Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-11-01
Mistdlanu.
Old AIe,'S Milestone.

sum will satisfy me. At the time (elght
wears 9 next ~midsummer) it was reck-
once ut II hundred and fifty pounds in
round numbers. mean to pay it, every
I fnlthing of it. please Heaven | live long
enough. III die afore, l hope Polly'l
keep up the payment reg1ar.'
But. really. Abel, l don't like taking
his money. | am sure these payments
must cripple YOU tcrribly.'
"Ncvc: YOU mind that Mr.. Baker. Jun
ior. | feel some hing on my conscience
which is worse than hungry or cold, all.
it Won't he easy until I've paid you and
There is five pound ten, sir; not 50 mu'h
II last hnlf-ycar, because of Poliy's illness
IN the spring: but | hope TO make it more
next time. If YOU enter the sum In this
look and add 1t up, you'll find it makes
nin'ty pounds"
Ninety pounds exactly. Well, if you
insist on my taking the money | suppose
| must. Is your daughter married yet,
Wchb?"
Not yet, sir"
Likely to be?"
"Wcll, I'm aiearcd its higher than |
like
What You do not disprove of her
choicr?"
"Oh no, not Il bit. Tom Smith is rs
GOOD Il fellow as ever lived. He'll get on,
he boy will. He's sober, honest and in
dustriouS, and all thal1l tell in the long
run. But I'd rather she hadn't ANYBODY
after her-leastwiSe until the debts squar-
ed twiAt you and me"
- debt that, as YOU know, we already
consider discharged"
But which | don't. Mr.. Baker, Jr.
However, m keeping you. Good night
>ir, and many thanks for Your kind,
ness"
With that. Abel Webb retreats, hat in
hand; and bowling TO Baker, Jr.. with
every backward step he takes, tinds him
self. by-and-by, at the half-giaSs door open
INC to the outer office. Arrived here. be
once more thanks the Younger partner Of
Baker x Baker. Wholesale druggists of
lp%ecacuanha Lane, Aldcrmanbury, and at
last emergcs into the crowded thorouoh-
fare.
II WAS in the dusk of an October evening,
and brisk, dapper young men are hurrving
along the narrow courts and ALLEYS. bent
upon the delights of home, or the intoxi-
eating pleasures they expect to find else
where. The large warehouses are closed,
and the gas burns dimlv in the grimv
chambers appropriated to those whose lu-
y 1t Is to remain in the premises after bus
ness hours. Abel Webb takes scant no
tlce OF what is passing around him. He
l. II little man, poorly clad. upon whose
shoulders tifty-tive years of unremittinc
toll, anxiety, trouble and disappointment
weigh heavily. His hair is white as the
foar frost. and tie wrinkles on his fore
n,.. ~. I'm W.. ~ nolio"9 pthe'll MS
.E,,, h.. rlnrIr ;lP'ti Il oitr man
,,,nu' L' '"' "''Pi' iie I"nN
,rrntL, SN w. ''''i' '>ptCt' ana 'lic
,rL,I" H. " ! hot'iui us ever
""'' ''' ''a:o upon MS features an "N-
ii;an f'l.''0o Ill" !nie' u.terihlh',
,I:' Us 'UNc" ','' n"el "tpo sun
-, ''i>' c'Pto'e Oh hi'hv i tu>s'e
u ~ 9""-9't i"i me-
"'ntl"iIE NPcakli 9. Abel cannot be con
''ltI Il goo" walker. neither does he or
'ri""H ""i>'e SURFING national melo-
y 80 nv 't'o"' MS way through the
t'lh'n@ streets. ct. whenever he pays
I"N i''-s carry WISH TO Baker, Jr he seems
TO possess lesii NE, fresh hope and
increase" s'rthSth. Inc patient old man
'r"-"lZos me cllahTe himself, and JOY
my i'e'' mat lhc milestone OF debt,
"hl'H mas 'or so many years hung about
ms meek. Is less heav! than before. Oh.
'oW ''hrNl.Y ne hopes to live to free him
sen nl thIs burden \ long. weary task
i ,''i before 'llh; but he has lealned from
jEl>t experience how much may be accom-
"n"'' ~ P:lS'Nrr'h| application. anI
"if Y n'"HN'i approaching nearer
'''. "''''rl '"e purpose OF his later HE.
Away nom the close tllorou@lfIrrS of
II; ',H' n TO 'Ilc thames rmhankm'nt.
ms "'IN '"'o "eeh iohg ana fatlguln-. and
~ iIuE us Il HIS upon Iilt stone ItII Il Iti,.
" I'u''S i"T Il ir" moments. with h>
"N,i upon l"e d'fk, >if'nt-il"Wih"
'N''' NE recent cohVrfsatl"n with Ia
'In. l""H ~ o',ul''u ms i'lnd '> ne
V'", ir'"' ~ MS i'l,''"'rn journey and
'i"i ''i' o'' man ; mashed and "eArIrd
~ &c "i''n> q s"'Hell smile OF
r. 49, '''''"n ~ Inc 'I'o''-ht crosses hin'
= ~ many "lPl men would nav
~ ~ Ivy "'e" pt'ren IN ms H'tu1t!'i-
i'I ." Wv my l'''h,'' ne h'u'-
,,at.r h 1,rl hH., va, upon 'ne sweep "I
g m-nn., MN ~ u money. il i'
.Eni.nI, rn, i"'n''l'"' p"t no"
:" ~ r"''In' 10 men llA'
IN -" ,n., 5000 "o"" liz BOY U.e.' 10
b,ro h..n ~ n"leSl A"tl "fhb l
VIII W.it I'M ..AFi'S's ana hoh'>'
1.r. '' ''"" f'i" Oh my
In No .nir;t Of ,b.r;,
,ha'a lI nli. thn. iIn1o" 'S"Irs'' Goes
~ .';n 'n"' '' n'il>tli' lht'@-
,".' ~ ~ ''iu are ''c component
- "''" NtlH Ills NE passes
"'l' Il,"; as 'ic fooI' autumn breeze
10y, WIN nl> " ni'e I"ehS' anu he Watches
~ iN M H-,'' ~ 'he river bank.
",' ~ 1''s n1iiSel AhcciAnS by his
'n"l"'' %"'e' III isplnS II simple prayer;
r'."i ''A' n- ~" nis ie'o' ne feels her
I,H,' n H 'l' ne;'fs iier sweet
.uI ~ tn'. uon "'u'" olts> ilef ctllld;
tn I'm n,nn oon1 ar",nI =" ms "orn
~ LII! upon Soou ground ana BRING forth
'"'ih"'l' harvest; Zen now, rs this Wis
I"l S'S oe'ore am ne humbly bows his
'I',' I'll, tJicui''eS win fcrFid ardor.
A.I[h NeAl comes the school lie, in
i "ir''''nn vilIaS'' lhen the kindly face
.I J. n''l D'en t,c means OF
nc o'u'!iS MN 10 large city houses, rises
't'1it MIN; 10 'l's succeed recollectlons
y -, 'hhPloS licht III ihe house OF Baker