Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-07-03
VOL. 73.-3742. NO. 3S.

1
how Clover could be fed Mr.. Thyson had
foreseen that difficulty from the first, but
Tom, IN ms eagerness 10 get the calf back TO
Bessie, had not thought Of it. Mr.. Thyson
said nothing, though. lie thought he would
| see how Tom would manage.
Toward night Bessie's father called her TO
him and told her that although Tom was
very kind and thoughtful to bring Clover
back, she couldn't stay, for he had not feed
enough to keep her through the winter, and
| no money to buy any. So the next morning
Bessie started to carry her back to Tom. II
was two miles away, but it was a lovely
morning, and Bessie enjoyed the walk very
| much. Tom saw her before she reached
| the house and ran TO meet her.
al know you've brought her back" said
| he, laughing heartily, because you haven't
| any feed for her. forgot she would have
TO eat, but don't you worry, Bess You
shall have this calf for yours, II you have 10
wait till she is cow" and then they both
laughed to think she wouldn't be much Of
calf by that time. But you see," he added,
"Fm in scrape, whether give her TO you
or keep her myself, for l haven't any feed
for her either, and it never will do TO ask
father for any. But III manage il some
how before tomorrow. III go to bed soon
after supper and think it out" So Bessie
left the calf, and Tom took part of what
money he had and went TO his father to
buy some feed for her.
The next morning he said TO his father
| "Father, have you anything you could
hire me to do this winter am going to
carry the calf back again this morning.
am not going to give this job up, now that
I've started. So | am going TO earn money
enough to feed her this winter myself"
4 h c. a. 4.
board are your Well, if you want TO take
Jim's place here you can earn her board and
| something beside. You could do this work
before and after school if you were smart
and got up early"
| "Well, I'll take it and try. I'd like to
buy feed enough now to keep her this week,
and after this ] can earn It and carry it
over"
| Tom filed his hand-cart with the feed,
| and tying the rope around Clover's neck,
started to carry her back. He kept straight
on and took the calf to Bessie's door.
"Here she is, Bess, and here's enough to
feed her one week, anyway, and III see that
| she has enough all winter, unless l get sick,
and | don't feel very sick now. Don't catch
me backing out of this scrape. No, sir-eep
All winter Tom was up betimes in the
| morning, fed and watered the cattle, groomed
the horses, and did whatever was required.
| He carried Clover's feed over every week
or two, and never once complained His
father watched him curiously, and every
week congratulated himself on the good les
| son he was teaching him.
At last spring came. The tender grass
began to sprout, and Clover could keep her.
self, from the pastures and meadows The
farmers were all plowing and narrowing,
and getting the ground ready for planting.
Everybody was busy and in hurry, as usual.
Mr.. Moore was improving but was still very
weak. Now, right in the busy season, when
every hour seemed worth day at any other
time, he was sick, with no money to buy
seed or the necessary farming implements,
or to hire the needed help. With his mind
overwhelmed with discouragement he sat
one evening in the doorway of his house,
and looked hopelessly on his still unem-
ployed land. At the same time Mr.. Thyson
was riding slowly along, having made an
unusually good trip with his meat, and was
reviewing in his mind with great satisfac-
| tion the prosperous condition of his affairs
| As he passed he saw Mr. Moore sitting there,
and noticed that he looked very pale and
worried. A feeling of sympathy took strong
| hold of him, and he was tempted to stop and
have talk with him, but those fields, wait
| ing to be plowed and sown, spoke to him so
plainly and reproachfully that he concluded
he had better bow and go along.
| 81 am sorry for Moore" he said to him
self; that's fact. I'd be glad to give him
| lift, but I've got my own family to look
out for. If had always given way to my
| feelings ! wonder where | should be now.
Oh, no no; it will never do. No"
| But as he drew up to his own house, the
sight of his broad acres so carefully planted,
and the neat, thrifty appearance of all the
surroundings did not give him the feeling
of satisfaction he was enjoying before he
| met Mr.. Moore. AS he went into the kitchen
where his wife was getting supper, he said,
| glancing out of the window at Tom, who
was having grand frolic with his dogs;
d" 1t does me good to see Tom playing.
He has had hard winter of it. But I'm
glad let him go through with it. 1t has
taught him lesson he will never forget, l
guess"
ayes, think very likely" gently an
swered his wife, "but I.have thought many
times, father, that Tom was teaching more
important lesson than the one he was learn
ing. But come, supper's ready" She then
stepped to the door and called Tom, and the
subject was not continued AS Tom came
in breathless from play, his father remarked:
"That's better fun than working Clover's
board and carrying it over to her, isn't it ?"
"Yes, sir But I'm afraid if Mr.. Moore
doesn't hurry up and plant Clover will be
marching back here in spite of me, next fall
wish | was a rich man. I'll bet I'd make
things look different over there in less than
no time"
Mr.. Thyson made no reply but finished
his supper, and went out into the yard,
where he stood leaning on the fence, appar-
emily in deep thought. As Bill, his head
man on the farm came along he stopped
him, and they had quiet talk together.
Meantime Mr.. Moore had gone into his
!, house, utterly unable to throw off the gloomy
thoughts which filled his mind. He saw no
! way out of his difficulties. The faith and
, hope which had kept him up till now seemed
! gone. He went to bed early, but did not
sleep for hours. Toward morning, however,
he fell into deep sleep. His wife quietly
darkened the room and left him. The sun
J was several hours high when he drew aside
, the curtains to look out. What sight
! met his eyes Men were plowing, harrow
} ing and shouting to their horses. Part OF
the ground was ready prepared for planting,
and there, in the barn doorway, sat Tom
and Bessie, cutting potatoes and chattering
like blackbirds.
1 "What does it mean, mother What does
it mean :" said he, as he opened the kitchen
I door.
at means, father, that the dawn has
come Twas very dark, you know, last
r night. Those are Mr.. Thyson's men r.
"Thysons men Thysons men Why
g | don't understand"
"Well, nor /, and the men say they dom
, know what has come over him either But
he told Bill TO take men and horses, and
: come over here and plant whatever yor
+ wanted, and he'd provide the seed; anC
I they are working like beavers, tell YOU"
< The next afternoon, when the horn wa
blown, Mr.. Moore was waiting at his gate
+ AS the wagon came along, Mr.. Thyson saw
o him, aud didn't feel at all like Just bowling
a and passing on. mol he felt like stopping
shaking hands and getting out to see how
d his men were doing
4; "God bless you, sir" said MIR. Moore
e " You have given me the best medicine Nv,
r had. believe it's going to save my life.
It don't know how to thank you, but know
It feel like a new man."
g $50 do |, friend Moore. SO do |. Blu
7, don't thank me. It's all Toms doing.
II thought was teaching him great lesson
II but, bless you, he was teaching me create
a one all the time Well, the Lord has grea
n surprises in store for us sometimes, hasn'
d he? 2" And, with a fervent shake of tn
o hand, Mr., Thyson got back into his wagol
| "A