Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-09-13
THE NOUNTATN .SHlNTY.


"You are to carry the valise to the depot.
Joe. and have il checkcd-or no, no ; wait
until come; you'll be sure to make n mis-
take wish" and Walter Duciff turned
from the foOtman to his mother wish the
time had come when machines could take the
pluce of servants. One advantage in n ma
chine is that you know its capacity it does
not make pretensions of being IA rational hu-
man being and then fail at the critical mo-
ment."
Mrs. Duclif, fair. delicate woman, who
was drawn close to the open fire, with vel
vet mantle wrapped about her, shook her
head gently. and when the man was gone,
said
Walter, indeed you have too little consid-
Grafton for your interiors There i. no need
to mortify the man in that manner"
Bless your heart, mother you know moth
ing about that kind of people Joe didn't
understand, and if he had, he would not have
cared. l pay him high wages, and there's
not day when he does moi have an odd half
dollar, or fall heir to some of my boots or
clothes. That's all he needs for happinos s..
'Joes feelings at the bottom are the same
as ours, my son"
II beg your pardon flushing hotly, "but
that l cannot believe. The lower classes.
black and white, have been hardened 10y gen
eratious of need and hard work. Now your
tastes and emotions have come TO you through
many lives of ease and culture they lost
them il they ever had them in the fight for
daily bread The music or noble thought
that would stir your soul to its depths would
fall of from Joe rs n drop of water from an
alligator back
Walter had fallen into a sort Of oratorical
twang which he had brought with him from
college. He was absolutely sure Of his opin-
i. d..
are, and like TO set them forth fitly in plenty
Of words,
"You are too vain Of your birth, my dear, "
said his mother, quietly. You will ieel DIFF
ferently when you are older"
Mother, is it possible you mean to say
that the material of n mans character and
life does not depend largely upon his birth !;
Why, look up here to the faces of my ances-
tors they have borne n high, honorable part
in the history of civilization, in politics, art
and literature. begin every day feeling that
their eyes are upon me. l am glad and
proud" picking up pen and fourishing it
over blank book that the name | write is
the name they bore that it is their very
blood which flows in my veins. What has
Joe to remember beyond two nameless slaves,
WHO We're his father and mOther;"
IAN very true, Walter. Yet God made of
one blood all the people of the earth, and
some of these days you will recognize your
kinsmen, l think. 1t is nearly time for the
train, isn't it dear"
ITS quite time" gancing at his watch
He drew on his furred overcoat, and uncon-
scously passed his fingers over the waxed
ends of his very small nustache. "Good-by,
mother, darling. I'll write from Harrisburg.
l do hope | may manage the business well
and satisfy father"
ssNn 10 oft hat Waltt
She held him moment as he stopped to
kiss her with her hands holding each side of
his face, looking fondly at his delicate fea-
lures and clear, intelligent eyes
God send you safely home, my son. You'll
try and be back by Christmas? There is a
ball at your cousins and-you're all of my
holiday, remember"
"Oh, I'll be back III not fail in that,
whatever comes, and then with another has
ty kiss he was gone, springing down the stairs
trolling out some college catch.
Nature had given him clear tenor voice,
Of which he was not little proud. Indeed
he thought sometimes, justly enough, that
nature had given him her best material and
that it would be his own fault if he turned out
Il failure instead of one of the foremost class
of men. He has just left college and had
been taken into his fathers counting-room as
confidential clerk. This was his first Journey
ON the business of the firm, and he had "A
shrewd suspicion it was meant to test his ca
pacity. He was quite sure of it from the fact
that Sanders, the old cashier, met him at the
depot and placed in his hands the sealed pa
per of instruction, instead of sending it by a
messenger,
Don't you neglect any trihe Mr.. Walter, "
said the old man significantly. "Your father
requires absolute precision in the least clerk,
and he'll require it more in ZONE whom he
wishes to be his partner"
Walter nodded and buttoned up the pack
age in his breast, and in few moments he
was whzzing away over the snow-coyered
fields.
The business for week or two was easy
and pleasant enough Money was to be col
lected and remitted by draft, Tho hotels at
Harrisburg and Johnstown We're comfortable.
Walter had plenty Of money, and threw il
about like young lord He was generous,
| frank, genial fellow with his equals, and 1.-THE
DuclifTs of Philadelphia" he wrote to his
mother, had the entrGe of course TO the best
society everywhere"
His last work was the settlement of some
claims in the mountain counties then he
could 60 home. These people with whom he
had to deal had not heard of the Ducliffs,
| but they were well bred and educated, and
| Walter found friends on every side. 1t was
himself he thought, not his ancestors, which
| gained him friends here. Gentlemen them
selves, they knew gentleman by instinct.
He was confirmed in his theory that the edu-
Gated classes form a sort of Free Masonry ev.
erywhere of mutual help and brotherhood
| As for ignorant Doors, as Walter was fond OF
calling them. they were out in a general lin.
DO of vice. and want and greed. "What
can do for your favorite poor, will, moth.
err" he wrote loftily. "But the more 1 see OF
them the less like the habits of either theil
souls or bodies"
Now Walter was not strong and the change
| from this hot house life to the bitter cold Of