Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-03-28
AN ENRAGED FATHER,

Il tell thee now. Richard. that thee u
never get a cent of my money If thee
keeps on with this devils work
The speaker WAS Friend Joseph H,T-
lis. and he held at arms length a SINAI
picture in water co.ors. the features Vi
which were hardy discernible in tl.e
gloom Of the winter morning. Friend
Joseph Lad been at ;hs barn rs was his
custom. t.. fodder the cattle and iced the
horses before breakfast. and had discov-
cred this humble bi. Of art in a nook in
the granary lie did not have 10 BE- told
that il was his son Richards work.
whose inclination 10 such ungodiy pur-
suits had been the distress of his parents
lives.
Full Of suppressed wrath Joseph burst
into the kitchen where The family were
waiting breakfast. and without preface
addressed his son with the threat viii, b
De considered the most dreadful he could
use-that Of disinherj.ance. IL meaut
something. too. for in spite Of his plain
surroundings. Joseph Harris owned
nearly two hundred acres of land worth
easily hundred and fifty dollars an
acre. and Lis visits 10 the county tow n
on thc first Of Apri. 81 each year were
not 70 pay interest but 10 receive il. A
tai. straight figure, he was nearing sixty
years Of age. but Us vigorous rs youth.
with quick motions and sharp black
eyes. Indicating violent nature chained
FOR lie by the stric. discipline OF the
Society of Friends.
Ills son Richard. now turned OF
twenty-two. was OF a different mold.
si1r; and stoutly built.
The moment his father entered the
kitchen Richard Tel, that his secret labor
had been discovered. but his anxiety
wss more for il than for himself. He
rarely dared face his fathers anger. for
Joseph Harris. ike many Of his sex.
made ~ la severity at horne for the
smooth and pasSionless exterior he main
tanned abroad.
viii tLee give it 10 me. father:" said
Richard advancing toward the out
stretched hand which held the sketch
while the hands owner contemplated il
with unspeak.b.e disgust.
lie had painted two studies OF little
piece of meadow, snatching the tine on
First days and Fifth days. when hi-
father and mother were at meeting. AM
he and Mo-e Riddle, the eolOred mss,
were ief- to look after the stock. Oh'
copy he had sent on a venture 10 com
mission house in New York. the sthei
he had hidden in the barn
Ii had acquired KIND OF sanstity &c
bin, and each tree had become symbo
.,. ,onle rebuff Ct 'prger he was iated u
encounter In his future life. He had
moreover. described it to Sibbil!a Yer
non and had promised this sole confi
dante Of his aspirations that he woult
bring it over sometime and let her So
il. But Sibbiila lived two miles away
and as her parents were also strids mem
bsrs Of meeting. who regarded ever,
work of art as profanity, this would hav'
10 be managed with due caution
Richards first impulse. therefore. Wa
10 secure the picture. But his fsthe
had 4 double cause OF displeasure an,
his anger was deep. He had agreed Il
give Richard fourth share in the profit
of the farm this year, and not only wa
this painting business an ungodiy smuse
ment, but also a waste of precious tim
and loss of money. II must be stop
ped.
"Pll put it where il deserves 10 90
and where thee will follow unless the
turns thy steps from the world and 1t
iollies. But the fire that thou wilt NEE