Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-21
ONLY A HUsK.

Tom Darcy, yet young man. had
grown t, be very bad one. At heart he
might have been all right, if his head
and his will had only been all 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 it's old truthful yearnings.
Tom had lost his place rs foreman 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
aud there, at private houses; for Tom
was a genius as well as mechanic, and
when his head was steady enough, he
could mend clock, or clean watch. as
well us he could set up and regulate n
steam engine-and this latter he could
do better than any other man ever en-
ployed by the Scott Falls Manufacturing
Company.
One day Tom had job to mend II
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 clothing,
and that morning he held debate with
the better part of himself; but the bet
ter part had become very weak and
shaky, and the demon of appetite car
ried the day.
So away to the tavern Tom went,
where, for two or three hours, he felt
the exhilarating effects of the alcoholic
draught, and fancied himself happy, rs
he could sing and laugh; but, as usual,
stupefaction 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 she quickly saw Tom.
"Peter," said she, not in pleasant
mood, "why don't you send that misera-
BILE Tom Darcy home? He's been hang
ing around here long enough"
Toms stupefaction was not sound
asleep. The dead coma had left the
brain. and the calling of his name stung
his senses to keen attention. He had
au insane love for rum, but did not love
the landlord. In other years, Peter
Trndar and himself had loyel anu 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
the tapster had gloated over the misery
of the woman who had once discarded
him.
"Why don't yon send him home? le-
manded Mrs. Tindar, with an impatient
stamp of the foot.
Hush, Betsy! He's got money.
Let him be, and he'll be sure to spend
it before 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 Darcy
lifted himself upon his elbow.
All, Tom, are yen awake? ?"
"Yes."
"Then rouse up and have a warm
glass"
Tom got upon his feet and steadied
himself.
"No, Peter, I won't drink any more
tonight
eft won't hurt you, Tom-just
glass"
81 know it WON'T" said Tom, button
ing up his coat by the only solitary but
ton left. az know it won't"
And with this he went out into the
chill air of night. When he got away
from the shadow of the tavern, he
stopped and looked up at the stars, and
then he. looked down upon the earth.
aye" he muttered, grinding his
heel in the gravel, "Pcter Tindar is
fixing the kernel and leaving poor Ellen
'leh husk, and ain helping him to do It,
am roanino nv yvifa of ioV pol.h;o~