The Morning herald., 1877-08-17
wt is very sad," I said, "to burn the

/ IL 10 NCly s"', e"iu, W uuIll lne
crust of a nice pie all to crisp"
"Do you think so?" said Mr.. Slade.
"Now for me it is a most excellent mis-
chance, OF all things in the world |
revere the burned crust of pie. |
have hesitated to declare this predilec-
ton, because know it is a remarkable
one, and not at all likely to be shared
by the majority Of people; but fortune
has favored me to-day. Mrs. Sweet, let
US have the pie by all means"
And he actually lifted the horrible
black thing to the table and ate it-yes
he did, he ate it-which was the most
perfect and graceful piece of martyr
dom ever saw In man. And then
got courage to tell him how l burned it; !;
that Mrs. Chapel must have that dress,
and the machine had begun to squeak
in the most stterrible way; that oiled it
and fused with it, but all to no pur-
pose, and how l was to finish that dress
of Mrs. Chappel's, with that dreadful
noise distracting my poor brain, |
didn't know.
Gwen look at it," he said, in that
resting, comforting, soul-cheering way
of his; and as followed him into the
dtting-room l knew in my heart that
he would exercise that squeaking demon
from the machine. And he did.
"It's the ball." he said; cit becomes
smooth from friction, and il you'll
bring me little flour or meal, Mrs.
Sweet-stay! here is piece of chalk,
which is better than ALL" and with
that little white lump that he took from
his waistcoat pocket he made the ma
chine perfect in five-in two minutes.
Now how could help watching him
from the door again, as he walked away
to school; and let his coat tails fly as
they may, or he be knock-kneed to
eternity, how could help sending
after him my heartiest benediction and
blessing.
And can it be wondered at that
when, only two or three months after,
he told me he was going away, | was
like one stunned and bewildered? We
were sitting in the little front room,
and l was finishing off that diagonal
overskrt for Mrs. Chapel. Charley
had gone nutting to the woods, for it
was already autumn, and an early frost
had set the leaves afame. A breeze
from the west blew my hair into my
eyes, and l putt back with a trembling
hand. The soft warm day of golden
light suddenly seemed to cloud over,
and become one of moody sadness.
"Why, Mr.. Slade," said |, 81 never
got beyond the first four rules of arith-
metic in all my school days"
"And upon these depend everything,'
he replied. "Put by your work, and
let us see what we can do"
1t was of no use to refuse. He was
one of those masterful natures that
always conquer. Half an hour after,
was sitting by his side at the table,
with Charley's slate under my blurred
eyes, and Charley's pencil inmy tremb-
ling fingers. The rosy evening light
streamed in upon us, the soft south
wind bringing resinous odors from the
woods where Charley yet fingered.
81 have an opportunity for an ad-
vancement in my profession" he said,
"which it would i'll behoOve me to put
by. In my native town is offered me a
position of trust and contidence-no
less, may say to you, dear madam
than professors chair.'
| hadn't the least idea what he meant.
| knew that one chair differed very
much from another, and whereas one
was omfortable, easy, and enjoyable,
another might be for the time being
seat of torture, but wherein a profes-
sor's chair excelled l could not at that
time imagine. sat quite still, and the
rutfle fell from my hand; my foot
rested on the treadle of the machine,
and | sat and stared at Mr.. Slade like
one dementcd.
"And it has occurred to me-" ne
went on, 'tl,at the position have held
here, which is an exceedingly easy
and pleasant one, might protitably and
suitably be filled by one of the other
sex; the duties are not at all arduous,
and could be performed more readily, IL
appears to me, than those pertaining 10
the needle. | have spoken to the COM