Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-07-28


himself, as he walked on alone. Cali
this is a mere hypocritical assumption;
and, under the circumstances, can
scarcely regard it as less than insulting;
and if he talks again to me after this
fashion l will tell him so.''
The opportunity soon occurred. 1t
was, perhaps, about twelve, when the
merchant saw Mr.. Carlton enter his
store and come back to where he was sit
ting at his desk. There was familiar
smile upon his countenance, and he look
ed altogether self-posessed.
'.Good morning again" said he, with
much apparent frankness of manner.
.'Good morning. Mr.. Bray tried to
look pleasant. and tried to assume 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 insulted him by throw
ing MIR. Angrew in his face along with
his rejected loan. Mr.. Angrew Known
throught the trade as one of the
most uncourteous and disobliging of
men In that act he had given a sufi-
cient 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 iron
ical reference to the matter at their meet
ing on the street; and it was plain to
Mr.. Bray, from the manner of his neigh
Dor, that he had come to annoy him
again with some reference to circum-
stance that he desired to forget as quick
ly as possible. He was not altogether
mistaken. Following the "good morning
again" of Mr.. Carlton succeeded this
sentence, as spoken with the cheerful
frankness of man in earnest:
'Your kindness yesterday makes me
little presuming to day. I will take
that check now if you have it to spare.
My friend has disappointed me again
and l have several payments to
make"
"The smile had faded from Mr.. Carl
toms face ere this sentence was finished,
for, instead of meeting countenance of
kind compliance, stern, almost flashing
eyes looked steadily to his, and compress
ed lips gave warning of refusal.
"There has been enough of this al
ready l'' said Mr.. Bray, with repressed
excitement.
Enough of what? Mr.. Carlton look
ed surprised.
"Enough of insulting reference to
my act of yesterday" answered Mr..
Bray.
'Insulting What do you mean p
And Mr.. Carlton drew himself up and
looked quite as Indignant as his neigh.
Dor. =
My words are very plain. You
understand the kings English, [ pre-
sume."
"I had supposed so. But yours is ;
dialect with which | am not familiar
and must beg you to supply the CLOS
sary."
"Let me do that" said the clerk o
Mr.. Bray, stepping forward at this juno
ture.
DO so if you please. and | will be
thousand times obliged" And Mr.
Carlton moved back pace or two
awaiting the clerks explanation.
Permit me ?" The clerk looked a
Mr.. Bray.
"Say on. Thomas" was answered.
"When Mr.. Carlton sent in for tn
two hundred dollars yesterday you wer
annoyed about something. and returne
rather an uncourteous refusal-one alto
gether so unlike yourself that | coul
not do you the injustice of letting it pas
to our neighbor unqualified. So | sof
ened the refusal. to make it sound {
much like regret for not complying ;
| possibly could. | knew that yo
would think and feel differently in fe
moments, and | was not mistaken, as Il
offered check proved. This is the CLOS
sary, Mr.. Carlton, which you asked, ar
| trust that it will make all clear. Di
| do right or wrong, Mr.. Bray p I'll
young man turned. with a half-tim
$ look, to his rather passionate employe
, whose words were of SO uncertain
f character that it was hard to calcula
q the direction of their impulse. A N
a ment of silence passed, and then NJ
! Bray said, with feeling:
Right, Thomas. right? And | thai
g you for such judicious conduct"
! The young man bowed and retired
t wait upon a customer.
e For little while the two men sto
l. looking at each other, each so impress