Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-04-29
What Happened to the Carpenter.
AN ENGLISH STORY.

opSHil& anu >Huttiti-s easAs. 81 "euAc' the
village carpenter, was sent for to ease it.
At SIX O'Clock. while he was still at work, car
rage wheels were distinctly heard, and the
SQUIRE lady with her children came down
into the hall, ready to welcome home Mr.
Carey, who had been that day to town.
Wedge. who was working inside the dining
room listened with astonishment as he heard
the shout the children gave when their faith
er stepped out of the carriage. He saw, also.
through the door crack, that the eldest bad
caught hold of his hands. while the younger
ones were clnging like little branches 10 his
coat-'ails all dragging him along, as if,
once having got him into their net, they
meant, spider like, to bind him hand and
foot. and devour him. as that interesting in
sect would great bluebottle. at their leis
ure.
That the squires return should cause such
delight was a puxzler for our worthy friend !;
for had he not. with his own eyes. seen this
gentleman 20 of at half past nine in the
morning. no one could have persuaded him
otherwise than that he must have been ava
a month, TO put it at the lowest figure. He
saw, moreover. that the squire was holding
tightly in his hand a little parcel. which,
shaking of the children BY a number Of
little lodges Of which loving fathers only
know the secret. he quickly united. for all
the world as IT he were boy of five years
old land not great man Of fourteen stone
weight.) who could not wait moment for
anything. In shorter time than We take
TO write 1t, 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 ou the door. while
his heart and conscience began 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 10 make his work go
smoothly his saw seemed blunt As 4
double biaded SIX penny pen-knIie. and the
wood OF the chair, whose legs he vas cutting
down, as hard as bog oaS. In fact, he was
feeling jealous of the squire and disconienIed
with has own wife and children. Why were
they not eager to rush out and welcome him,
after ,he fashion Of the squire's family. lie
frovncd as he thought how badly he vas
used, and his saw grated as though yer,
dull
But conscience had a word to say to him,
and said It loud for him TO hear, although
be was making noise enough 10 prevent any
one from trying to gam his attention. II told
him the fault was chiefly in himself. for Il
his wife and children were not like the
squlre's, neither was his likeness 20 that
worthy gentleman particularly 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 " ould not have fail
ed to draw the same from her.
Wedge " A. A good husband without being
a Kind one. spending MS money ioy thc most
part on has family IN hard, business Ike
kind OF way. but show !ng no affection toward
his children. who consequently did not love
him.
As Wedge walked home, his tools on ms
back. he came across an old friend, carrying
carefully dainty bunch Of snosdrops III his
big. rough hand.
Here, VIII, he said, walking along by the
carpenters side. I've just given a trte for
these flowers, pretty bits Of things, ain
they For my wife makes Of any little pres
ent take her home she never minds what
bring her so long | give it to her my
self for To be sure | always tack on a 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 il sern'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 a different di-
rcction from ms friends they parted com
pany, Joe Sparks putting \ couple Of snow
drops into Wills hand, supposing be 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 say
ing a word2 lie couldn't have known " hat
had just happened at the hall yet II was
strange that ne should come up and say all
this about presents just when Wedge was
thinking about that very subject, and ENJOY
ing the excuse, too, that he couldn't afford
to buy his wife anything. But now having
nothing else would do but that he must give
them to his w,fe, and this new proceeding
would be such a new and extraordinary one
that the very thought made him feel sheep
ish
Wedges wife was u nice woman, but fam
lily cares were weighing her down, so that the
light was fast dying out Of her eyes, and the
color fading from her checks. She would
not have minded them half nor even quar-
ter as much il, when Wedge came home, she
could have told him all about thcm-for ten
to one he could have set things right. But
he had always poohpoohed when she VEN
tured TO begin the subject. SO that she had
left of looking for help where there was
none to be got. 1t seemed to Wedge that ii
he paid down in hard cash for clothing. feed
ing and schooling the family, he had done
his share towards their bringing up. Such
being the state of things, YOU may well I'M
agine how surprised was Mrs. Wedge when
she heard cheerful voice call out, where
are you Mary? But greater still was her
as,onishment, when, on going to the door
her husband presented her with the snow
drops. declaring as he put them in her hands,
that beautiful AS they were he thought the
IobtDub Oh aSA bl oSae otN ntit oGt-
Wedge had done many handy bit of work
with those tools on his back, but he did
neater job now with those snowdrops than
he had ever done with all of them put to-
gether, for he, so to speak, sawed Mary's
heart right in two, and got to the very in
side, and planed down no end Of knsts and
rough places, and polished her off, as if she
had been some choice piece of cabinet work
to be sold for nobody knows what.
That day was the beginning of brighter
times; Mary's heart having been as we be-
fore said, sawed right open, never closed up
again, BY reason Of her husbands continually
putting in one little thing and another on
purpose to keep it open; and warm streams
of affection came gushing out that nobody
knew were ever there at all, they were hid
den down so deep. And as to Wedge, he
never knew before how many pretty little
speeches he could make. Without any no
tice beforehand whatever, they seemed to
come from somewhere inside, already made,
packed up and directed, ready to be deliv-
cred with care, this side up, to his wife.
while the contents Of these said parcels, or
sentences, generally brought smile on Mrs.
Wedges face. and made her as lively as
cricket for some time to come British
Workman.