Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-05-27

through long while, he lived rather
an odd, unnatural life for boy, per-
haps. Boys who fight their own way in
the world frequently do, in fact, live
odd lives. Watching up there in the
unlit tower by night. he conjured many
n strange fancy in his young brain that
the old bell-ringer little dreamed of.
Then he stole home in the first light of
the morning, TO sleep; and next TO
busy himself with passion that for the
time drove all else out of his mind.
Few ever saw him going up or coming
down the dark, rickety stairs of the old
tenement house; nor did the motley,
gossiping little community it contained
know much about him or the sad, lonely
widow who kept herself aloof in the
small, neat rooms on the top floor.
They had enjoyed more prosperous
days once. Back in the past there had
been a pleasant home in quiet village,
that Philips mother liked TO think
about; and sometimes in the long even
ings, when she was alone, she cried q
little over her recollections. But Philip,
watching in the tower, did not know it.
keep up a good heart, my boy"
she said, occasionally, hiding her own
misery. "Some day it will all change,
perhaps. shall get stronger and be
able to do more work for the shops, and
then you shall go to school. It's all
very wrong now, very wrong, but"
"Ncver mind mo, mother" Philip
always answered, interrupting her. at
is you who need more than l do, and it
is not wrong for me to work the best /
can to help YOU"
The poor. sick woman used to see her
boys eyes fill with tears and his features
become hard and set Once, too, after
looking at her tremulously moment,
he put his arms on the table before him
and gave up to his feelings. "Oh! if
God would only help me to take you
away from herep' he said. Afterward,
shut up alone in his room, he walked
the floor, thinking about her. He knew
that she was growing thinner and paler
every day; that she ought not to sew
from morning until night; and that
much of the time she went without
medicine she needed and other neces-
stiles in order to provide him little
delicacies. Was there not something
he could do to earn more money than
he did by watching with the old bell.
u5htu IllloCll ONCl anu ONCl
again. But there was no one to help
him. He must depend on himself and
wait.
He opened an old trunk in one cor
ner of the room, and drew out from un-
der some cast-of clothing n small piece
of sculpture in clay-a partly finished
head and bust of his father, as an old
daguerreotype represented him. Itwas
what he had been dreaming over aud
working on in secret, the one thing Out
of which he got the greatest pleasure
and happiness. And some day!-yes
his mother was looking forward to 9
future day, and so was he. "Find out
what you can do best, lad," an ole
teacher had said to him once, "ant
then do it with all your might" This
was what he could do. He felt so sure
of it that it never occurred to him tc
doubt it.
A month later, one afternoon wher
Philip was walking along great street
of the city and looking into the store
windows, he happened to stop before
one where two men were at work carv
ing small portraits, or canoes, in lava
for the large, fiat bosom-pins that Ia
dies then wore. Lying in front of then
] were pictures, which they were repro
ducing in the same manner rs he hat
the bust of his father; but, as they only
cut profile face, their work did no
appear nearly so difficult In fact, VIII,
could not he try thisP He watched
them moment more, then walked
away; then returned, to look again
Finally he went home, smuggled th
bust out of his room, and came back
He would muster sufficient courage, a
all events, to show them what he hat
done, and ask for employment. If the
laughed ut him! Desperately in mind
however, of the need his mother and h
had of money, he did not hesitate t.
consider; but opened the doorand wen
in.
A pleasant old gentleman in the rea
of the store proved to be the propril
tor; and, after adjusting q large pal
of speotacles. and comparing the bus
with the daguerreotype it represented
he said, kindly:
"Yes, yes; very well done, indeed
And you did it all yourself, you sayp'
Yes, sir" Philip answered, catch
ing CLEAN of hope from the old ger
tteman cOuntenance.
Really-indeed! Mr.. Joyce, wi
YOU step here?' he said, addressin
one of the men busy at the window.
The man came, and looked curiousl
at both Philip and his work. The bul
showed that the boy had great talen
the real artistic instinct, he though
but it was crude. He needed instru,
tion.
"You ought to study in one of tt
evening art schools, lad" he said.
Philip explained that he could no
He hoped to do so some time, when /
obtained different employment.
: The old gentleman examined IL
, bust again, took off his spectacles an
. rubbed them with colored silk han,
kerchief, then stroked his beard q M
, ment thoughtfully.
, "Come in tomorrow, lad," he sal,
81 think / can help you"
1t had been a long while since Phil
: words gave him. He walked hon
, bright with pleasant anticipations. A
, through the night, too. he never let u
old gentleman. his little store, or II
, work he hoped to obtain slip out OF h
mind. 1t seemed such long, Ion
, time he had been waiting for SOM
thing to happen in his favor. Shut u
l there in the tower every night, sleepir
, days, never having any change-ho
, could he ever bridge the gull that ID
! between him and the world of
) drcamsP "Its an uncommon yea
Y though, my lad," Mr.. Trexler had sal
: "that doesn't bring It's comforts as we
. as its trials"
A couple OF years afterward. when
a had all passed, and the watching in ii
s tower, together with great deal
, hard work for the old gentleman, WI
4 completed and left behind, Philip cou
Y look back and understand that it w
4 out OF these longings, dreams al
r struggles with poverty he had got mu'
n of his power. In the school to whit
/. he had been admitted many of his q
: sociates could copy from models wi
d rare skill; but they did not seem to
Q enough in. earnest, sufficiently lost
y any work of their own, to give it a pa