The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-07-13
Contrasting Two Homes.

friends.
"This has been very bad day" said
Mr. Freeman, in gloomy voice. And
as they walked homeward they discour-
aged each other, and made darker the
clouds that obscured their whole ho-
crigon.
"Good evening"" was at last said
hurriedly and the two men passed into
their homes.
Mr.. Walcott entered the room where
his wife and children were gathered,
and without speaking to any one, seated
himself in chair, and leaning his head
back, closed his eyes. His oountenance
wore sad, weary, exhausted look. He
had been seated thus for only few
minutes, when his wife, said in fear
full voice;
More trouble again"
What Is the matter now ~ asked
Mr.. Walcott, almost starting.
John has been sent home from
school,
"What 2" Mr.. Walcott partly rose
from his chair.
He has been suspended for bad con-
duct.n
"Oh, dearl" groaned Mr.. Walcott,
"where Is hep"
"Up in his room l sent him there as
soon as he came home. You'll have to
do something with him. He'll be ruin
ed II he goes on in this way. I'm out of
all heart with him."
Mr. Walcott, excited as much by the
manner in which his wife conveyed
unpleasant information as by the infor-
nation itself, started up, under the
blind impulse of the moment, and going
to the room where John had been sent
on coming home from school, punished
the boy severely, and this without listen
ing to the explanations which the poor
child tried to make him hear.
" Father" said the boy, with forced
calmness, after the cruel stripes had
ceased II was not to blame, and If you
will go with me to the teacher, l can
prove myself innocent"
Mr.. Walcott had never known his
son to tell an untruth, and the words
fell with rebuke upon his heart.
Very well, we will see about that"
he answered with forced sterness and
leaving the room he went down stairs,
feeling much more uncomfortable, than
when he went up. Again he seated
himself in his large chair, and again
leaned back his weary head and closed
his heavy eyelids. Sadder was his face
than before. AS he sat thus, his eldest
daughter, In her sixteenth year, came
and stood by him. She held paper in
her hand.
Father, he opened his eyes, 'here's
my quarters bill. Can't i have the
money to take to school with me in the
morning ?"
81 am afraid not, f" answered Mr.. Wal
cott, half in dispair.
g Nearly all the girls will bring in
their money, tomorrow, and it morti-
fies me to be behind the others" The
daughter spoke fretfully. Mr. Walcott
waved her aside with his hand, and she
went off muttering and pouting.
"It is mortifying," said Mrs. Walcott,
little sharply; "and 1 don't wonder
that Helen feels annoyed about it. The
bill has to be paid, and don't see why
it may not be done as well first as
last"
To this Mr.. Walcott made no answer.
The words but added another pressure
to the heavy burden under which he
was already staggering. After silence
of some moments, Mrs. Walcott said:
"The Goals are all gone"
" Impossible ~ Mr.. Walcott raised his
head and looked incredulous. Ct laid
in sixteen TONS"
81 can't help it, if they were sixty
tons instead of sixteen; they are all
gone. The girls had hard work to. day
to scrape up enough to keep the fire
inn
''There's been a shameful waste some
where" said Mr.. Walcott, with strong
emphasis, starting up and moving about
the room with very disturbed manner.
So you always say, when anything
runs OUT" answered Mrs. Walcott, rath.
er tartly.
"The barrel of flour is gone also; but
1 suppose you have done your part with
the rest in using it up"
Mr.. Walcott returned to his chair
and again seated himself, leaned bacl
his head and closed his eyes as at first
How sad, and weary and hopeless b,