The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-03-03

by REV. T.. A. RAND.

huo u"h"tC VI tht CiucF fTtbs th0t
Would not Turn.
BY REV. T.. A. RAND.
IL stood Ia The corner Of Jerry Null
Inns provi ion store, that hand press,
and at The end Of The handle
Of the crank. operating the press,
stood Hannibal Jones. Day after day,
Jerry poured apples, pickle-sour into
The hopper Of the press; dav after day,
Hannibal kept the handle turning; aud
day after day the cider gurgled down
into the pail catching IL. How many
pals Jerr. did sell!
Every day, though, that The cider
was kept, |. grew more AMI more sour.
Aud 1t was jd.t 50 with Haunibal's
face The longer lie inrned the handle,
the more SOUR he looked. As for Jer-
rvs face, that grew swecter aud sweet
err the larger grew the stream Of money
flo wing back into his drawer, all for ci-
der. The difference was that Jerry's
conscience was tough IS the outside
bark Of an old oak 1t did not feel.
Hannibal's G mscience was tender. He
was a temperance boy, and he hated to
grind those old apples. One day he
stood moiionless as u handsome statue
OF black marble by the side Of the cider
press, and the handle was motionless
alsn.
Whats the mstter2' asked Jerry
Mullins, who loved to hear the sound
OF the cider gnrgling from the press in
to the pail below.
Hannibal was silent as q mummy.
"What's the matter?' shouted Jerry.
at won't turn" answered Hannibal
with O glum look.
"Won't turn?"
"No, sab"
"Stone got anywhere about the wheel
and catches it?'
"No, sah."
"Rusty?"
"No, sah."
"Does 1t need iling?'
"No, no, dis won't turn" and Han.
nibal pointed at his arm very emphst.
icaliy. "My arm amt rusty. It don't
need Hing, and no stone dar."
"Why, what 10 The matterp Your
arm turned away at the grindstone
just now first.rate."
"Something bout dat old cider press
turn"
"Paralyzes itT"
Eyes, sab. People come here, boss,
and buy your cider and say, mo tang
to it. Dey 20 home wild 1t, and keep
it till it hab a tang. Dis berry day,
heard a ca g OBJ o chile dunno his
name who got his hands on q mug Of
cider that had been a-workin' some
time, and he drank ii, and when he be.
gin fur to be uneasy, he was standin Ia
In u Char near the winder, and he gal
an unlucky kick out de winder. And
boss, this arm won't turn any longer"
The hitherto sweet Jerry now looked
sour as the sour, wormy apple be hsi
thrown into the press. He was mad
mad clear down into his boots,-and a
Jerry's legs were long, he was mad {
good deal, and he raised his foot Il
Kick Hannibal.
"Home with ye! And here's some
thing to help take you home," said Jer
ry, raising his boot.
Hannibal was nimble as Q coon In
cornfield, and ho vas out of the storl
In o minute.
II had raider hab q good conshenl
dan all the cider presses In de worldl'
he shouted.
Looking out Of the door, Jerry saw
Hannibal standing OH his hea ], to ex
press his satisfaction at the stand h
had taken on his feet when by the ci
der press.
"Darl my granny told me not I,
stand on my head. Dunno what fur
can do, now / done lost my place. b,
said, inverting himself. Then he wen
to talk the situation over with his be
loved granny, who was an authority Il
all neighborhood matters. He wa
hardly out of sight when q boy cam
running into Jerry's store. Jerry hop
ed that II was o customer, and one VIII
had q favorable interest In the eide
question. He had IN interest, bat no
a favorable one.
"Won't yon-won't you" said tn
boy, all out of breath, s'pleaso come
up Ito your daughters"
ter?"
"Her little Jerry has fallen out Of th
window"
"Out of the window" said Jerry
, grabbing his hat and running sitter th
+, boy.
u Little Jerry was his pet. The hous
Of bis daughter was reached.
! 30 fatherl Jerry went out Of th
! window, and there he Is In bed. Th
d doctor says It will be some time befor
he Is WELL"
How did Il happenr'
"Ho-he-d drank ome cider and
made him unsteady"
J. "Where did he get it?"
nSnma vnu amt mn hopo anA a. 1<