Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-06-28
THE OLD CL0CK.M4KERs sTOR,

The clock makers work was done his tools
carefully put away in the leather valise that he
carried strapped on his back like knapsack,
the modest sum which he had asked for his
services had been received and placed in his
well-worn wallet and he had come out on the
piazza followed by Robbie and Bessie, to take
his departure.
What a wonderful man was this old clock
maker, to the children All day they had kept
at his side watching his skilful fingers adjust
ing the intricate mechanism of the bronze
parlor clock; setting the German cuckoo
clock in the kitchen, calling the hours again ;
and, best of all, taking the quaint old-fash-
ioned time piece, that had stood useless on
the mantel piece in Robbie's bedroom spread
all its concealed surprises before their bright,
inquisitive eyes, artfully put the works in or
der again, and aroused from its slumbers IA
sweet-toned striker that henceforth would
summon Robbie from his morning nap and
had won the boys heart by teaching him
how to wind it while Bessie stood by in
open-eyed admiration, that Mt last found ut
terance in the innocent question;
80, Mr.. Clockmaker, is 90 SANITY Klaus y
How Robbie, in his six-year-old experience
laughed ut this, and asked her if she did not
know that Santa Claus came in winter time
with his reindeer and his sleigh, and now it
was almost peach TIME.
vi lut bIOuNl llhLLu lLt blt OlDNh-hdhti
| fingered his eyes resting wistfully on the fair
| upturncd faces of the children. This look
caught Mrs. Hewitts notice Ms she crossed
| the hall She came forward
Robbie, offer your friend chair" she
said addressing the little boy, and then, turn
| ing to the old man, why not wait until lat
err 1t is so warm now to travel on the dusty
road 1t will be pleasanter walking when the
evening breeze rises. -
With II grateful gesture he accepted the
| profTered courtesy and Mrs. Hewitt was called
| to the piazza shortly after by Bridget
Come, mistress, and see the darlin's. Its
the quarcst thing the likn' they've TUX to the
| gintleman out there! It'll do your heart good
| to see them"
In front of the steps leading down to the
| walk Robbie had placed the chair on which
| the old man was sitting. On each side of
him sat the children. The old mans hands
were crossed on his knees, and in them
were nestled the little fingers of his young ad-
mirers, while they looked up at him with rev
erential gaze that was ineNpressibly touching.
He was not speaking to them; his gaze was
fixed far away across the wide fields that
stretched in front of the house in an unbrok.
en- sweep, until they seemed to melt into the
| sky that was now colorng with the tlnts OF
sunset. Mrs. Hewitt joined the party, draw
ing her chair close to the group, for she, too
felt herself strongly attracted towards the
stranger, while Bridget, with her red, bare
arms folded across her kind breast, looked
with shining eyes on her little favorite
There were traces of some great sorrow on
that pale. worn face, Mrs. Hewitt thought, a.
she looked at it. Perhaps that accounted
for the patient sweetness with which all day
he had borne with the children's incessan
questioning and the interfering of meddlinl
| little fingers.
Have you far to go ?" she asked, as h,
withdrew his gaze from the landscape ans
turned it towards her,
"Until my work is done, madam, l &c
wherever there is chance of obtaining EN-
ployment."
IL have never seen you in this neighbor
hood before. Is Your home in this Yicini
typ
Home 2" he repeated in the accents of th
deepest sadness. Il have 40 home, madam
1 am alone in the world, quite alone
A thrill of pity dimmed her eyes. Sh
couldnot help contrasting her own happy,pros
porous life with that of the unfortunate home
less man before her. Andshe mentally thanke
God for all her blessings-her fond husband
her darling children, and that husband
mother who was as dear to her as her own. Fla
away down the road now, she saw blac
speck that she knew was the buggy bringn
home her husband and mother-in-law frol
their visit to the city. With an impulse G
kindness she exclaimed;
"Then you shall not so ON the road tC
night. Stay with us and rest To-mOrro'
YOU can resume your journey, but to-nigl
our home must be yours Thank God, 1t Is
happy home and you must share our happ
| ness this evening
Two little hands squeezed his in earnei
entreaty-four innocent eyes looked coaXlne
ly up at him. He could not resist their plea'
ing. Kind Bridget in twinkling had NJ
strapped the knapsack, and he resumed h
, seat, saying;
Il have been homeless many years, det
lady, but to-day, l know not why, somethin
c of my lost peace seemed to come back to N
when entered under this blessed roof. I'll
looks of this little fellow made me think {
my own sturdy little one as he was at his ag
II | could almost fancy that it was he again wi
Is was standing at my knee chirping to me ; an
Z, that it was his little fingers that were roviI
!, over the workable playing with the too
II there But he was welcome to do it, Oftt
= and often have been glad to remember tn
;. | never chided him for tiny little lad, II
little lad :"
u "You had family, then, and you ha'
lost them 7" sympathizingly asked Mrs. He'
lit.
% Dear madam, had a family a wife
d the dearest, tenderest soul, with a heart fl
of love and goodness for all her felow-ere
r lures and our son was like his mother. DE
madam, l could give him no greater prai
n than that. Our wants were few we we
humble people, and the income from my bu
ness enabled us to live in comfort, We we
English people with 1t IN tins ooG
were all in all TO each other When our b