The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1879-06-25

Good morning again, said he, with
much apparent frankness of manner.
GOOD morning" Mr.. Bray tried to
look pleasant, and tried to assume a per-
fectly composed exterior; but the ele-
ments of excitement were moving within
him. There was always point beyond
which self-control was impossible, and
he felt that Mr.. Carlton was pressing
him beyond that point. In his uncour-
teous refusal to lend him two hundred
dollars he had done wrong; but, to the
best of his ability, he had endeavored to
repair that wrong, and Mr.. Carlton
should have accepted his tender of re-
pentance and not insultee him by
throwing Mr.. Agnew in his face along
with his rejected loansssiAfr. Agnew!
Known throughout the trade as one of
the most uncourteou5 and disobliging of
men! In that act he had given a suf
ficient rebuke; and there. in Mr.. Bray's
opinion, he should be willing to let the
matter rest.
But it seemed that Mr.. Carlton felt
differently, as he had shown in his ironi-
cal reference to the matter at their meet
ing on the street; and it was plain to Mr..
Bray, from the manner of his neighbor,
that he had come to annoy him again
with some reference to a circumstance
that he desired to forget as quickly as
possible. He was not altogether mis-
taken. Following the "good morning
again of Mr.. Carlton succeeded this
sentence, as spoken with the cheerful
frankness of a man in earnest;
your kindness yesterday makes me
a little presuming to-day. l will take
that check now if you have it to spare.
My friend has disappointed me again,
and have several payments to make"
The smile had faded from Mr.. Carl
tons face ere this sentence was finished,
for, instead of meeting a countenance of
kind compliance, stern, almost flashing
eyes looked steadily to his, and COM
pressed lips gave warning of refusal.
"There has been enough OF this al
readym said Mr.. Bray, with repressed
excitement.
Enough of whatp" Mr.. Carlton
| looked surprised.
Enough of insulting reference to my
act ofyesterday" answered Mr.. Bray.
Insulting! What do you meanP"
And Mr. Carlton drew himself up and
looked quite as indignant as his neighbor.
"My words are very plain. You un-
derstand the kings English, 1 presumed"
"I had supposed SO. But yours is u
dialect with which / am not familiar,
and must beg you to supply the CLOS
sary."
"Let me do that" said the clerk of
Mr.. Bray, stepping forward at this
juncture.
"Do so, if you please, and will be a
thousand times Obliged" And Mr..
Carlton moved back a pace OF two,
awaiting the clerks explanation.
Permit mep" The clerk looked at
Mr.. Bray.
"Say on, Thomas" was answered.
"When Mr. Carlton sent in for the
two hundred dollais yesterday you were
annoyed about something, and returned
rather an uncourteous refusal-one alto
gether so unlike yourself that | could
not do you the injustice of letting it pass
to our neighbor unqualified. So l
softened the refusal, to make it sound as
much like regret for not complying as
| possibly could I knew that you
would think and feel differently in a few
moments, and l was not mistaken, as
the offered check proved. This is the
glossary, Mr.. Carlton, which you asked,
and I trust that it will make all clear
Did do right or wrong, Mr.. BrayP"
The young man turned, with half
timid look, to his rather passionate en-
ployer, whose words were of so uncer-
tain a character that it was hard to cal
culate the direction of their impulse.
A moment of silence passed, and then
Mr.. Bray said, with feeling:
"Right, Thomas, right! And I thank
you for such judicious conduct"
The young man bowed and letired to
wait upon customer.
For little while the two men stood
looking at each other, each so impressed
with sense of the ludicrous that the
muscles of risibility were all in play.
"You have the glossary" said Mr..
Bray, at length, broad smile covering
his face.
"Giving the clearest meaning to your
words, a moment ago so full of mys-
terry" was answered, with as broad a
smile in return.
"You won't refuse my check, I pre-
sume," and Mr.. Bray turned to his desk.
Just try me-" said Mr.. Carlton, in q
voice that left no doubt of his meaning.
"Will two hundred be sufficient P"
You can make it three if you are over
to-day"
"Three hundred it is, Mr., Carlton -
said the merchant, the thermometer of
whose feelings had risen from zero to
summer heat, "and whenever can ac-
commodate you in matters of this kind
don't fail to command me. If, as it may
happen sometimes, I should be little
untainiable, my clerk there will act as a
cushion and prevent you feeling the
shock of my temporary ill-nature. ]
didn't know before that had SO discreet
an assistant"
There was warmer atmosphere in
the home of Mr.. Bray on the evening
that succeeded this rather clouded morn
J ing, than on the one which preceded
when the shadow of single angry mo-
} ment was large and dense enough tc
cover the whole household with leader
; pail. Little curly-head leaped into hel
fathers arms almost upon the instant o.
; his return, and hugged him with all the
) outgushing love of her innocent heart
and Eddy and Willy, the trouble of the