The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-06-08
CHAPTER III.
WHAT HE FOUND THERE.


ened old parish church, none carried ;
heavier heart than the working mar
who knelt with bowed head and pas
sionately clasped hands in the shadow
of the farthest pillar.
Stephen was sitting silently by The
fire that afternoon, and Mary, singing
a hymn, was trying to'quiet the chile
to sleep as she rocked it to and fro il
her arms. when the door opened anG
Aaron came in.
"Well, old chap, are you getting Oh
middling?''
mo, not at all; | can't get chance
to go to work.
''Ay, but that's bad! You see
Steve, it's gotten out why Hanworth
sacked thee. Have you tried old Mr.
Wilson? He's of thy own way OF
thinking"
GAY, and | should have got job
maybe; but they've not work for their
own old hands,
I'm sorry for you, Steve: I've
wished many time since I'd been
man enough to do t same. All these
three Sundays I've been fair miserable,
and I've thought such a sight Of thee.
[ thought to mysen to-day, directly
I've got washed I'll go on and see
Steve"
Have you been working every Sun
day sin'?"
ever it suits Hanworth, we shall have
to do it again. He comes down for
an hour in t afternoon, looking SO
clean, and with flower in his coat.
It fair rouses me- But what is chap
to do?" :.
"Obev God. rather than man" j"
Stephen said the words sadly, and as
though speaking to himself. =.
"Ah. it's we'll enough for thee y
Aaron began, and then he stopped
suddenly, for he caught sight Of Ma. !,
rvs face, and her eyes were full OF
tears. She rose hastily, and began
nervously moving about. Stephen
looked up also.
You'll stop, Aaron, and have a cup
of tea with us? We can yet afford to
give friend that.
"Yes. do, Aaron" echoed Mary:
Here, Steve, hold baby, will you?
while | get it ready"
Stephen took the little creature
efdlly-he was not much used to
holding babies-in his arms; but he
had hardly received his little daughter
when she set up pitiful cry. He
rocked himself backwards and for
wards, 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 Ste
phen, turning helplessly towards his
wife. II 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 re-
mained quite happy on her father
knees till the poor meal was spread.
Then, though Mary and Aaron talked
cheerfully together, Stephen became
quite silent, and when tea was over,
and they drew their chairs around the
hearth. his thoughtful gaze turned to
his little child, peacefully slumbering
in her wooden cradle, and he became
absorbed apparently in contemplating
her small face. Suddenly he exclaim-
ed,v.v 4st, ,o,, = oou,a ha dome ,,
"What done?"
"Why, I know how [ could make a
pin that would't hurt"
''Then do it, lad," cried Aaron.
Lots of t women folk would buy
them; ay! and men too, for naught
drives a man out of himsen like cry
ing barn
"But I can't do it"
''For why?"
because our moneys done, and
we've naught even to buy pin-wire.
"Here, l lend thee it. Will ten
shillings fit thee?'
SAY, five shillings will and plenty
too: and thank you, mate"
NAY, take ten shillings; you're
kindly welcome
After that a cloud seemed lifted
from the party, and when Aaron left
at nine o'clock, after again partaking
Of bread and cheese, he thought, as he
strolled home, he had seldom spent sc
happy an evening, and found himselt
wishing he had wife too, and home
Of his own.
The early dawn was hardly flushing
the sky above the crowded roofs wher
Stephen the next day awoke, and h
was the earliest customer the wire
seller had that morning.
Very diligently and happily h
worked. Mary even heard him whis
tling and singing at intervals; and be
fore dinner-time he called her.
"Wife, come hither; here are SOM
pins finished. You must have tn
first, my joy"
And he held out towards her half
handful of the now universally know
''safety pins"
"Will they do?" Stephen adde
rather anxiously.
She looked at them, this first iudg
of his invention, examining them mi
nutely. and then cried,-
"Do? Yes, grandlym She hastil
laid them down and turned to the crs
die, and without any apparent reaso
picked up therefrom the baby, cover
ing it's tiny face with kisses. IN
little barn, my lamb! | sadly feare
!. for thee: but father can keep us bot
now" And the mother burst int
Is tears.
"Why, Mary, what hast thou bee
thinking of?"
:. "That l must get mother to tai
the little one, and go back to servi'
of till times mended."
&c sJ thouuht wife we promised II