St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-06-10
A Romance Of Labor.

tening to the rebelliOus words of
young man, who could not see his fa
ther's wisdom i'll desiring him to learl
a trade.
sit will make common man of me
father" he said querulously II shal
he as dirty as a blacksmith. and hav,
hands like a coal HEAVIER"
'And, if you think, Fred, that wear
ing fine clothes and having white hand.
makes You a gentleman, let me tel
you, sir, you are Il very common MAJ
to begin with. A good trade might
hel lp you to truer notions of gentleman.
hood"
Then | looked at the handsome fel-
lOw-for he was handsOme-an
thought just now of Steve Gaskill
Steve has made his mark now, but
many years ago | heard just such 4
talk between him and old Josiah Gas
kill, relative to the young man learn
ing his fathers trade, of Il wOOdstainer
sit is a dirty business, father said
the splendid Steve, in full evening
dress, "and hate the smell of oil. and
the sight of those men in blue linen
blouses. l hope | shall do something
btlitI IoT MY sell UIldll Ill;lU.
every well, lad, what is it thou'd
fain to be ?"
"A lawyer, father"
"They're naught but a lazy, quarrel
some set, but thou shall not say | even
stood in thy gate. Be a lawyer, lad
I'll speak to Denham tomorrow about
thee"
So young Steve was articled to Den
ham n DOwness, to study law, espc-
cially cOnveyancing. He was an only
son, but had three sisters, and over
them and his mother he exercised SUI
preme influence.
Whatever Steve did was right, what
ever he said was beyond dispute. Even
old Joshua with all his sound sense,
was, in spite of himself, swayed by the
acknowledgements of Steve's
He would not have ad-
viscd his son to be lawyer, but see
ing that Steve was not afraid of being
one, he was rather proud of the lads
pluck: and ambition.
1t cost them deal. Steve's tastes
were expensive, and he fell naturally
among class of men who led him in
to many cNtravaganccs. There were
occasionally awkward scenes, but Steve.
supported by his mother and sisters,
always cleared every scrape, and final
ly satisfied the family pride in being
regularly admitted upon the roll of her
Maiesty's attorneys.
In the meantime his father had been
daily failing in health soon after this
he died. Most of his savings had been
secured for the benefit of the helpless
women of the Gaskill family, and
Steve now found himself with IL pro-
fession and thousand pounds to give
himself Il fair start i'll it. People said
old Gaskill had acted very wisely, and
Steve had sense enough to acquicscc
in public opinion. He knew, too, that
as long as his mother or sisters had Il
shilling they would share with him.
So he hopefully opened an Office in
his native town of Leeds, and waited
for clients. But Yorkshire men are
prOverbially cautious; good naturcd,
fashionably dressed young lawyer was
not their ideal. Steve could not look
crafty and wise under any circumstan-
ces, and that first year he did not make
enough to pay his rent.
Nevertheless he did not in any way
curtlil his expenses and when the
summer holidays arrived he went as
usual to Il fashionable watering place.
1t happened that year he saw the debut
of Miss Elizabeth Braithwaitc, il great
heircSs, and Il very handsome girl.
Steve was attracted by her beauty, and
her great wealth was no drawback in
his eye. In short time he perceived
that Miss Braithwaite favored him
above all other pretenders to her hand,
and he began to consider the advan-
tage of a rich wife.
His profession hitherto had been Il
failure his one thousand pounds were
nearly spent; his three sisters were all
on the point of marriage, condition
which might seriously modify their
sisterly instincts and his mothers
annual income would not support him
IL mOnth-would it not he the best plan
to accept the good fortune so evidently
within his reach
Elizabeth was handsome and inclined
to favor him, and though she had the
reputation of being both authoritative
in temper and economical in money
matters, he did not doubt that she
would finally acknowledge his power
as completely us his mother and sisters.
So he set himself to win Miss Braith
waite, and before the coming of Christ
mas they were married.
True, he had been compelled to give
up IL great deal more than he liked,
but he promised himself plenty of post
marital cOmpensatiOns. Elizabeth in
sisted on keeping her own house, and
Steve had really no house to offer her
he must needs go to Braithwaite Hall
as the husband of its proprietress. She
insisted upon his removing his Office Ia
Braithwaite, Il small village offering
none of the advantages for killing time
which Il large city like Leeds did and
she had all her money scrupulously set
tied upon herself for her own use and
under her own control.
Steve felt very much as though his
wife had bought him, but for a little,
the eclat of marrying great heiress,
the bridal festivities and foreign travel
compensated for the loss of his freedom
But when they returned to Braith-
waite, life showed him far more pro-
sale side. Mrs. Gaskill's economical
disposition became particularly often
sive to Steve. She inquired closely
into his business and did not scruple to
make unpleasant witty remarks about
his income. She rapidly developed toe
an authoritive disposition, against
which Steve more and more rebelled
The young couple were soon very m-
happy.
The truth was that a great transition
was taking place in Steve's mind, anC
times of variation are always times %
unrest and misery. The better part o
his nature was beginning to claim {
hearing. He had seen now all thai
good society could show him; he hat
tasted of all pleasures money can buy