Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-12-16

burn Ye know me, an ye know | keep
my word. You may go to meetin', if
ye will but old Jim, never y And he
struck his fist upon the table, with a
force that made the little teapot dance
with fear.
The child looked at his father in ter
ror and surprise. He had often seen
him angry, had often felt the weight of
his rugged hand; but why should his
simply request that he would accompany
him to meeting be received in such a
spirit His father was willing he should
go. Why should he not join him ?
With these question the boy puzzled
his brain in vain. He could not an
swer them. And meantime supper was
finished, the table cleared away, the
dishes washed, and old Jim had filled
and lit his after-supper pipe. Then he
spoke again.
"Jim, ye may think yer father a
strange man to talk as | have done
about the meetin' house. I've no grudge
agin the minister. He's a likely man
all I've seen O. him. Nor again Miss
Burt. She's done you heap O good.
But it's the doctrine, Jim. it's the doc
trine l can't stand. They preach about
Jesus Christ a-dying fer poor sinners,
an about Gods lovin' the world. An
then, when l was poor an sinner,
their God showed his love fer me by
takin' yer mother away from me. As
true woman an as good as ever lived,
boy. An it eDamost broke my heart
when she put you in my arms, an said
Good bye, Jim Take good care O. the
baby fer me, Jim 7 an shut her eyes
an died. 1t enamost broke my heart to
lose her. An when old Deacon Gray
stopped selling whiskey, down in the
cellar of his good religious store long
enough to come up here after the funer-
al and try to comfort me, | showed him
the door mighty quick, an told him
never to climb the hill to the dams agin
agin while l lived. An I guess he
never has. No, Jim, the doctrine is the
trouble. Meetin' may be we'll enough
fer you; but it don't fit with me, nohow,
amt got the larnin' to pray to a God
that never hears the poor, an takes the
only sweet thing man has out O. his
life."
While his father was talking, little
Jim was very quiet, and when the old
man resumed his pipe the boy moved as
though he would answer him, but did
not
After short silence, old Jim spoke
again.
BLACK Brooks was discharged fol
thieviug agin to-day. He's bad fellow
that When Harman gave him his
walkin' papers, he was mad asa panther
and told him he'd be revenged on him
and the mill-owners too. An then the
overseer ordered the watch doubled to.
night. Fer that rascal would as soor
burn the mills and town as look at EN- ;
"Do ye mean Tom Brooks, as usec
to live here with you, Father ?" asked
Jim.
"Yes, that's the chap. He was un
-watchman here awhile, years ago
But twas too dull fer him, an he quit
an got inter the mills. He's don'
but drink an spend his nights out eve
since; an stealipg's been his trade
moren spinning, too, | guess, these las
years."
The round clock that hung over tn
mantle struck nine. That's bedtime
an I'm going, Father" said little Jim
rising. '.Do ye want me to do anything
afore go?'
mo, guess not. child" said tn
old man looking around. "Have y
filled the lantern on the watch-pole p
"Yes, l filled it this afternoon" re
| piled jim sBut ye don't think ye'l
need it, do ye, Fatherl" he continued
"The dam amt agoin' to bust, is it p
.'Oh, guess not. But | want tha
lantern always ready to light. If any
thing should happen, it's the only warn
in the town-folks have. But it's al
right and ready, ye say; SO off to ye
bed. Goodnight. an sleep WE'LL"
Goodnight, Father" And the chill
mounted the laddir that led to his littl
bed in the loft. Shortly after the ligh
of his candle shone through the crack
OF the uneven tioor overhead, and th
murmur of his sweet voice fell upon oil
Jim's ears, as he still sat smoking b,
low. The tone reminded him of th
boys mother. dead long years ago an
he took the pipe from his lips to lister
The words that crept through the fot
were strange ones; but they came as
sweet memory to the waiting heart, #
she used to read them. And old Jim
, head fell upon his hands. ..Our Faith,
, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Th
, name."
| Lower and lower burned the log Fl
upon the hearth. DINNER and dimm,
grew the candle upon the little tabl