Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-09-14
How the Day Ended.

voices from tne paroucne, and clyde hurried
out, followed by his sister lilly.
Clyde and Matilda Barton, as Aunt Mehit-
able called them, She had "brung up"
sister Sara's children. Sara was never
very considerable calculating sort of woman,
and this last of all, leaving two little help
less children, while she quietly slipped down
into her grave under the daisies beside the
soldier husband, was the most inconsiderate
of all, so Aunt Mehitabe thought, and she
ought to know about it, for she took the
children home to her little yellow house at
the end of the street, and though Clyde had
grown up merry, manly fellow, and had
been able in short time to bring in his
weekly wages, and little lilly, after the few
first years of mumps and measles, had shown
her tact in decorating the little house and
desolate, weedy yard, Aunt Kitty had call
she could attend to TO keep the bugs off the
taters and the weeds out of the onions" yet
to-day, as the carriage load drove off, Aunt
Mehitable sighed, looking after it, and muir
INJURED, "Such site of trouble children is;
but then il was drefful like Sara to do 3d."
Aunt Kitty would never realize that she was
growing old and feeble, but Clyde, now al
most man, more manly with his eighteen
years than many one at twenty-five, was
her sole support, and that little lilly, al
ready sixteen, had nursed her through ails
and attacks of rheumatism innumerable, she
saw, as is the habit of the world, only her
own virtues and the obligations of others to
her. Meanwhile the merry picnic party
bowled along, joined now and then by
others, until some thirty or forty merry
young folks met at the spring. 1t was
dar on which to be merry, the summer holt
day, July 4th. The little western village
seldom invested in powder on such occa-
sions, and only some of the young people,
decorating their horses with innumerable
little flags, improved the day for picnicing,
Oak Grove Springs being the pleasantest re-
sort. Games of quots and base ball, where
some Of the girls surely, surely" had fin
gers broken, so they declared at least; skiff
rides on the river aud the picnic dinner fin
ished out the day, and tired and dusty they
returned home at an early hour, quite salts
fed with their patriotic endeavors.
After the teams were returned and paid
for, as they lounged out of the little Office
which was also the bar-room, an ugly ques-
ton came up in the minds of the boys, what
to do with the evening? Most of them
were at some kind of employment in the
village, and this one day In the year business
was set aside and the windows closed.
"Let's go boating" suggested Clyde Bar
ton; "there is full moon and it will be
lovely cool, too We can race if we choose,
two to boat, you know. What dye say,
boysI" =,
Charlie Herne fairly took limp step or two.
AGO up to your room and change them,
suggested Roy Carman, we'll all go along"
Aud off they started.
Charl;a Hanna ,yao N olorI, - tha ,,ost of
fee and slept in room Just back of it.
"Pll have to be back in an hour, when
the stage comes in," said Charlie.
Tom Haseltine stretched his six feet of in
dolent manhood on Charles bed with a
yawn. al say, boys, I'm tired, let's get us
lunch and, say, some of old Bob's good
cider, or-stay Becky Stout made lots of
wine from her grapes last year, and now she
wants to sell it, That drunken scamp Tom
Brown says she has mixed whskey with it,
| for it is too much for his perpendicularity,
but don't believe it; she gave me little
taste one day-awful stingy little drop-but
it was rousing good, now tell you Moth
| ing but homemade, you know, boys" he
said with winning tone of voice and a
good natured smile.
| Then followed little discussion for and
against-boating or supper, Harry Hereford
holding out stoutly against the supper.
ats all very WELL" he said, "but me and
Clyde knows just how it will be; there aint
one of us used to cider, even, and we'll get
stupid and silly, and like as not fight and
shame ourselves and every one belonging Il
us. know wouldn't want my mother x
know of it, would you, Clyde, if you's in iay
place p
Clyde and Harry were the best of friends
both brave, honest boys, trying to do right
Harry for the sake of his widowed mother
whose idol he was, and Clyde from mani,
instinct and a feeling that loving little Tilly
had no other friend and protector, and h,
needs must be a man. But numbers over
ruled, and the two friends at last said asid,
to each other, ave don't need to drink
we'll just have pleasant time and not touch
the wine"
And steadily they adhered to their decision
until late in the evening, after the stage hac
gone and the wine began to affect the spirit
of the boys, who now began persistently Il
banter the two who were conspicuous by
their repeated refusals to drink.
At last, half shamed by the raillery re
ceived, Clyde and Harry promised to tax,
one small glass each if the boys would thel
go home. The promise was readily giver
and, at wink from Tom, liberal dose o
clear whiskey was poured into each glas
and they were then filled with wine.
The boys, unsuspecting the cheat, dranl
off the contents of the glasses, and then aros
to 90, but, by a sort of combined effort from
all the party, they were detained few min
utes for this and for that, the boys purpos
ing to have some fun at the expense o.
"These temperance fellows, that were SC
afraid OF being drunk"
A queer feeling Of torpor, a being liftet
up into dreamland was creeping over thei
senses, at which their companions winket
and chuckled inwardly, and at last declared
they were thirsty.
Harry who grew merry, called for NOR
wine, but Clyde, naturally quiet AM
thoughtful, grew sullen under the effects o
the mixed liquor, and at first demonstrated
then querulously accused the boys of foolish
ness, then of meanness.
BY this time Harry had swallowed down
two or three glasses, and uproariously in
sisted on Clyde's drinking. At last, thor
oughly angered, he cried, Yes III drinl
another glass, like a fool, and then Harr,
Hereford, you'll 60 home.'
Some of the boys still sober enough TO
mischief, filled the 81 ,ss nearly full o
whisky adding a little sugar and wint
Clyde had never tasted either before, 80 b
took the draught unconsciously, and droI
ping the glass caught Harry by the coat an
endeavored TO force him away. But Harry
wild with the drink, his merry nature seen
ingly turned into foam, he laughed, shoe
off the hand, bantered Clyde, and finally
catching up another glass, cried, "Drinl
drink to the merry god Swear by Bacchus
swear drink !" trying to force the cup t
his lips.
At this the other boys set in and a generi
good-natured scuftle followed, but out {
which half of the boys came with red he
tempers, pulling off OF coats, "squaring off,
and with many stagger, declaring then
selves ready to find their honor" at an
cos, and general melee followed, Iiarr
still sensible enough TO follow close after h
best friend, Clyde. The door was pushe
open, Toms burly weight fell against Clyd
throwing him upon the wide, stone ste
In an instant he gained his footing, struc
out in the half-darkness at the figure net
him, whom he supposed to have struck hin
A moment more and a very white, sob
face leaned over face yet whittier, upturne
in the moonlight. From CHASTITY cut aero
the temple flowed stream of red, red bloc
. and the chilling lips whispered" Clyd
you did not mean TO -" then heavy sig
and Harry Hereford lay dead.
A hush fell on the little group as ClyC