The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-12-09

p HAAS HAnorEE

] shall never forget ihst bright saa
aiiernpu. shea nay father stood looki
doasAl 81 ~ isg lTvthen ald Ryse
We bad boen planning with great a,
Low &C woald dress Up. some dark nigl
and ia ibe character q ghosts, frighicn
rsrns tlnid sshooltsIiov u ea1. ( n
& Fiili'c loily fac, boys ] sars Ten 70
+ exclaimed, with a shout of laughter
the idea.
Jolly fun To you Harry, bat what will
y - hiulS Aahcd deep rePecaelfl Il
voice from the doorway, aud glAnciug n
there stood our father. with a panied loo
on his face.
II vas new idoai II would be fun /
us, bat what would il be 10 him, the poe
unofiendiug boy we were planning /
/ friglten so cruelty? tEsN&@Ab
We had never thought Of that side q
the question Al AL loys. az, and a,,.,a, too
are only too apt to look a, one side only
and that Side.the one that pleases them
selves the most.
Our father stood moment in thought
and then came into the room and sal
down.
Ny sons, he said, I zee the time has
come fog me TO tell you a story Of the long
ago, when was boy, 50 full Of fun and
life that, like you, did not stop to think
whether nay fun might not be just the op.
posite to some one else
He paused awhile, and sad, panied
shadow erept over his face, look / had
often seen there and hal learned TO con.
meet with q certain man who tEweIt in a liz
tie cottage near by,
He was large, strong man, about our
fathers age, but alas the light Of his life,
his reason bad gone out forever: he was a
lunatic, gentle and harmless, and for the
most part cheerful and playful, but there
were times when he would fall prone to
the floor, quivering with terror, and shrek
ing out wild appeals TO be saved from tho
ghosts that were about to seIze him. i
My fother often visited this poor fellow,
poor Uncle 81, /" we boys called him; he
iever went with empty hands. but always
'arried some little gift--a picture book,
andy, cake or toy; and even at such
ines ! noticed that weary, sad express
on creep over my fathers usually cheerful |
ace, and remain there like cloud, long |
fter our return home. knew, too, that
was he who, with my Uncle Johns as.
istance, paid the rent Of the lunatic's = cot.
ngs slothed him, and provided for The /
IA woman WHO lived with and took care
( him. g
And sorely had all this puzzled me, for
knew that Uncle Si" was in no wise re-. |,
ted 70 my father or mother, and that the |
ioney expended in his support could III
spared for that purpose.
Often had father promised to tell the
ory, when the right time should come.
ID il had come now, il seemed, for his
st words were OF "Uncle 81"
My boys, he said. am now going to +
Il You the story Of Uncle 81, and 1t is n
G saddest story Of my life, When You /
We heard it, you will know why ! think f
my duty to tell it to You just now. n
! would give ten years Of my life il | had Il
snch story to tell. But it is my cross.
d one OF my own making, so | must q
ar IT patiently as my punishment. When a
vas boy going to school, there was a,
ong my. schoolmates bright little fell n
y good scholar but very nervous, "
nd boy. His mother was poor wo-
n, who worked hard to support herself "
him, and it was her greatest ambition hi
zee him win his way up in the world. an
We all liked Silas, he was so gentle; but in
he same time we took advantage Of his
d temper and his timid nature. and 70
e always playing jokes on him. Of
lis mother was an Irish woman. and "a
fall Of queer supershtions There m;
ned nothing too marvellous for her to III,
lit, and Silas hal inherited this super. ele
ions tendency in great degree.
'e boys soon found out his weakness. ID,
nothing pleased MS ino,r than after me
afternoon ssion was over to sit on
school house steps aud vic with each inc
n ia inveniing the most outrageous nm
startling stories Of ghosts, robbers. .
murderers. 81 would listen yith his f,
eyes almost starting from their sock am
and his cheeks turned white aud red. n .
y becoming excited 70 snch pitch, Ha
he would Jump at every sudden \
:, the slamming ofa door, or the smi
p Of foot on the pavement 4
ie afternoon we bad been indulging in INV
avorfte Anasemtpt hHhl the sun had less
st gone down aud darkness began TO II,
across the fields and woods around eacl
Hol
/, what shall do exclaimed Silas. fa,b
ng fearfnlly around must 20 over i.e
rmer Brown's before ! go home, and Iipiu
] be dark before can get back A
Farmer Brown's said /, winking at kpe,
ther boys, then youll have TO cross We
d bridge over Long Pond, 81. and beer
say that the ghost Of the woman who NJ
aed heryelithere hannis it after night read
hats only on the anniversary Of her wise
, thoagh, so--but ! say, boys, what com.
I the mouth is thisy Won
: ten b. vas the answer. L,.t,
res IN my bps in long whistle, and
hard at SilAs W
n Tn glad ] dont have TO go that cad
o-nighi, mutiered in q low tone, occu
d ~ loS bat that he haara ne. a. / fgur