The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1876-02-09
MISCELLANY.
ASHAMED OF HER FArHEn.


out the hammer Of worthy Giles Hardy, as
ened the smutty timbers within the shop, and
shone across the greensward over the way
where the village boys played with kite and
ball. You might think his lot a hard one,
toiling as was his wont, from morning till
night, did you not hear his glad song rising
high above the sound of the iron he was weld
ing "Pm going.Home F" and " Happy day {"
were ever on his lips, and music ami graft
tide dwelt in his heart therefore he was one
of the happiest men in W
A new house had been erected on hill
near, by a fine gentlman from the city and
Sallie Giles little daughter, was quite de-
lighted to see in his carriage, drawn by two
bay horses, a sweet little girl about her own
age. Once, when she was in the shop, they
stopped to say something to Giles about shoe
ing the horses, and Sallie smiled to Lucy, who,
in return threw her great red apple She
caught it SO nicely that they both laughed
heartily and became friends, for little children
have none Of that mean pride which we some
times see among old people till they are
Taught it.
One day, when Sallie was dressed very
bent her steps toward the mansion on the hill
She did not know how to so round the road,
so she climbed over the fence and waited till
she reached the grounds. There, to her de-
Fight, she saw Lucy on little iron gray pony,
which the coachman was leading carefully by
the bride. She rode up to the wall and asked
her in kind voice.
Have you berries to sell, little girls"
Sallie laughed, and said, mo, I'm Sallie,
don't you remember me? I'm come to play
with you little while. May that man open
the iron gate for me? 1t is very heavy"
:" 1 should like to play with you, and let
you ride on my pony" replied pleasant little
Lucy "but know mamma would not allow
me to play with you.'
"Why moi? 2" asked Sallic in wonder.
"Oh!'' said Lucy, ait is because your
father works with his shirt sleeves rolled up,
and has smutty face and hands,"
"Oh, the smut washes off" replied the in
nocent child. :. He is always clean in the
evening and when he has his Sunday clothes
on, he's the handsomest man in the world.
And mother is always clean"
"Oh but mamma would not let you in,
know because your father shoes the horses, "
added Lucy.
"That is no harm, is it Don't your
father want his horses shod?" asked the
wondering Salle.
"Yes, but he won't let me play with poor
people, children" answered Lucy.
" We're not poor; we're very rich" re-
piled Salle. :. Father owns the house and
the shop, and we've got COW and calf, and
twenty chickens. and the darlingest baby in
the world"
But, after all this argument, little Lucy
shook her heau and sadly said
81 wouldn't dare to ask you in, but I'll give
you some fiowers''
So Sallie went back over the fence and wall,
wondering sauch at what had passed. Then
for the first time in her life, she wished her
father would wear his Sunday clothes all the
week, as the minister and the doctor and
Lucy's father did. She almost felt ashamed
of him, so noble and kind and good, as she
entered the shop to wait for him. She stood
by the forge, trying to enjoy the sight of the
sparks as they danced and fought together
after each stroke of the hammer. But her
thoughts were so troubled that she could not
see them, nor yet the beautiful pictures which
she always found before in the blazing fire.
Mountains, castles, churches, angels--all we're
cone-and there were nothing left in the black
shop but coal fire, hot sparks and smutty
man. Tears came into Sallies eyes but she
crowded them back, because she did not know
why she shed them.
| She found her father finishing his days
work, and some children standing at the
door, watching the bright sparks as he struck
the hot iron. Another stroke or two, and all
was finished. The fire was soon out; the
blacksmith pulled off his apron, laid aside his
hammer, and took the soft hand OF Salle in
his own hard and smutty one. For the first
time in her life she withdrew it to see If the
black came off. just then the railway train
came in, creaking and whizzing, and to her
/ joy, she saw little Lucy standing on the plat
form, waiting for her father. The guard
helped him from the steps, and he called out
to Lucy, q Take my hani child" But she
put both hands up to her face to hide it, and