Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-09-15
GaIks aIlO Skeifbfs.
n. DsACsx's BsElns.

s.In uisute, mother,'' and the young
girl bsot saiH lower over the book she was
reading. A footstep sounded upon the
well-beaten yard. and both mother and
daughter started nervously, the latter
slIppipg her book hurriedIy out of sight.
and stsfsiBE toward the stove.
ssIt's only Willie" and Mrs. Heyworth
resumed her patching with sigh Of re-
bei-
The boy Who entered threw himself de-
jscssdly upon the long. bigb-5ack settee.
and borried his face for moment in his
hands, then. starting up, exclaimed:
II might Just ~ well give up first as
last. ! sappoae."
.4Oh, Willie. did father say you couldn't
gos"
II vas the girl who spoke. and her face
famed red and hot as she turned to her
brother
.'Of course he did! might have known
H." - added, In . choked voice: but |
did thiuk that surely he would consent
when be knew how much WANTED 10 go to
college. and how hard tried TO prepare
for ssssring this fall"
Ibid you tell him about it, Willie?"
Yes. but he only said needn't say an
other word; be hal set his foot down
thst hi boys should be farmers. and farm
err ha1 no need of college il only made
them lazy and stuck-up-lazy and stuck
mp! Al III wouldn't work my fingers TO
the bone, and study all night long. if only
-" and bis voice broke away in sob
He was sixteen a great, shy. awkward
boy with promise Of manly beauty on
the smooth face. and broad. white brow :;
. prophecy OF noble manhood in the clear
eyes. the firmly set lips. and well-poised
head.
This was his ambition: to go to college.
70 know the many things that students
know; BY day and by night it had been
his one wild hope. sleeDing or waking,
ever present with him.
II do think it's too bad. and father is
juGe - mean a. be can be don't care ~
she exclaimed defantly. turning deter
minedly away from her mothers admoni-
tory "Maryf Mary! Child" II don't
care! II father wanted US all to hate him
be couldn't try harder than he is doing
all the time TO bring 1t about. There isn't
. day that he doesn't set his foot down,
- be says. to something We all hate and
protest against You know as well as |
do, that II il hadn't been for some things,
'Lis'beth would never have left home, and
Rhe don't mind. there'll be one or two
others missing one Of these mornings"
And having "said her say" she turned
her flashing gray eyes. and flushed. burn
ing face away from them toward the heat
cd oven. where. after giving the nicely
baked bread a vigorous thump and shake.
she deposited II again. instead of upon the
table, a. she should have done.
"Well. grieving won't do my work. y
said the boy, with a ptiiul attempt at
chesrfalnsss. iii just have to quit think
ing about it, that IL ALL" And he walked
slowly away from the honse. and off over
the meadow lot with sad. hopeless air.
that made the mothers heart ache. A
whittier look came over the patient. care
worn face, and the lines about her mouth
settled into tense rigidity as Mrs. Hey
worth's eyes followed her son. Was it
rightf Was it just that her children 5
lives should thus be cramped and mar
rowed down to the standard of one little
soulp
So well she knew her children's troubles
that she could not ut heart blame her
daughter for the sudden outburst that had
lust occurred-there was too much truth
In the girls rapid words. Poor Willie
How hard he had studied. every moment
that he could snatch from work. preparing
himself for sanitation hoping. al
though against hope. to enter college.
How proudly he had exclaimed. dashing
down the books gleefully:
There, mother! there's not an exam
pie In this cannot solve. or proposition
cannot state. and rs far rs these fell
lows" rapidly running over other text
books, "there's not question here I can
not answer. from lid to lid; and now
mother. don't you think perhaps father
will lot me gop"
And then she thought. with SILVER. of
the words Of her restless high-sprited
daughter;
If he don't mind there will be one or
two others missing one Of these morn
ing.:"
one had gone. searching elsewhere for the
freedom to think and act that was denied
ut home. Was it right that all the sun
shine. all the happiness should be crushed
out Of their livese She knew that it was
not. and had not she m equal right to de-
tcrmine upon their future with their
father?
The sunbeams slowly heightened.
creeping up and over her feet. her work
and her folded hands. until they flashed
upon her with sudden blindness.
Come Mary. it's most time for supper.
and father'll soon be in from the field ~
and then she gathered up her work with a
weary sigh.
The deacon 10 kind enough at heart. y
she thought, half spologetically. ''only
he's 20 SET"
For moment she fingered in the door
way, then. turning away. said. hurried
H;-
"The men are coming; you skim the
milk, child. while cut the bread. Where
10 the bread ?" and she glanced inquiring
y from the empty bread-cloth to her
daughter.
'sOh, mother! As live. do believe -
She opened the oven door slowly. and
with the air one might be supposed To
wear going to their execution. The
broad IVES almost in blaze. and blacker
than any hat or any Chloe that ever lived.
This was the climax of misfortune
burnt bread was the deacou's particular
aversion. the eating of which was always
considered by him worthy Of an indeti-
nitely greater patience than the incompar
able Job ever possessed.
Before this new evil all other troubles
- \ IL