Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-04-02

a place in the bank?"
sBut the disgrace, my son Don't
you think of that?'
"Why, all the smartest fellows
get expelled or suspended here. No
fellow of spirit would stick to such a
strict set of rules. You don't under
stand"
O, dreary moonlight, tall, classic
elms, lifting your dark branches
against the sky, gray halls and tow
ers covered with snow, what dreary
picture you make to the tired, disap-
pointed father, as he looks out upon
you! It seems as if the sunshine were
gone from his heart; as if he, too,
were covered with snow.
In his mind he reyolves the beg
ging errand to his brother in the city
the next day with the doubt of sue
cess, for he will give no fattering
account of his son. Sturdy, honest
man.
''For your sake, says the brother,
she shall come and so it happened
that Joshua .Northworth left the col
lege, and went into business in the
city, only few people knew why.
81 don't see how it's" said old
Mrs. Brewster, when she heard of it.
81 thought them Northworths was
a-goin to make a minister of Joshua.
I'm afraid they're gettin' worldly
minded"
Mrs. Northworth was making apple
turnovers. In all Wenamisset no
one could make them as well-just
the right crlspiness outside, just the
juicy, spicy combination inside. 1t
was a bright. clear winter morning,
and Patience, in her little white cap
and apron, fitting to and fro, sang
Antioch with all the peace and
joy of a contented heart. "Let
Heaven and Nature sing rose in
loud, sweet notes, as she opened the
oven to take peep at the browning
treasures within. AS she shut the
oven door, there came a chime of
sleigh-bells, the door opened, and
her husband came in.
"These Baldwin apples have a
spicier flavor this year than ever be-
fore, dear, | wish," she said, looking
up, ''Joshua were going to be here,
to-God be merciful to us, father,
what has happened?"
sCall me father no more, Patience
., Absalom, my son, my son y
SIS he Dead" sobbed Patience,
"our boy? o what has happened?'
He murmured, hoarsely: ''The
paper in--in my pocket"
The anxious mother drew it out,
with trembling hands; her eyes
caught the words s'Bank Defalca-
tion.' GA clerk it said, Every
good family" ''father of high repu-
tation, living near Rocton." That
was it. A mist came before her
eyes, the kitchen seemed to spin
: around her.
And the farmer and his wife sat
alone by their fireside that night.
Somehow, as the shadows danced on
the wall and the freight shone in
their faces, the night twenty years
before came back to their minds.
eve will call him Joshua" The
i paper still lay in the desk-Rev.
Joshua Northworth. A letter lay in
the mothers lap.
DEAR MOTHER: / can call yor
u so, for | know a mother is like Coo
in that she never ceases to remember
n her child, however sinful he may be
4 don't know how did it. l took {
little. There seemed such loads ant
{ loads of it, and / was in debt to {
r, poor woman. If had not foolishl,
5, spent my money, should have hat
,e enough to pay her. l meant to pa,
it back to the bank but l delayed
and now | am awaiting trial. / dit
II wrong. l am sorry, but must wal
g the penalty but, dear mother, an
IS young. You shall not always b
20 ashamed of me. l have been FOOLS
- as well as wicked. / thought th
= Book you loved so well was old
fashioned. l thought church -goin
h was useless. / gave it all up an
lg leaned on myself but, so many Q
70 the fellows in the city feel just th
i same. / don't know whether any
thing less would have brought me t
i my senses. JOSHUA"
ne And their hearts found littl
1o comfort in this. The long-dreade
ny trial ended and he was sentenced t
10 three years Imprisonment. Wor
no went on in sad routine at the farm
OF house. One Christmas had passe
he with the son in prison, another Chris
mas was coming. Patience seemed
hit grow absent-minded. If any Oh
as spoke to her or if she heard al
as sound, she would start. She ate b
nd little and seemed to shun all comp
ats ny. She was silently, resolute
making up her mind to a great effol
lg, She told no one; but she was goil
= to see the governor, to sue for b
s." boys forgiveness. She was sure
the he saw his letters and knew of |
ems good conduct in the prison, he wou
put shorten his sentence. She thoue
her husband would forgive her VIII
at he saw the result. So she went
1t one day, with the letters in her poe
ght ct, after leaving note on the burea
10; saying she had gone on imports
y" business and would soon be bat
ses Jonas drove her over to Rocton, a