Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-06-20

for his fathers sake, and then for his own,
offered him place in his stables, and
promised him schooling in his leisure
hours, for the first year or so; but though
his mother fretted and scolded, and even
went the length of crying, Philip made up
his mind, and kept to it.
I'm not fit for a groom, Sir James, he
said. 1.-The only horses that have turn
for are oart-horses. I'm going on the farm,
Sir, and I'm going to make it pay
But it pays now," said Sir James,
"your mother has made good thing OF it
for years"
"But it shall pay better, Sir James" the
lad answered, " because | shall learn the
work, and we'll do without baililf."
Well, have your own way said the
Square, seeing how the boys mind was set
upon the scheme" only the learning S
nard work for a boy like you, for you
might do better, Philip" the old man went
on, kindly.
So, from watching the plows at work
from comfortable stile between the two
fields, Philip WAS promoted to guiding the
strong team over the soft brown ground,
and to sowing the seeds in the spring-time,
and harvesting in the autumn; and if his
mother sighed sometimes over her vanish
ed dreams Of greatness, still she was
thankful too, when she looked at the bon
ny face on the other side of the table, and
at the hands that had always some work to
keep them employed.
He might have done anything, Sir
James, she said to the Square, fret(ulIy,
once, when they were having talk over
the boy future-"he's 50 sharp and bright
he might have done me credit any where,
if he'd only taken to books; and though
I'll not deny but what he's good lad, sulI
he has no book learning, Sir James,"
Never mind Mrs. Leigh" Sir james
answered, "he'll do you credit yet, no
doubt. hear down in the village that he
carpenters and carves wood of in even
ing"
'And that he do, Sir james, said Dame
Leigh, Frightening; but, when all's said
and done, it's work that any carpenter
could do"
Not quite" said Sir james, lifting the
chair with the carved rockers to examine
it more closely; "there fine work here,
and well done"
He's always atterqueer, out-ot-tlle-Way
things said his mother, half proudly.
:" He fixed me up II spinning wheel the
other day, out OF his odds and ends-not to
use 50 much, for I've no call to use such
queer things, but for II model, he
said and its clever thing, Sir james,
take it,"
"A very clever thing" Sir James an
swere0, moving over to look at the curious
complication of wheels and ropes and
treadles that stood by the window, made,
us Mrs. Leigh had said out of the meresl
odds and ends. "Why, my boy has been
taking lessons in carving and carpentering
for these last five years, and he does nor
come any where near this yet. Take heart
Mrs. Leigh, it's such great comfort when
Il boy has Il turn for work of any kind"
Its better than nothing, no doubt, y
said Mrs. Leigh, grudgingly. "Gnod-day,
Sir james, and thank YOU And then,
her heart misgiving her that she had been
wronging her boy, she went to stand and
watch for him at the door, so that the first
thing to welcome him home might be the
sight of his mothers gentle face in the
doorway.
Everything that Philip Leigh touched
the neighbors used to say, turned to gold
The farm flourished, and they added TO il
f field by field, until it was one of the larg
est in Eversham village. There wa;
money to lay by, too, against n rainy day
and money to add to the cottage every
comfort and luxury for which they coulc
find room or need. Mrs. Leigh grew stou
and comfortable, and lost in great meas
ure, the worried look that had deepened OF
her face while she was still young; and Il,
lor Philip himself, he worked steadily OF
at the farm, until the months grew into
, years, and he was eighteen. Then tho
bailiff was dismissed, and he took the man
agement himself,
"And no one more fit, I'm sure, Mrs
Leigh" the bailiff said the day he gave
, over the farm into Philips keeping. II,
knows his work now as thoroughly as
can teach it, he's gone through every stag,
t of it, You see, from the plowing us on
may say, up to the harvesting, and il h,
, settles down, he'll do well.'
= So Philip settled down." and took tht
rens of government in his own capabl,
hands, and was acknowledged rs mase
by the men with whom he had worked sid
by side; and in the evening his mothe
, would come and sit by him in the work
shop, while he planned and designed ant
carved and Eleanor Gray, the villag
, school mistress, held Il candle, when h
l wanted higher light thrown on the NOR
: intricate parts.
"Thank YOU, Nell" he would say, wheI
she laid the candle down again, II dom
: know what mother and | should do with
/ out YOU; " for Eleanor, being stranger il
e the Village, lodged with Mrs. Leigh. an
: was companion to her after school hour
were over.
. So wear by wear passed quietly away
n and Mrs. Leigh began to look middle age
e and Philip still took pride and delight i
G the farm-stil worked night after ni9 hit q
c his models, and Eleanor Gray still held tn
candle at the difficult parts; and ut las
h when Philip was live.and-twenly, and II
d change seemed ever likely to come to thel
}! unevenlful lives, change came.
1t was one evening in the sprinr-a
h evening that Eleanor ALWAYS remember
>, with dull, aching pain--lhat Philip cam
e in from the fields earlier than usual, an
e sat down beside his mother with his arl
about her neck.
e Are things going on well, Phillip ~ sf
n asked.
k "Very we'll" lie answered little ne
e yously; in fact, mother, so well, that ii
l. lhinkino of leaving the farm in yor