Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-01-16


not have had the wish Of my life
eratifed, but she smoothed the way
for my grandfather consent. But
he Eeycr ceased to ridicule mo for my
pretenslons, md positively refused 10
give mo his consent to marry Salllc
Miller, 1t would not be a wise thing
IN me to cross the old gentlcman's
whims, for ! was his heir and he
could have found another without
lnush difficulty, 10 ] never urged my
case, but humored him IN every way
could think ol,
"What are You thinking about,
father 7" she inquired, She always
called him by that name.
~ was thinking" he slowly replied,
taking tho pipe from between his
teeth, aud cropping both hands
upon his knees, shat few years
hence, ard one won't see good old
hickory logs burning upon andirons'
Stoves aud CRATES and that Internal
coal that makes Gus enough to suilo'
cate household, will suPpyly the
place Of our old fashioned fires
ought to have held my torgue, for
he was not speaking to lne but !
wanted to show of some OF my smalt'
ness, and so ] replied
"Oh ! my dear sir, there is really no
occasion for having stove which per"
mits the gas to escape. We have
now gas consuming stoves, aud one is
not troubled in the way you suppose.
"Pray, Mr.. Smartness, permit me
to inquire how long have you been
possessed OF this valuable information?
| have known il for some years, or
rather have heard it said that these
stoves were gas burners, but it's all a
lie there is not u word Of truth in it..
I've known them to send out as much
gas as would kill an OK. Now, SIT,
don't YOU feel like fool ?"
"Come now, father" said grand
mother, "don't be so severe on the
boy" (she called me a boy to the day
of her death) she only told you what
he heard, no doubt, and of course,
every one is liable to make mistakes" j"
THAT puts me in mind" continued
my grandfather, "ot asking you how
you are coming on with your piano
playing friend :"
81 scarcely see her, except Sun
days.
"Humph !" returned my grandfath-
er, clearing his throat. | didn't like
the ejaculation. | had heard it be-
fore, and regarded it with apprehen'
sions Of fear.
"Humph j. he continued, blowing a
column of smoke toward the china
ornaments on the mantelpiece, "what
are you good for ?" He looked at me
squarely as he asked the question.
He evidently expected reply, so |
answered him by saying that as yet |
didn't know.
"That's candid, at all events he
replied. give been thinking u good
deal about you of late, anc it occurred
to me that you might '.ai.e poor
lawyer, after all. And you know
what poor lawyer is. You remem-
Der Simmons, the man who used to
board about upon the farmers curing
the summer time &? Well, he was
what they term a poor lawyer. lie
hadn't brains enough to make his p. otes.
sion support him, aud was ready to do
writing or saw wood to help exc out a
livelihood"
"Our grandson has brains," tartly
interrupted my grandmother. "My
side of the family contained no fools,
and yours, father were what was
termed cute men"
"There's beginning everywh ere"
returned the old man, puffing vigor-
ously at his pipe "There must be =
beginning"
Having delivered this remark with
an emphasis which left no doubt that
he believed it, he went on
"Can you take that clock to pieces
Uhere was an old-fashioned clock
standing in the corner Of the room)
and put it together again T
"Im no clock maker" i replied.
That Is to say" rejoined he, ''you
have no mechanical ingenuity. One
need not be clock. maker to do that.
| have done it, and can do it again
and am no clock-maker.
"How unreasonable you are, faith
er," suggested my grandmother.
He did not appear to notice her re-
mark, but continued:
"Can you turn somersault Z