The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-02-13
HYDE PARK. VT. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1873
"How long have you been here, Mr..

INV iohB ha'S JOu Dcch htAVt -uAs
Watkin's?"
Seventeen years, sir. l was with
old Mr.. Ormsby before you came, sir. 4"
"a faithful servant seventeen years r.
said Mr.. Wilkinson, in a low tone;
"and a few weeks rest may save his
life T.
AT this moment Millie shrank a little
nearer her guardian. Through the win
dow from which Mr.. Watkins overlooked
the loom-room, she could see Cyril
Ormsby, walking briskly about, his
voice harsh and imperative, finding fault
here and there, and keenly scrutinizing
every item of the work. Not face in
the long room was brightened by the
presence of tins master. = ingers worked
more rapidly, eyes we're fastened per-
sistently upon the looms, and every one
seemed aware of a stern task-master's
gaze. But Mr.. Wilkinson obeyed the
mute petition expressed in the looks of
his ward, and led Mile out into the
wide passages again, to another work.
room.
1t were too tedious task TO follow
every step Of these two as they passed
from room to room, everywhere meet
ing some assurance of Mr.. WilkinsOn's
own hold upon the hearts of the
"hands," and their terror of Cyril
Ormsby's harshness.
Out again amongst the squalid homes,
where her guardian had no control, but
bestowed his kindly charity without os-
tentation; and here, more eloquently
than ever Mile heard how cruel a
mockery were all the schemes of charity
and philanthropy that had been poured
into her ears. 1t needed no spoken
words from her guardian to tell her that
the noble words uttered to win her were
but those OF hypocrisy, which knew how
it could best plead its cause with her.
One and another, turning to Mr..
Wilkinson as to friend, unaware of the
torture of their words to the kindly lady
beside him, told of cruel exactions of
work in sickness or trouble, of closest
calculation of time, of small wages and
heavy rents.
If we won't live here and pay, we
get no work in the factories !" one said,
when asked why she did not seek a more
healthy quarter.
/" am doing overtime to pay for my
child's funeral, one said, "for 1 lost the
wages for three days. l stayed by her
to see her die, and to bury her."
"l'm uneasy about the rent" another
said, 6 for lnst week, by fall on the
ice, and it's hard making it up again"
Not one word of kindly sympathy, OF
help, in trouble or sickness. The
"hands" under Cyril Ormsby were
simply human machines to do so much
work, sick or well, or pay the price of
an hour or day of idleness, no matter
how necessary.
There was no words spoken as Mr..
Wilkinson and Millie walked to the office
again. Once there, the old gentleman
spoke, very gravely.
AS your guardian, Mile, l can
speak to you no word against Cyril
Ormsby. He is rich man, of good
social position, OF irreproachable moral
reputation, and man whose standing
in business circles is of the highest. A
man who is good match in every
worldly sense. So much for your guard
ian. As your friend, my pearl, who
loves You as your own dead father might
have loved you, who knows every noble
impulse of your pure soul-as that
friend, tell you would rather see you
/ lying beside your mother than the
broken-hearted wife of such q man as
Cyril Ormsby."
'' I came to you as friend, rs almost
father, said Millie, "and thank you
for keeping me from lifelong misery.
To know my husband such man as I
now know Cyril Ormsby to be, would,
as you say, break my heart. "
81 would not tell you" said her
guardian, "for you knew I disliked him.
and might have thought that dislike
prejudiced me. But, Millie, tell me
you will not let this days work shadow
your life. You did not love Cyril, Mil
lie ?"
"No. / reverenced what believed q
noble, generous nature. Thatreverence
a mockery, I shall neSer break my heart
for man I thoroughly despise, Uncle
Mare"
And 50 ithappsned that Cyril Ormsby,
coming to claim the fortune he believed
within his grasp, met only Mr.. Wilkin.
son, with Mollie's polite but distinct re.
fusal to resign herself or her fortune to
his keeping.
But he never knew how it was that
Mile learned the true value of his hol.
low words of charity and philanthropy.
s~------=---=
n:As,,. Eahla