Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-06-16
joHN BOYD's POCKET.B BOOK.

rouslng from his sound nights sleeI
sprang out Il bed with tho alert read
}, iness OF man who knows the yalu
Of the FIRST hours OF the day. II wa
u tavern bed from which no jumped
home and lts cares were many mile
awayi but 0 long ride lay before HIN
aud no washed and dressed briskly, q
one 10 haste, hamming cheerful al
meanwhile, IN became a man who fol
himselfin good spirits. and had ampl
reason for being so. For, be II known
this year had proved the best 10
farmers slnce John had been his owl
master. Harvesls had been large, pli
ces hugh, and John, on his way bacl
from tho annual market, carried
sense of freedom and liberation at In
heart from tho final exllnguishment o
q mortgage on his iarm-a mortgage
which had pressed as heavily on biz
conscience as did the burden Of Chris
tian on his shoulders. Tho burdel
was lifted now, and further than that,
John carried in his red fat wallet tive
hundred dollars over and above tow
ard tho expenses of another year. Ht
had never been 10 "iorehanded' he
fore, and the sensation was q joyful
one. "My neck is out Of the collar
now" he muttercd to himself as he
brushed his thick brown hair ~
should bo fool indeed II ! put it in
again. Nc more mortgages for me!
Then his toilet completed he ran
down stairs two steps st q time.
Farmer.hke, his first visit was to
his horses. They we've munching
their corn satisfactorily; and after
look or two and a pat, John returned
again TO the inn where's jangling bell
announced breakfast. twas smoking
on tho table, a'good, substantial meal
universal in taverns thirty years ago
and John Boyd. whose appetite was
OF tho kind proverbially said to accom-
pany a good conscience, was doing it
ample justice, when sudden instinct
led him to thrust his hand into the in
ner pocket which held the two hum
dred dollars. The wallet was gone
In the suddenness OF the shock John
telt himself turn pale, and then flush
painfully, ~ hs contasedly tried to re-
member if he had taken out the wallet
and when. Under his pillow, that
was it. lie recollccted distinctly, or
so it seemed, putting it there for Sc
curity's sake, when he went to bed the
night before. With a muttered ex-
cuse he left the table and hulriedly
went up stairs. The door of his room
stood open, and maid-servant was
putting fresh sheets on the bed, the
soiled linen lying in heap on the
floor. ...
Toward this heap John hurried and
began turning it over.
"Have you lost something, sir?"
asked the maid.
John Strengthened himself up to an
swer. He had not noticed the maid
before, though she had waited upon
the table at supper. Now he observ-
ed that she was young and rather
pretty fair, with trim, slender fig.
ure, beautiful glossy hair neatly dress
ed and braided, and a pair Of sweet,
apprehensive, blue eyes. Her voice
was soft, too, and she had shy, mod
est manner that indicated refinement
All these facts Farmer Boyd obserbed
in flash, and insiinctively ::noting,
weighing, estimating, by that wonder
fully rapid process Of which the hu-
man mind is capable, while yet his
thoughts were full of his money and
his loss.
"Yes. l am looking for my wallet,
which l left under my pillow. Did
you find its"
The girls face blancbed to a deadly
whiteness, and her eyes dilated as
with sudden terror.
mo, sir, she said, hef voice trem.
bling and sinking away as she spoke.
II didn't see any wallet"
John looked at her distrustfully;
but there was something in the pale
face which disarmed suspicion.
nd like to search the bed,' he went
on. at may have Slipped under the
fH
Together they searched the mat
tress but no wallet was visible.
"That off horse Of yourn has got
bis shoe loose somehow" announced
Mr.. Nash, the landlord, at the door.
II thought Id better tell you, SOS you
could stop at the blacksmith's as you
pass and get him to put in q couple Of