The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-09-08

Under such circumstances he mich
have found his work in the orderin
and investigating of his wife's laro
estate, but Elizabeth was far too eau
tious to trust her business to untrie,
hands. Her fathers agent was he
agent; her banker managed all her in
vestments; her parks and farms an,
gardens were all under the care of Oh,
and experienced servants, who locke,
upon Steve merely as "Missie's hus
band.
In the second year of his marriage h,
began 10 have some thoughts which
would have astonished his wife. coult
she have thought it worth while to in
quire what occupied his mind in th,
long hours when he paced the shrub
berry, or sat silently looking out of The
window But Steve was now ready fol
any employment that would take hin
out of the purpOseless dependent life
which he had so foolishly chosen foI
himself
One day greatly to his surprise Eliza
| beth said to him:
''Steve, [ have a letter from cousin
of mothers who lives in Glasgow. She
is going to Australia and wants me to
buy her house. She says it is a great
bargain, and | wrote a letter to Barrett
to 90 and see about it. | have a letter
this morning saying he is too i'll to leave
his bed. | wonder if you would go to
attend to it ?"
Anything for a change. Steve showed
a very proper business-like interest,
and said:
"Yes, I would be very glad to GO"
Every we'll 1 should think YOU
knew enough of titles and deeds and
conveyancing and all that sort of thing
[ will trust the affair to you, Steve"
So the next morning Steve found him
self on the Caledonia line, with 9100
in his pocket and valuable business
on hand The first twenty miles out
of Leeds he enjoyed with all the aband-
on of bird set free. Then he began
to think again. At Crewe he missed a
train, and he wandered about the sta
ton, and fell in talking with the engi-
neer of the next one, who was cleaning
and examining the engine with all the
love and pride a mother gives her ia
vorite child.
The two men fraternized at once, and
Steve made q trip ever the Caledonia
line in the engineers small cuddy. He
was fine young fellow, "one Of sew
en-, ''all machinists and engineers he
was only serving his time, learning
every branch of the business practical
ly; he had brothers who made engines.
and he hoped to do so some time
In spite of his soiled face and oily
clothes, Steve recognized that refine
ment that comes with education; and
when his new friend called upon him at
the Queens hotel he would not be |
ashamed of his appearance even in the
most fastidious days.
"Mr. Dalrymple, | am glad to see
you" said Steve, holding out both
hands to him.
moi often that make mistakes in my
likings. | will go with you now to see
my fathers works, if it suits you
Never had such a place entered Ste
phen Gaskills conception; the immense
furnaces, the hundreds of giants work
ing around them, the clang Of machin-
cry, the mighty struggle of mind with
matter, of intellect over the revelation.
He envied those cyclops in their leathern
masks and aprons he longed TO lift
their heavy hammers. He looked upon
the craftsmen with their bare, brawny
arms and blackencd hands, and felt his
heart glow with admiration when he
saw the mighty works those hapds had
fashioned. The tears were in his eyes
when DalrYmple and he parted at the
great walled In yard.
"Thank you," he said, ''you have
done me the greatest possible service; |
shall remember it."
That night Steve feersmed strange
out noble resolution. First OF all he
devoted himself TO his wife1s business,
aud accomplished it in a manner which
ELECTED Mr.. Barretts warm praise and
made Elizabeth wonder whether she
might not spare her agents fees for the
future. Then he had long cOntiden
tial talk with the owner of the Dali
rvmple iron and machine works, the re-
suit of which was the following letter
10 Mrs. Gaskill,
Ny DEAR WIFE, shall not be at home
again for at least two years, for | have be-
gun an apprenticeship - Dalrympe as an
L I
l have lived too long upon
your bounty, for | have lost your esteem as
we'll as my own, and | do not say but that
have deserved the loss. Please God
will redeem my wasted past, and with His
help make a man of myself When | am
worthy to be your husband you will respect
me- and until then think as kindly as posi-
BILE of STEPHEN GAsKILL.
The letter struck the first ncl1e chord
in Elizahelh' heart. From that hour
not even her favorite maid dared to
make little compassionate sneers at
poor master"
Steve, in leather apron and coarse
clothes, began laborious, happy
lays, which brought him nights OF
sweetest sleep. and Elizabeth began a
series If letters to her husband which
probably grew more imbued with the
Lenderest interest and respect. In
few weeks she visited him of her own
free will, and purposely going to the
works she saw her halfbani2hed lord
a ponderCus hammer upon a
lar of white hot iron.
Swarthy, bare armed, clothed in leath-
n, he had never looked so handsome in
Elizaheth's eyes, and her eyes revealed
his fact to Steve, for in them was the
ender light of love founded upon genu-
ne respect Steve deserved it. He ,
wrought faithfully out his two years
ervice, cheered by his wife's letters
md visits, and when he came out of the .
works there was no more
nished ironmaster than he
He held his head up frankly now, and +
ooked fortune boldly in the face he
ould earn his living anywhere, and {
etter than all, he had conquered his ,
1ife-won her esteem, and compelled
er to acknowledge physical strength
nd moral purpose greater than her !
wn.
Between Leeds and Braithwaite hall :
here have been for many years gigao .
&c iron works The mills and railways :,
n the West Riding, know them well :
heir word is for its excellence, for the
laster Is a practical maehinist and