The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-09-12
thou, that hes he'd livery thing to come

money only lnOuIb nave 10 ma Inv
own bed and board now, and pay thy own
tailor bills, aud a heap ither bills beside,
Joe and thou knows we'll hev nothing
to help thee wiz"
Joe was fond of Injuries, and this view
of the question had not presented itself
before. Yet it was evident he would leave
his fathers house, and take upon himself
all the cares of life and living. The
thought sobered him considerably. He
looked round his handsome rooms, and
wondered how much it would cost him to
rent Others in any way approaching them
in comfort. Taking into account the
natural hopefulness of youth, Joe did not
spend much happier night than his
father.
They met in the morning with more
ceremony than usual. "Good morning,
sir" was Benjamin's answer to his sons
"Good morning, father" "Take a cup
of coffee, and then we will attend to
business"
The cool, civil greeting hurt Joe far
worse than an angry reproach or An angry
silence. Not once during the meal did he
utter the Young mans name. He was no
longer "Joe;" the substitution of the
word sir " was too marked to escape no
tice. 1t was wretched meal, and soon
over. Then Benjamin said:
"Tak' that bit o. paper to Thornton :;
he'll give thee its value in bank o. Eng.
land bills"
"Thank you, father"
"Eh but thou wad hev been welcomer
to twenty times as much, once; but when
bird finds out as one nest won't do for
it, its rect to maxi itser another. Good
bye, sir"
Father, don't leave me in that way.r
"Dal it, lad the way is good enough
for the occasion Ingratitude and disc.
bedience seems to be rooted i human ma.
ture, and what's bred in us is none easv
to get out. Childer can allays read their
title clear to Everything as takes their
fancy; and things being ordered O. this
fashion, we might as well TAX tull It
at once"
Then he turned his back squarely on
joe's offered hand, and went off to his
mill, the most wretched man in the whole
West Riding that day. Among the clash
and clatter of seven hundred looms he
managed to forget his sorrow, and the
hands gave him plenty of opportuni-
ties for relieving his irritation. But when
the big gates were locked, and the lads
and lssses were strolling off over the moor
in chattering groups, and he was left
alone with the mill keys in his hand, and
the lonely hours before him, an almost
overpowering sense of his desolate old age
came over him.
However. in this trouble, he was at
least sure of Martha Thrale's sympathy ;
| for he knew that she was as much opposed
as himself to any plan which would take
Joe from under her eye and care. But
when he entered the parlor he found
Martha in unusual agitation, her red and
swollen eyes bearing witness to some
hours of weeping.
WHATEVER dost thou think of our ,Joe's
conduct, Martha A.? It's enough to make
thee cry, my lass"
She looked up at him with flashing
eyes, and answered give been thinking
O. thy conduct all day, Benjamin, and Pm
bound to say think thee a goddess, heart.
less old man. Thou may frown, but it's
true. When did thou love aught but
gold? Thou let my poor sister die with
out word of affection, thou vert that
throng VII thy mill. Thou niver did
aught to win thy poor boys love and con-
idence, aud now thou hast as good as
turn'd him into t. street. Don't come to
me for sympathy. Go to thy money.bags
Thou hast sacrificed Everything for them.
If thou doesn't repent thou wilt die wicked
and alone"
"Wilt ia stop; Tll-"
"-Die without kind hand to close
thy greedy old eyes, that hev niver looked
up to heaven, nor bit higher than t. top
O. thy mill chimney. Think of it Thet's
what think O. it-and O. thee, BENJAMIN
Brierley."
"Thou isn't thee ain sell at all, Martha.
What iver's up wi thee ?"
"And when thou dies thoult hev to
leave a. thy brass behind thee, livery penny
O. it leave it a. behind thee, and 90
where money is O. no account at all"
"Im fair capped wi thee, Martha
Hes ia lost thy senses What does ia
want ?"
81 want thee to do summit to bring
back thy only child, before it is past thy
doing"
"Pll not do it-not mel"
"Varry we'll, then; thou wilt hev to
TAX t. consequences"
"Eh, III take them. And thou mind
this now: III not hev his name spoke in
t. house again. And I'll marry again if l
want to aud I'll hev such friendship as
is going-why, hev made 100000
and I've made mysen."
"Sure, thou hes and mean job thou
hest made O. thysen. Thou might hev
done it better when thou was at it. There
is small reason to crack up that bit O. thy
workmanship. And watts 100000 ?
I'll warrant our Joe 'ull maxi more than
that before he's thy age"
"Thou'lt hev to leave my house, if thou
goes on in this-a-way."
"Pm going to leave it. Dost ia think
I'd stop VII thee, and our Joe gone? If
did, wad be disgrace to mysen, and
all as 'ud back me up in it. And thou
can pay me my wages this hour, if ia
likes. for I'm fain to get away"
"Does ia mean that ?"
"For sure do"
"Then get thee ready and 60. I'll
niver bid thee nor any ither body twice.
Amelia E. Barr, in Christian Union.
FC,NN