The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1879-12-31
MISCELLANY.

ONLY a HUsK.


Tom Darcy, yet young man, had grown
to be very hard one. At heart he might
have been all right, If his head and his will
had been all right but these things being
wrong the whole machine was going to the
bad very fast, though there were times when
the heart felt something of its own truthful
yearnngs. Tom had lost bis place as fore
man of the great machine shop, and what
money he earned came from odd jobs of
tinkerng which he was able to do here and
there at private houses, for Tom was gen.
ius as well as mechanic, and when his head
was steady enough he could mend a clock or
clean watch we'll as he could set up and
regulate steam engine, and this latter he
could do better than any other man ever EN-
ployed by the Scott Falls Manufacturing
Company.
One day Tom had job to mend a broken
moving machine aud reaper, for which he re-
ceived S. On the following morning he
started ont for his old haunt--the village tav.
ern. He knew chat his wife sadly needed the
money, and that his two little children were
in absolute suffering for want of clothing, and
that morning he held debate with the bet
ter part of himself, but the better part had
become weak and shaky, and the demon of
appetite carried the day.
So away to the tavern Tom went, where,
for two or three hours, he felt the exhilerating
effects of the alcoholic draught, and fancied
himself happy, as he could sing and laugh
but as, usual, stupefaction followed, and the
man died out. He drank while he could stand
panions left him.
1t was late at night, almost midnight, when
the landlords wife came to the bar-room to
see what kept her husband mp, and she quick
ly saw Tom.
"Peter," said she, not in pleasant mood
"why don't you send that miserable Tom
Darcy home ? He's been hanging around
here long enough
TOMS stupefaction was not sound asleep
The dead coma had left his brain, and the
calling Of his name stung his senses to keen
attention. He had an insane love for rum,
but did not love the landlord. In other years
Peter Tindar and himself had loved and
WOObu tie sWStb uidiutu-Etitu OOSS-dnu ne
won her. leaving Peter to take up with the
vinegary spinster who had brought him to the
tavern, and he knew that lately the tapster
bad gloated over the misery of the woman
who bad once discarded him.
"Why don't you send him home 20 de-
manded Mrs. Tindar, with an impatient
stamp of her foot.
g Hush, Betsy He's got money. Let him
be, and he'll be sure to spend it before he
goes home. I'll have the kernel of that nut.
and his wife may have the husk''
With 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 warm glass,
Tom got upon his feet and steadied him.
self
mo won't drink any more Tonight
at won't hurt you--just one glass"
81 know it WON'T " said Tom, buttonino
up his coat by the solitary button left. 81
know it won't"
| And with this he went out into tae chill All,
of midnight When he got away from tn.
shadow of the tavern, be stopped and looked
up at the stars, and then he looked down tp
on the earth.
Aye be muttefed grinding bis heel II
the gravel, " Peter Tindar is taking tn,
kernel and leaving poor Ellen the husk-s
husk more than worthless { and am helping
him to do it. l am fobbing my wife of JOY
robbiDg my dear children of honor and com
fort, and robbing myself of love and life
just that Peter Tindar may have the kerne
and Ellen the husk. Wen see +"
1t was a revelation to the man. The taver
keepers speech, meant not for bis ears, ha.