Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-10-08
Only II Husk.

Tom Darcy, yet young man, hau
grown to be very hard one. AT heart
he might have been all right; II his
head and his will had OILY been all
right. but these being wrong the whole
machine was going to the bad very FAST
though there were times when the heart
felt something of its old truthful yearn-
my. Ten had lost his place as lore
man in the great machine shop, and
what money he now earned came from
odd Jobs of tinkering which he was able
to do here and there, at private houses {;
for Tom was a genus as we'll as me-
chanic, and when his head was steady
enough he could mend clock, or clean
q watch. as we'll as he could suL up and
regulate a steam engine-and this lat-
fer he could do better than any other
man ever employed by the Scott Falls
Manufacturing Company.
One day Tom had job to mend a
broken moving machine and reaper Tor
which he received five dollars and on
the following morning he started out Tor
his old haunt the village tavern. lie
knew that his wife sadly needed the
money. and that his two little children
were in absolute suffering for the want
of clothing. and that morning he held a
debate with the better part ol hlmseh I;
but the better part had become very
weak and shaky, and the demon OF ap'
petite carried The day.
So away to tho tavern Tom went,
where, for two or three hours, he ielt
the exhllarating effects Of the alcoholic
draucht and iancied himself happy, as
he could sing and laugh ; but as usual
stupefaclion followed aud the man died
out. He drank while lie could stand,
and then lay down IN the corner. where
his companions left him.
1t was late at night, almost midnight
when .he landlords wife came into the
bar-room 10 see what kept her husband
up, and she quickly saw Tom.
Peter said she, not 10 a pleasant
mood, why don't you send that mlsera'
BILE Tom Darcy home: He's been hang
ing around here long enough
Toms stupefaction was not sound
sleep. The dead coma had lett his
brain. and the calling ofhis name stung
his senses to keen attention. He had
an insane love for rum, but did not love
the landlord. In other years Peter Tin
der and himself had loved aud wooed
the sweet maiden-Ellen Goss-and he
won her, leaving Peter to take up with
the vinegar spiuster who had brought
him the tavern, and he knew that lately
the tapster had gloated over the misery
of the woman who had once discarded
him.
why don't you send him home"
demanded Mrs. Tinder, with an lmpa-
lient stamp of the foot.
Hush, Betsy! he's got money. Let
him be and he'll be sure to spend it be-
fore he goes home. I'll have the kernel
of the nut and his wife may have the
husk y
With a sniff and a snap Betsy turned
away and shortly afterward Tom Darcy
lifted himself upon his elbow.
'Ah, Tom, are you awake:'
Yes
Then rouse up and have good warm
glass;
Tom got upon his feet and steadied
himself,
1T won't hurt you, Tom just take a
glass
L know 1t wou'tu said Tom, but
tonlng up his coat by the only solitary
button left. L know it won't.'
And with this he went out into chilly
air ofmidnight. When he had got away
from the shadow Of the tavern, he stop"
ned and looked up at the stars and then
he looked down upon the earth.
Aye he muttered, grinding his heel
in the gravel. Peter finder IS taking
the kernel and leaving poor Ellen the
worthless husk-a hnsk more than
worthless and am helping him to do
II. am robbing my wife OF JOY, rob-
hing nv children Of honor and comfort,
robbing myself of love and lite--just
that Peter Tinder may have the kernel
and Ellen the husk. We'll see y
It was a revelation to the man. Ihe
tavernkeeper's brief speech meant not
for his ears, had come upon his senses
os tell the voice of the risen one upon
Saul of Tarsus.
Wen seev he replied, setting his
foot firmly upon the ground, aud then
he wended his way homeward.
On the following morning he said to
his wife
Ellen, have you any coffee in the
house p
Yes, Tom She did not tell bin
that her sister had given it to her. She
was glad TO hear him ask for coffee ln'
stead OF old cider.
.Iwish you would make me cup
good and strong
There was music in TOMS voice, anC
the wife set about the work with
strange flutter at her heart.
Tom drank two cups of the strong fra
grant coffee and then went out--wen
out with resolute step and walked
straight to the manufactury, where h'
, found Mr.. Scott in tine office.
, Mr.. Scott, want to learn my trade
f over again,
sFh. Tom! What do you mean.