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

/ hAoihchb VI HIS uoluE ~ lllt AnOIDtI @
the children, who had seen all tina
passed between them, called out ear
nestly:
"Stopl Stop, Henryl He didn't strik,
his brother on purpose. 1t was all al
accident"
But this appeal came too late. TIL,
wrong had been done.
"It's a shamel" said the mother, whC
felt every painful blow the child had re
ceived, and who spoke from the mo
ment's indignant impulse,
Mr.. Bray did not feel any better. Set.
ting the child down, without venturing
reply to his wife's remark, he strodC
up stairs to the sitting-room and threw
himself into the great armchair. Nc
one ventured to come near him for some
time; so he had fair. opportunity for self
communion. At last toddling little
curly-head, who generally hailed hel
fathers return with joy, came Siding
into the room, and with half-timid
air made her way, by almost stealthy
approaches, to the side of the moody
man. Curiously she lifted her eyes to
his moody countenance; stood for a
moment or two, as if in doubt, and then
clambered up and laid her golden
tresses against his bosom. AS she did
so the fathers arm was drawn around
her. But little curly-head was not, in
her selfish innocence, content with the
sunshine of favor for herself alone.
"Papa!" Her voice had in it some
thing of doubt.
What is it. my little petP" And Mr..
Bray, who was penetrated by the childs
sphere of tenderness, kissed her pure
lips.
willy didn't hurt Eddy a purpose.
He didn't strike him."
"But Eddy said that Willy struck
him." The father sought to Justify him
selfin the eyes of his child.
Eddy only thought so," replied lit
tie curly-hcad. willy didn't strike him
tall"
Mr.. Bray said nothing more; but he
felt very uncomfortable. When the tea
bell rung he went, with little curly
head, to the dining-room. All the rest
of the family had kept away from him.
Mrs. Bray looked particularly sober !;
and Willy, who had been set all right
rs to his conduct by his mothers de-
claration that he had not been guilty of
striking. put on an air of injured inno-
cence. Mr.. Bray did not speak once
during the meal, but sat in silence, with
IL heavily clouded brow
For that evening the accustomed
pleasant talks, cheerful smiling faces
and merry laughter were banished from
the home of Mr.. Henry Bray. A single
moment of anger had done this unhappy
work. 1t was something better at the
family reunion the next morning. Sleep
had wrought its usual work of restoring
the mind to it's better state and calm
ing its pulses to an even beat.
AS Mr.. Bray left his house something
earlier than usual, and was walking
along, with his eyes cast down, thinking
over certain matters of business that
would require his attention, a man came
to his side, and, in a pleasant voice. said :
"Good morning, Mr.. Bray"
The merchant glanced up, with a
heightening color, into the face of this
person who had overtaken him in his
rather deliberate walk. He knew the
voice. 1t was that of Mr.. Carlton.
Good morning" The response was
not hearty. How couldit beP
II was sorry to trouble you yester-
day." said Mr.. Carlton, speaking in a
frank, cheerful way. "But friend to
whom had loaned sum of money dis
appointed me at the last moment, and
was compelled to borrow at an unsea-
sonable hour. Your kind effort to serve
me was none the less appreciated be-
cause had no need for the check when
you were so obliging as to send it in.
Mr.. Agnew had already supplied my
trihing deficiency"
Now, what answer could Mr.. Bray
make to thisP Was Mr.. Carlton actually
in earnestP Was he really so dull as not
to have appreciated his rough, insulting
message of the day before-or was this
courteous acknowledgment of an almost
extorted favor a rebuking piece of ironyE
cit would have gratifed me if you
had used the check" replied Mr.. Bray
his voice little below it's usual firm.
ness of tone. at was rendered in all
sincerity"
II never doubted that for an instant,
said Mr.. Carlton, as if surprised that his
neighbor should intimate, even remotely
a question of his right appreciation O
the favor. :" Mr.. Bray's reputation as &
courteous, gentlemanly merchant and {
kind-hearted man forbid any other in
ference"
Now this, Mr.. Bray felt, was crowdins
him little too hard, and he was con
siderably annoyed. Tell Mr.. Carltor
that | neither borrow nor lend" Coul(
he forget that rough answer to hi
neighbours request for couple o
hundred dollars, at a late hour in tn
day, when his bank account was still
shortP No He could not forget it; ant
that neighbours compliments upon hi
mercantile and manly virtue sounde'
too much like covert rebuke to be in tn
smallest measure agreeable. So h
changed the subject, by referring t.
some general topic, and managed to aI
pear interested, until, their ways di
verging, they parted with courteou
forms of speech.
Il don't like that" sale. Mr.. Bray, t
himself, as he walked on alone. GA
this is mere hypocritical assumption
and, under the circumstances, l ca
scarcely regard it as less than insulting
and if he talks again to me after thi
fashion | will tell him so.'