Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-06-14

No, not at all; | can't get chance tn
70 to work"
,Ay, but that's bad! You see Steve, it
gotten out why Hsnworth sacked thee
Have you tried old Mr. Wilson? He OF
thy own way of thinking"
"Ay. and | should have got job, may
"; but they've not work enough for their
old hands"
I'm sorry for you. Steve. I've wished
many time since I'd been man enough
I've been fair miserable. and I've thought
such sight of thee. I've thought to my
sen to-day, directly I've got washed III
go and see Steve"
"Iiave you been working every Sunday
sin P"
"Av, that we hev; and now. whenever
1t suits flanworth, we shall have to do it
az lin. lie comes down for an hour in
afternoon, looking so clean, and with
flower in his coat. II fair rouses me.
But what is chap to do'"
''Obcy God rather than man." Stephen
said the words sadly, and as though
speaking to himself.
"Ah, it's we'll enough for thee," Aaron
began, and then he stopped suddenly, for
be caught sight of Mary's face, and her
eyes were full of tears. She rose hastily,
and began nervously moving about.
Stephen looked up also.
"Youll stop, Aaron, and have cup OF
tea with us9 We can yet afford to give a
friend that"
"Yes, do, Aaron" echoed Mary. "Here
Steve, hold baby. will you? while l get
it ready"
Stephen took the little creature carefully
he was not SO much used to holding
babes-in his arms; but he had hardly
received his little daughter when she set
up pitiful cry. He rocked himself back
ward and forwards, holding the baby
closely to him, and trying to hush it; but
in vain; the more he rocked the more she
cried.
Mary, who had gone into the cellar to
fetch the bread, ran hastily up.
"What ever's the matter" said Stephen,
turning helplessly towards his wife. ~
never heard it go on like this afore."
you've run pin into It! Here. give
me hold of her; I'll soon put it straight" !"
The baby ceased to cry and remained
quite happy on her fathers knees till the
poor meal was spread. Then, though
Mary and Aaron talked cheerfully together
Stephen became quite silent, and when
tea was over, they drew their chairs
around the hearth, his thoughtful gaze
turned to his little child. peacefully slum-
bering In her wooden cradle, and he
became absorbed apparently in contem-
plating her small face. Suddenly he ex-
claimed:
"Yes, that's how it could be done"
"What done?"
"Why, know how l could make pin
that wouldn't hurt"
Then do it" cried Aaron. Lots of &
women folks would buy them; sy! and
men. too, for naught drives man out of
himsen like crying BARN"
"But l can It do it.'
"For whyp"
Because our moneys done, and we've
naught even to buy pin.wire.
Here, lend thee. Will ten shillings
fit thee?"
"Ay, five shillings will. and plenty too
and thank you, mate"
Nay, take ten shllings; you're kindly
welcome
After that a cloud seemed lifted from
the party, and when Aaron left at O'clock
after again partakng Of bread and cheese
he thought, as he strolled home, he had
seldom spent so happy an evening and
found himself wishing he had wife, too,
and home of mis- own.
The early dawn was hardly flushing the
sky above the crowded roofs when Stephen
the next day awoke, and he was tho earli.
est customer the WRESTLER had that
morning.
Very diligently and happy he worked
ing at intervals; and before dinner time
he called her.
"Wife, come hither; here are some pins
finished. You must have the first, my
jov."
And he held out before her half hand
ful of the now universally known "safety
pins"
"Will they doP' Stephen added rather
anxiously.
She looked at them, this first Judge of
his invention. examining them minutely
and then cried
"Dop Yes, grandly" She hastily laid
them down and turned to the cradle, and,
without any apparent reason picked up
therefrom the baby. covering its tiny face
with kisses. my little BARN, my lamb
| sadly feared for thee; but father can keep
US both now" And the mother burst into
tears
"Why, Mary, what hast thou been think.
ing oi?'
"That | must get mother to take the
little one, and 90 back to service till times
are mended."
81 thought wife we promised for better
or worse. We must always stick to-
gether."
She looked pitifully into his kind face.
but Steve, soon there would have been
no other way, though it would have been
the very ,COrst that could have come. We
are bound TO be honest thou knows, lad
THANK Godn' reverently responded hel
husband, che has not let US be tried above
what we could stand. As long as ,he
spares thee, everything else can abide te
loss
But henceforward it was no tale of loss
that their lives told. Two days later with
a workbox of his wife's filed with various
sizes Of the new pin, Stephen sailed forth
: and visited some of the largest drapers
, stores in the town. lie returned within
two hours with handful of silver and an
empty box, and set to work making more
: and although Aaron joined him the follow
I ing week, the demand could not DO met.
Safely pins became the rage, anC
: Stephen soon had no difficulty in obtain
: ing money to patent his invention, nor in
! opening small mandatory, which
presently grew to such large dimensions
that Aaron finds the salary he receives a
! manager a very comfortable provision in
= a deed for the wife and child he has nov
: the honor of supporting,
Stephen is able now to surround hil
Mary with every indulgence even hi
I warm love can wish to supply her with
v and perhaps the reason why he remain
so unassuming and humble a man though
i now rich ono, is found in the fact tha
;, he actually feels all bis prosperity ha
q come to him-a most unexpected gift
from following resolutely the will Of God
+ 1t WAS because ho was at his wits end 70
+ bread that he WAS led to think out and fin,
!, what proved to be a blessing both to him