St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-08-03
Only a Husk.

and bis will had only been all right
but these being wrong, the whole ma
chine was going to the bad very fast,
though there were times when the heart
felt something of its old truthful yearn-
ings. Tom had lost his place as fore
man in the great machine shop, and
what money he had now earned came |
from odd jobs of tinkering which he
was able to do, here and there, at pri- |
Tate houses for Tom was genius as
well as mechanic, and when his head
was steady enough, he could mend a
clock, or clean watch, as well as he
could set up and regulate a steam en-
gine-and this latter he could do better
than any other man ever employed by
the Scott Falls Manufacturing Company.
One day Tom had a job to mend
broken moving machine and reaper, for
which he received five dollars, and on
the following morning he started out for
his old haunt-the village tavern. He
knew his wife sadly needed the money,
and that his two little children were in
absolute suffering from want of cloth
ing, and that morning he held debate
with the better part of himself; but the
better part had become very weak and
shaky, and the demon of appetite car
ried the day.
So away to the tavern Tom went,
for two or three hours, he felt the exhil-
arating effects of the alcoholic draught,
and fancied himself happy, as he could
sing and laugh but, as usual, stupefac-
tion followed, and the man died out.
He drank while he could stand, and
then lay down in corner, where his
companions left him.
1t was late at night, almost midnight,
when the landlords wife came into the
bar-room to see what kept her husband
up, and quickly saw Tom.
'Peter," said she, not in pleasant
mood, "why don't you send that miser-
able Tom Darcy home? He's been
hanging around here long enough"
TOMS stupefaction was not sound
sleep. The dead coma had left the
brain, and the calling of his name stung
his senses to keen attention. He had
an insane love for rum, but did not love
the landlord. In other years, Peter
Tindar and himself had loved and wooed
? the sweet maiden-Ellen GOss-and he
won her, leaving Peter to take up with
the vinegary spinster who had bought
him the tavern, and he knew that lately
| y
of the woman who had once discarded
him.
''Why don't you send him home ?'
, demanded Mrs. Tindar, with an impa-
tient stamp of the foot.
"Hush, Betsy! He's got money. Let
him be, and he'll be sure to spend it be
fore he goes home. I'll have the kernel
: of the nut, and his wife may have the
husk ~
With sniff and a snap Betsy turned
away, and shortly afterward Tom Oar.
cey lifted himself upon his elbow.
, "Ah, Tom, are you awake ~
\ SYes.r
q "Then rouse up and have a warn
glass"
Tom got upon his feet and steadiet
himself
''No, Peter, won't drink any mol,
tonight"
p, at won't hurt you, Tom-just I
= glass"
q Il know it WON'T" said Tom, button
: ing up his coat by the only solitary but
. ton left. ~ know it won't"
!, And with this he went out into tn
: chill air of night. When he got ava,
from the shadow of the tavern, he stop
ped and looked up at the stars, an,
:, then he looked down upon the earth.
: AYE" he muttered, grinding his hee
. in the gravel, "Peter Tindar is takin
" the kernel and leaving poor Ellen tn
IS husk, and l am helping him to do il
a l am robbing my wife of joy, robbin
V my children of honor and comfort, rob
4 bing myself of love and life-just tina
u Peter Tindar may have the kernel an
Il Ellen the husk Well see!"
n 1t was revelation to the man. Th
V tavern keepers brief speech, meant nc
4 for his ears, had come upon his sense
as fell the voice of the Risen One upO
!! Saul of Tarsus.
J" "We'll see," he replied, setting hi
IS foot firmly upon the ground and the
v he wended his way homeward.
On the following morning he said
>. =. his wife:
)" "Ellen, have you any coffee in til
l. house ?"
l. eyes, Tom" She did not tell bin
|, that her sister had given it to her. Sh
A' was glad to hear him ask for coffee in
'e stead of the old, old cider.
lie 81 wish you would make cup, goo
r and strong"
y There was really music in Tom
- voice, and the wife set about the wor
IS with strange flutter in her heart.
ID Tom drank two cups of the strong
ID fragrant coffee, and then went out
le went out with resolute step, and walk
ed straight to the great manufactory
y where he found Mr.. Scott in the offic'
Is "Mr. Scott, l want to learn my trad
of over again."
re "Eh, Tom! What do you mean ?"
- 81 mean that it's Tom Darcy, com
0' back to the old place, asking forgive
d ness for the past, and hoping to do be-
I'd ter in the future"
lv "Tom!n cried the manufacturer, star
ing forward and grasping his hant
care you in earnest? Is it really til
old Tom ?"
sIt's what's left of him, sir, and we
ID have him whole and strong very 500
D. if you'll only set him at work."
or 5'Work Aye, Tom, and bless yOl
r too! There is an engine to he set u
Us and tested to-day. Come with me-"
he TOMS hands were weak and unstead,
IN but his brain was clear, and under h
at skillful supervision the engine was s,
ut up and tested, but it was not perfec
ne There were mistakes which he had
1s correct, and it was late in the evenin
w when the work was complete.
ne "How is it now, Tom ?" asked M
t. Scott, as he came into the testing houi
ct and found the wOrkmen ready to d.
u part.
g "She's all right, sir. You may gi,
a your warrant without fear"
he "God bless you, Tom You don