruel, through thoughtlessness.
you must not be any longer cruel by ne
/ glect. If he has gone TO the tavern, ten 10
one that misery old Jones win turn him
/ out, or set Blum upon him to make sport for
/ his customers. ii you find him without
/ shelter, bring him here he can sleep in Jo-
mas bed over the chaise-house."
James face frightened at this. lie had
been making himself miserable by self-re-
! proaches, not dreaming that the way to re-
/ move them was TO do all in his power TO
/ amend the wrong. He started out immedi-
ately, and on his way reflected how blessed
| a thing it was to be confiding. and to have
/ sister in whom TO confde. Maria's practi-
cal way of looking at everything made her
| counsel all the more valuable TO him, for he
was apt to spend in reverie the strength
which should be given to action. lie
thanked God in his heart for the love of
such sister, and forpaye her the many lit
tie teasings in which she sometimes in
dulged.
We must leave him trudsing through the
snow for a few minutes. and look in through
the windows of the tavern. 1t was about
eight o'clock. when. from an upper room in
the house. Mr. Blake descended the stairs
and informed the landlord that Ben Lane
Che host smiled at the mention of the sur
name) was now tolerably comfortable, and
that he must not be disturbed by anybody
81 will pay for his keeping until he gets
better" said he, and you must treat him
as well as YOU would treat me. | shall be
here again in the morning"
The landlord bowed very low, and said,
IAN right, sir" as the teacher went out,
Then turning TO the boy, who more fifty than
a printers boy might be called his devil"
since he did drtier work for the rum-seller
than ever is done with ink and type, he said,
(" Go and find Blum Tell him want him"
Ii was not long before Blum came i'm wick
a boisterous company, TO whom he was un-
folding some wonderful adventure with
marvellous huency. Simon was one OF the
party and the most noisy in awarding plau-
dts TO the "capitalest good fellow" as he
pronounced Blum TO be.
There was evidently liquor in the room
not contained in bottle tumber, or cask I,
a loud oath now and then served as spice IN
the absence of wit, and to show the drunken
men OF the party where the laugh ought to
come in. When the historian had finished,
he went behind the bar in answer to wink
from Jones, the landlord, and after whis-
percd conference, went up stairs. lie soon
returned, ordered drink for all mouths
present, and reaching out his glass, cried
with am aifectaton of good fellowship, Heres
TO aud lang syne."
Blum had tipped his tunbler at this
counter for many year, and was always
ready TO pledge his friendship for any mau
who would pay for the drinks. But tonight
he was content 10 swallow his liquor with
ont thought of the score at least he put on
reckless and generous air quite unusual
10 him
As each now stood treat p" for the bene-
fit Of the landlords purse aud the robbing
of their own wives and children, the turn
soon came to Simon. lie blushed as he
gave the order, and was cheered by the
noisy company into which by this act, he
was admitted to full membership.
The scene became more and more disgust
ing AS one after another showed signs OF