Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-11-26
A STORY FOR ALL TIMES.

half hour, 81 discharged Tom this after
noon I"
"You have? Dear me. Luther !" If
these words seem ambiguous on my pa
per. the tones gave them fullness of en-
phasis and meaning. and expressed sur
prise, regret, and some other feeling
nearer disapproval than anything else.
The tender playfulness which had
crept into the merchants face during
his frolic with his boy and girl was SUI
perseded by another expression, the one
that he carried into his ofice-among
his warehouses-in his relations with
his clerks and employees, and in his bust
ness dealings with men in general;
hard, stern, shrewd look, which he was
very apt to leave outside when he turn
ed the night key in his door and passed
into the warmth and brightness of his
home.
For, although this man was far from
faultless, although he had the name
among his brother merchants, and on
change of being shrewd and sharp at
bargain, and pretty certain to lime
his own nest warmly in all business
transactions, there was still another side
to Luther Randolph-he was thoroughly
home man.
That was the side which was warm
est, and tenderest, and almost genial; ;
the side which was turned almost inva-
!. riably toward his wife. and the girl and
boy who were the pride and delight of
the mans life
And we'll it was for Luther Randolph
that he had taken to wife a woman SO
It perfectly fitted to sympathize with and
develop all these home loves and in
stincts of mans nature, to make of the
house where he dwelt little earthly
paradise of comfort and brightness and
beauty. In some respects, too, she was
his superior-in social position and ear
ly cultivation /; and there had been a
time when her family regarded it as in
suferable presumption for mere sala-
ried bookkeeper to dream of wooing the
youngest and petted daughter of the
house.
but notwithstanding fo-tupo op5 fam
lily were in his disfavor, Luther Ran.
dolph had many qualities of person and
manner which win the regard of women
and on this one he had set his heart anC
soul, and she was not unmindful of tn,
tender, manly regard which she had in
spired.
Time, perseverance, above all,
steady ascent up the ladder of fortune
trlumphed, after several years. waiting
over all obstacles and Luther Randolph
led to the altar the daughter of the oil
banker, Mary Marshall.
He was far into his thirtles at tha
time, and so far life had been LITERAL
struggle with him. He had Tough
oy his way by the strength of his arm an
m the might of his will, without friends Q
fortune, and now, less than eight year
OF after his marriage, he was rich mar
- honored of all men, if somewhat feare
- and dreaded by his interiors, and SUI
mt rounded on every hand with evidenct
rt. of the wealth which he had won for hin
br self.
on '"Yes, Mary" he continued. with th;
Of new hardness, which had settled In
his face, sinking also into his voice; :
+" finished the matter up in short met
ho this afternoon, and gave him his gu
papers. am not the man to be tar
lb- pered with the second time, as To
for found out to his cost, to-day"
'ou "What was the offence this time
inquired the lady !; and the evening p
or per dropped unheeded from her lap
is the floor. and she leaned her face dov
ear to the cheek of the little girl who W
ess hanging on the side of her chair, al
mother and daughter made pretty pi
u um ture at that moment, which Mr.. Ra
in dolph would have keenly appreciat
hat had not his thought just then been c
urn crossed.
20, it was the old thing; he got il
wv bad company again, and, in short, cal
Ill into the Office so drunk this norm
md. that he could hardly stand. l sent h
mo- back at once to sleep off the effects
and his spree, and when he returned, pref
0's' thoroughly scared and sObered, this
ternoon, | gave him his dismissal, vi
la some sharp words that he won't be lii
amp ly to forget at once"
to "Such smart, bright, pretty -behay
In boy as he was y said the soft, regret
"a J voice of the lady. 1T is such a pity
the Il agree with you; but if boys or n
um, will mako fools of themselves and sta
re | in their own light, who is to blame I?
had taken fancy to the boy and me-
s "a to do we'll by him, else / should h
tbe turned him away on the first offence.
ears "And what will become of him n
ears. Luther?" asked the lady.
owl ut would be impossible for me
WIN ~. prophesy, my dear. The chances, b
- - ever. are against him. He's made
Sec beginning. and will be very likely
On IA =, N ,ooI;oo oo,,~+ ocd n to~~, az