Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-05-19
ONLY A HUSK.

Ion DarceY, Yet a Young man, mad
grown to be very hard one At heart
1 he might have been all right, ii his head
and his will had only been right ; but
these being wrong the waolc machine
was going to the bad very fast, though
there were times when the heart lolt
something of its old truthful yoatnings.
/ Tom bad lost bis place As foreman in the
I great machine shop, and what money he
/ now earned came from odd jobs OF tiuk-
/ ering which he was able to do, hero and
there, at private houses tor Tom wa, "A
good mechanic, and wueu his head was
steady enough he could mond clock, or
clean q watch, as we'll as he could set up
and regulate steam engine-und this
latter he could do better than any other
man ever employed by the Scott Fails
Manufacturing Company.
One day Tom had 4 job to mend a
broken moving machine and reaper, Tor
/ which lie received five dollars and on
the following day he started out Tor his
old haunt-tho village tavern. he knew
that his wife sadly needed the money,
and that his two i,tle children were ab
soiuteIy suffering from want OF clothing,
and tina, morning he held debate with
the better part OF himself; but the better
part h9d become very weak and shakv,
and the demon of appetite carried the
day.
SO away to the tavern Tom went,
whore, for two or three hours, he felt the
oXhiarating effect o, the alcoholic dyaughJ
and ianced himself happy, as he could
sing and laugh but, As usual, stupelac
tion followed, and the man died out. He
drank white he could stand, and then lay
down in the corner, where his compau-
ions lett him.
1t was late at night, almost midnight
when the landlords vile camo into the
bor-room to see what kept her husband
up, and She quickly saw Tom.
Peter" said She, not in a pleasant
mood, "why don't you send that mi,or-
able Tom Darcy home ? He's been
} hanging around here long enough"
Toms stupcmcton was not sound sleep.
The dead coma hod left his brain, and
the calling Of his name stuug bis senses
to keen attention. He hud an insane
love OF rum, but did not love the hand
lord. Ia other years Peter Tindar and
himself had loved and wooed' the same
sweet majden-Elien Goss-wheu he
won her, leaving Peter to take up with
the vincgary >piuster who had brought
him the ram shop, and be know that
lately its keeper had goated over the
misery ofthe woman who had once dis
carled him.
" Why don't you send him home ?"
demanded Mrs. Tmdar, with an impa
tient stamp OF the foot
"Hu~h, Betsy He's got money. let
him be and he'll be sure to spend il be
fore he goes home. III have the kernel
of the NUT and his vito may have the
hu,lS -
With a sniff and a snap Betsy turned
away, and shortly atterward Tom Dar-
cey lifted himself upon his elbow.
" All Tom, are you awake ?"
" Yes"
"Ihen rouse up, and have a warm
glass"
Tom got upon his feet and .toodio3
himself.
NO, Peter, won't dtiul, any moro
tonight"
at won't hurt you, Tom-just a
/ glass"
81 know it won't p said Tom, button
ing ~ bis coat by the only solitary but
lon lett. E" / know il won't"
And with this he went ont into he chill
mir OF midnight. When he had got away
from the hadow orthc "mjil," he stop
ped and looked up at the stars, and then
he looked down upon the earth.
AYE" he muttercd, grinding hi. heel
in the gravel, Potter 1iudar is taking
the NcrueL and leaving poor Ellen the
worthless hu-k-a husk moro than worth
less and am helping him to do it.
am robbng my wife OF joy, ro4bing my
children Of honor aud comfort, robbiog
myself Of love aud lile-ju.t chat Peter
Tudar may have the korncl aud Ellen
/ the husk Wen see -
/ 1t was revelation to the man. The
tayernkccper's briot speech, meant aot
for hi. ea.s, had come upon hi, senses as
tell the voice OF the Risen one upon Saul
OF Tarsus.
Wen see," he replied, setting his
foot firmly upon the ground and then
he wonded his way homoward.
On the following morning he said to
his wife:
ELLEN, have you any coffee in the
house ?"
Yes, Tom" She did not tell him
that her sister had given it to her. She
was glad to hear him ask for coffee, in
stead OF the old, old cider.
81 wish you would make me a cup,
good and strong"
There was really music in Toms voice,
and the wife "a. about The work with a
strange autter at her heart.
Tom drank two cups OF the strong,
fragrant coffee, and then went out-went
out with resolute stop, and walked
straight TO The great mandatory, where
he found M. Scott 10 the office.
Mr.. Scott, | want to learn my trade
over again"
"Eh, Tom What do you mean ?"
81 mean that it's Tom Darcey, come
/ back to the old place, asking forgiveness