St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-10-01
Only a Husk.

grown 10 De very nard one. AT hear
he might have been all right, if hi
head and his will had been right, bu
these things being wrong, the Who'll,
machine was going to the bad, very
fast.
Tom had lost his place as foreman O.
the great machine shop, and what mon.
ey he now earned came from odd job.
of tinkeriDg which he was only able tC
do here and there at private houses
for Tom was genius as we'll as a me-
chanic, and when his head was steady
enough, he could mend clock or clear
watch as well as he could set up and
regulate steam engine, and this latter
he could do better than any other man
ever employed by the Scott Falls Man
ufacturing Co.
One day Tom had a job to mend a
broken moving machine and a reaper
for which he received five dollars, and
on the following morning he started out
for his old haunt-the village tavern.
He knew that 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 a
debate with the better part of himself,
but the better part had become weak
and sbaky, and the demon of appetite
carried the day.
So away to the tavern Tom went,
where for two or three hours he felt the
exhilarating effects of the alcoholic
draught, and fancied himself happy, as
he could sing and laugh; but,
as usual, stupifcation followed, and the
M 6JnH 10 1ronl- xuhila hn oonlA
stand and then lay down in a corner,
where his companions left him.
1t was late at night, almost midnight,
when the landlords wife came to the
barroom to see what kept her husband
up, and she quickly saw Tom.
"Peter," said she, not in pleasant
mode, "why don't you send that miser-
able Tom Darcy home. He's been
hanging around here long enough"
Toms stupification was not sound
sleep. The dead coma had left his
brain, and the calling of his name stung
his senses to keen attention. He had
an insatiate love of rum, but did not
love the landlord. In other years Pc
ter Tindar and himself had loved and
woOed the same sweet maiden-Ellen
GOss-and he won her, leaving Peter to
take up with the vinegary spinster who
had brought him the tavern, and Tom
knew that lately the tapster had gIoated
over the misery of the woman who had
once discarded him.
"Why don't you send him home ?"
demanded Mrs. Tindar, with an impa-
tient stamp of her foot.
''Hush, Betsy! He's got money. Let
him be, and he'll be sure to spend it
before be goes home. I'll have the
kernel of that nut, and his wife may
have the husk ~
With a sniff and snap, Betsy turned
away, and shortly afterward Tom Oar
cy lifted himself up on his elbow.
"Ah, Tom, are You awake 2"
eyes"
"Then rouse up and have a warm
glass"
Tom got up on his feet and steadied
himself. ''NO; | won't drink any more
tonight"
And with this lie went out into the
chill air of midnight. When he got
away from the shadow of the tavern,
he stopped and looked up at the stars,
and then he looked down upon the
earth.
AVE he muttered, grinding his
heel in the gravel, peter Tindar is
taking the kernel and leaving poor Ell
len the husll-a husk worse than worth
less !! and | am helping him to do it.
am rObbing my wife of JOY, my children
of honor and comfort, and myself OF
love and life-just that Peter Tindar
may have the kernel and Ellen the
husk. Well see :"
1t was revelation to the man. The
tavern keepers speech, not meant for
his ears, had come to his senses as fell
the voice of the Risen One upon Saul of
Tarsus.
"We1l see :" he said, setting his foot
firmly on the ground, then he wended
his way hOmeward.
On the following morning be said to
his wife, ''Ellen, have you any coffee in
the house ~
"Yes, Tom" She did not tell him
that her sister had given it to her. She
was glad to have him ask for coffee in
stead of the old cider.
81 wish you would make me Il cup
good and strong"
There was really music in TOMS
voice, and the wife set about her task
with a fiutter at her heart.
Tom drank two cups of the strong,
fragrant coffee and then went out
went straight to the great manufacto-
ry, where he found Mr.. Scott in his of
flee.
"Mr. Scott, want to learn my trade
over again"
''Eh, Tom what do you mean 2"
81 mean that it's Tom Darcy come
back to the old place, asking forgive
ness for the past and hoping to do bet
ter in the future"
'TOm," cried the manufacturer start
ing forward and grasping his hand
''are you in earnest p Is it really the
old Tom ~
"It's what is left of him, sir, and we
will have him whole and strong very
soon, if you'll only set him at work"
''WOrk Aye, Tom, and bless you
too. There's an engine to he set NJ
and tested to-day. Come with me-"
Toms hands were weak and unsteady
but his brain was clear, and under hi
supervision the engine was set up ant
tested but it was not perfect. Their
were mistakes which he had to correct
and it was late in the evening when til,
work was complete.
Chow is it now, Tom 2" asked Nj
Scott, as he came into the testing room
and found the wOrkmen getting read
to depart.
"She's all right, sir. You may Civ
your warrant without fear"
"God bless you, Tom! You don
know how like music the old voic
sounds. Will you take your old plac
again %
"Wait till Monday morning, sir. !
you offer it to me then, l will take it.n
At the little cottage Ellen Darcy
| HutterinU heart was sinEinp Tho