Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-04-22
NO SO.
Gales ano Skettbes.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CARPENTER.
AN sNGAsm STORY.


in the dining room at the squire's residence
which was found to prevent the door from
opening and shutting easily. so Wedge.
the village carpenter. was sent for to ease
il. At six O'Clock. whilst he was still At
work. carriage wheels were distinctly
heard. and the Squire's lady with her
children came down into the hall. ready
10 welcome home Mr. Carey. who had
been that day to town Wedge was work
ing inside the dining room and listened with
astonishment rs he heard the shout the
children gave when their father stepped
out Of the carriage. lie saw. also, through
the door crack. that the eldest had caught
hold of his hands. while the younger
ones were clinging like barnacles to his
coat-tails: all dragging him along, as ii.
once having got him into their net, they
meant spider-like. to bind him hand and
foot. and devour him. as that interesting
insect would great bluebottle. at their
leisure.
That the squire's return should cause
such delight was a puzzler for our worthy
friend; for had he not. with his own eyes
seen this gentleman 60 off at half past
nine in the morning. no one could have
persuaded him otherwise than that he had
been away month. to put it at the low.
es, figure. He saw. moreover, that the
squire was holding tightly in his hand
little parcel. which. shaking stf the chill
dren by number Of little lodges Of which
loving fathers only know the secret. he
quickly united, for all the world as if he
were n boy of five years old (and not
man of fourteen stone weight who could
not wait a moment for anything. In
shorter time than we take to write il. he
pulled the contents out and gave them to
his wife, with three distinct kisses. Wedge
could swear there were three, for he
counted them. and wondered how many
more there were to come
Soon the merry party went up stairs.
the echo Of their voices died away. and
Wedge was left TO finish his work on the
door, whilst his heart and conscience be-
gan their work on him. lie. too. had
home and wife and children; he. too, had
been away all day; but the thought struck
him uncomfortably that his welcome home,
if indeed he got one at all. would seem
poor and cold after that which he had Just
witnessed This reflection was not so
sweet as to make his work go smoothly;
his saw seemed rs blunt as double blad-
ed six penny pcn-knIe. and the wood of
the chair. whose legs he was cutting down
us hard as big oak. In fact. he was feel
ing Jealous of the squire and discontented
with his own wife and children. Why
wercIthey not eager to rush out and wei
come him. after the fashion of the squire's
family. He frowned as he thought how
badly he was used, and his saw grated as
though very dull.
But conscience had n word to say 10
him, and said it loud tor him to hear, al
though he was making noise enough to
prevent any one from trying to gain his
attention. It told him the fault was chief
| ly in himself. for il his wife and children
were not like the sguire's. neither was his
| likeness to that worthy gentleman par
ticularly striking. lie couldn't blame his
wife for not making enough Of his presents,
for he well knew he never gave her any.
nor did he greet her with those words
which would not have failed TO draw the
same from her.
| Wedge was a good husband without be-
ing kind one. spending his money for the
most part on his family in hard, bust
ness-like kind of way, but showing no
affection toward his children. who cOnse-
quently did not love him.
As Wedge walked home, his tools on
his back, he came across an old friend,
carrying carefully dainty bunch of snow
drops in his big, rough hand.
Here. Will. he said, walking along by
the carpenters side, I've Just given a
trife for these flowers, pretty bits.of things,
amt they? For my wife makes of any
little present take her home she never
minds what bring her so long as / give
it to her myself. for to be sure | always
tack on little something. in the shape Of
kind words. which makes the thing seem
more valuable in her eyes; don't know
how ] should get on sometimes, il it
wern't for having flowers pretty handy
you can get them for little or nothing at
any time, and yet they are more beautiful
than anything we could make.
Wedges road now lay in different
direction from his friends. so they parted
company, Joe Sparks putting couple oi
snowdrops into Wits hand, supposing he
would know what to do with them.
Wedge turned the snowdrops over in
his hand, and looked after Joe, who had
nearly turned the corner; what could the
man mean by giving him the snowdrops
and never saying a word? He couldn't
have known what had just happened at
the hall yet it was strange thht he should
come up and say alf this about presents
Just when Wedge was thinking about that
very subject. and enjoying the excuse,
too. that he couldn't afford to buy his wife
anything. But now having heard so
much about them, it seemed as If nothing
else would do but that he must give them
to his wife, and this new proceeding would
be such new and extraordinary one that
the very thought made him feel sheepish.
| Wedges wife was a nice woman but