Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-10-31
MIscELLAMEoUs.
THE KERNEL AND THE HUSK.
A LIFE SKETCH.


gcOM DARCY, yet young man, had grown
" to be very hard one. At heart ho
might have been all right if his head and his
Will had only been right; but, these being
wrong, the whole machine was going to the
bad very fast, though there were times when
the heart felt something of its old truthful
yoarning Tom had lost his place as foreman
IN the great machine shop, aud what money
he now earned came from odd jobs of tinker
ing which he was able to do, here and there
at private houses for Tom was genius as
wei! as a mechanic, and when his hand was
steady enough he could mend clock, or
clean watch, as well as he could set up and
regulate steam engine-and this latter he
could do better than any other man ever ems
Pioyed By the Scott Falls Manufacturing Com
pany.
Ono day Tom had job to mend up a
broken moving machine and reaper, for which
no received FIVE dollars, and on the following
morning he started out for his old haunt-tho
village tavern. lie knew that his wife sadly
needed money, and that his two little children
were IN absolute suffering from want of cloth
ing; and on this morning he held debate
with the better part Of himself; but the bet
ter part had become very weak and sbaky.
So away to the tavern Tom went for two or
three hours, he felt the exhilarating effect of
the alcoholic draughts, and fancied himself
happy, as he could sing and laugh; but, as
usual, stupc!action followed, and the man
part died out. He drank whilo he could
stand, and then lay down in the corner, whero
a-nnuaFaninaa lalf li-ua---.z-----a.---.
II was late at nigbt-olmost midnight
when the landlord wife came into the bar
room to see what kept her husband up-and
she quickly saw.
Peter" she said, not in pleasant mood,
''why don't you send this miserable Tom
Darcy home ? Hes been hanging around
here long enough"
Toms stuPe:acrion was not sound asleep
The dead coma had left his brain, and the
calling of hia name stung his senses to keen
attention. lie had an insane love Of rum,
but he did not love the landlord. In other
years Peter Tindar and himself had loved
and wooed the samo sweet maidcn-Ellen
Goss,-and he had won her, leaving Peter to
take up with the vinegary spinster who had
brought him the tavern, and he knew that
lately the tapstep had gloated over the mis-
cry OF the woman who had onGe discarded
him.
''Why don't you send him homo ?'' do,
manded Mrs. Tindar, with an impatient stamp
of the foot.
"Hush, Betsy! Hes got moro money
Let him be, AID ho'll be sure to spend i: be-
fore he goes home. I'll have the kernel of
the nut, and his wife may have the husk :"
With sniff and snap Betsy Tiudar
turned away, and shortly afterwards Tom
Darcy lifted himself upon his elbow
"Ah, Tom, arc you awake!"
eyes"
''Then rouse up and have a glass warm"
Tom got up and steadied himself.
''No, Petcr-I won't drink any moro to-
night
''Twont hurt you Tou-just glass"
81 know it won't, said Tcm, buttoning up
his coat by the solitary button left. "I-
KSOw-IT-woN'T :"
And with this he went cut into the chill
air Of midnight. When he had got away
from the shadow of the tavern, he stopped
and looked up at the stars and then ho
looked down upon the earth.
aye" ho muttcrcd. grinding his heels
into the gravel, Peter Tindar is taking the
kernel, and leaving to poor Ellen the worth
less husk-a husk worse than worthless -
and am helping him do it, am robbing
my wife Of joy-my children of honor and
comiort-robbing myself of love and life
just that Peter Tindar mag have the kernel
and Ellen the husk Wen see "
1t was revelation to the man. The
taTeEn-keePcrs's brief speech, meant not for
his ears, had come upon his senses as fell the
voice Of the Risen One upon Saul of Tarsus.
'We'ii see. :" he repeated, setting his foot
firmly upon the ground and then he wended
his way homeward.
On the following morning he said to his
wiTa
ELLEN. hare you rDy coffee in the hou=e?"
Yes, Tom" She did not tell him that
her sister had given il to her. She was glad
to hear him call for coffee instead of the old,
old cider.
Il wish you would make ne cup strong
and good"
There was really music in Toms voice, and
the wife set about the work with a strange
hutter at her heart.
Tom drank two cups of the strong. fragrant
coffee, and then went out, went out with
reso!ute step, and walked straight to the great
manufactory. where he found Mr.. Scott in
tho Office
"Mr. Scott, want TO learn my trade over
again"
"Eh,-Tom What do you mean?"
.'I mean that it's Tom Darcy, come back
to ttc cd place, asking forgiveness for the
past and hoping to do better in the future"