Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-05-04

seemed only right and natural to show it
now, when we were talking the thing
over.
Now, set as Mrs. Hennings was against
Rash's learning trade, she could not
help admiring his work, for it was so
neat, not blotch anywhere. For one
day when he was making it, says | to
him.
"Now. Rash. whatever you've got in
hand, don't you stop to think if you can
afford to do it just as well for the money
you're to get for it. There's one thing
you can't afford, and that is to bungle.
It hurts you more than them you work
for. Don't ever do anything that you
can't warrant pom honor"
And Ill never forget how his eyes
sparkled; and he told how the cathedrals
Of the middle ages were built by men
who made religion Of their work, and
built by men as if they were worshipping,
and dared not cheat the Lord, and that
in them the back Of an ornament or stat
ue is finished. though nobody can see it
without the greatest pains, with just as
much neatness as if it was to show in the
public square; and that was the way he
meant to work and to live. As said the
widder was pleased, in spite Of herself.
"And where did you get this pretty de-
sign said she pointing to the fern
wreath.
why, wanted pattern of some
sort, and just then Bessie Playne came
along, and she'd got just such a wreath
as this twisted around her hat. thought
it was none the worse for being so near
at hand: and so l just draughted it of,
and whitfield it out. See-here is the
draught.'
And with that he took it out of his
box.
Now the widder, though she is proud
as Lucifer, is nobody's fool; and she seen
plain enough that there was more than
common jack Of carpenter in her boy;
for she could draw and paint in water
colors herself, and was called good hand
at it. So the long and short Of it was,
that she gave her consent to Rash going
into my shop to learn my trade, at the
end of the school term. And then she
sent Rash up stairs with his treasures,
and went to bed.
And what sick headache she had
next day. Rash got his own breakfast
and come over a Ter sister Eliza to stay
with his mother, and that's how he told
me all about the talk. She had blind,
sick, stupid headache, all day. She got
up when the sun went down, and she
didn't really feel like herself for day or
two. And consulted her hair was never
so black and glossy again, as it had been.
Eliza Playne, my sister, went over and
stayed with her day or two.
But how Rash did work; never sighted
the least thing-faithful. early and late.
l tell you one don't find such prentice
work often! And such work holds out
forever, in more senses than one.
When Rash was about eighteen and
pretty near out Of his time, Squire Por-
ter came home. He'd been travelling in
Europe several years, buying worlds of
pictures, books, and curious things gen.
orally, and the next thing was to fit up
his house. / had job, of course; but
in his library he wanted extra work
alcoves for his books, gothic carving, and
what not; and Of course it needed an
extra good hand.
"Tve just the hand for fancy carving
like that" says l, "and if you'll trust
him with it, he'll 60 at it like training
day"
"Who is it," said the Squire. "Mind
/ don't want it botched, and amt afraid
of my money"
"Not bit Of il" l. "It's young
Horatio Hennings, SON of widder Hen
nings, who lives in the cottage by
the big willow"
"Dear. DEAR" says the Squire, 81 know
her folks, and it must have cost her
struggle to consent to have her boy learn
mechanics trade"
So then / just sot down and told the
Squire the whole story, how the boy
wouldn't be kept back, though he wasn't
unmindful of his books, but that he had
such hankering after tools, that he'd
have stolen his chance, if he hadn't been
allowed; and what excellent work he
turned off and all about it. And the
Squire he listened and laughed, and says
he:
"Send him in. don't know him, nor
he me; but take care he don't spoil it