South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-03-16

0osS *uu SuStt5t SNEtsl5 - = 49,
some seed.
AT noon his father returned, and
seeing the freshly stirred eartil, in
CURED into the matter; then pulled
up the choice roots that had been setl
and tossed them over the fence, be-
cause they would interfere with the
growth Of the grass.
There was really no chance for
Frank Raymond in the home that his
father made so uncomfortable.
The morning dawned "a clear crisp
morning IN October
The trees were throwing down their
brllliaht-hned leaves over the path. ~,
The yard was full of them.
Deacon Raymond ntiiized antunln
leaves BY having them raked up and
mixed With loan for fertiilzing his
land
lfhe had found a spray Of those
gorgeous leaves fastened upon the
cherries walls of his sons room ne.
would have tossed it contemptuously
from the window.
Frank Raymond hung about his
fathers wagon regretfally that morh-
ing.
His heart ached; he. was hungry.
for Kind word. Fit had only been
spoken itwouId have turned the scale,
But at Lust bis father noticed his lol'
terlng. and in his imperative way or
deroI him to go to his work and quit
idiing.
Frank walked OF, and Mr.. Ray
mOnd drove away.
After his father had gone, Frank
fnisaed the task that had been given
him, and then went to the house to
bid his mother goodbye.
His intention was to go to Weston,
a manufacturing town q hundred
miles away.
Mrs, RAJ monl had written a letter
Of introduction to q manufacturer
there, whose wife was her friend,
briefly explaining that her son wan4
ted work, and asking hun, il possible,
10 give him q chance.
a sad afternoon was that to Mrs.
RAYMOND. She had given Frank all
the money she possesaed-a few dol
lars-and he had gone, after tear
Eful parting aud 81 proEnise gwen 1e
EWrite when he had found wosg:
e FRANK Raysuena wal sed sadly bol
doan the road
Once he turned about and loolxss
feariLgly toward the house.
His mother was standing by til;
door; lie waved his hand then dash
ing the tears from his eyes, walked
quickly onward, and was soon out O
sight.
II the infexible laws Of justice were
tempered by geatleness and forbear'
ance, If homes were made as attractive
as are the gilded hauuts Of vice and
crime, our prisons and reformatorg IN
stitutions would be less crowded.
Mrs. Raymond dreaded her hus.
bands return, for she knew how ans
cry he might be, aud thoughtit It might
be righteous Indignation, still he wa:
very human deacon after all, and
the contingency one that he would
not be prepared to meet.
When Deacon Raymond returned
at dusk, and called out in his quick,
impatient way FOR Frank to come and
take the horse, Mrs. Raymond re-
sponded 10 the summons telling him
that Frank had left home.
The deacon looked unutterable
things, and uttered few words that
had better been left unsaid.
'Ungrateful, good for-nothing boy !
he exclaimed, at last, after he had
exhausted all the expletivcs that .
deacon's vocabulary may lawfully
contain, .after all.my toilint, and say.
inc to lay up money for him.
ff d little Of ii had been judicionsly
used instead Of being laid up, his wife
thought the trouble might have been
IaVerted, but she considerably left the
opinion unexpressed.
After that night Deacon Raymond
rarely mentioned Frank lame, bu
he grew more morose, ifposslbIe, than
before. -,
When Christmas Day came, and ile b
and his wife sat down to their bountf
full meal, the deacon did not enter TN m
to the enjoyment Of those comforts
/ with his accustomed zest.
Frank was not there; ne did no
give that reason, however, for his pool
appetite, but guessed he was ge1'ihss
dyspeptic. CO,
Two Christmas seasons mad gohe e
by since Frank Raymond had iell
home.
His mother had heard from him
many times IN tho interim.
Mrs. Leslie, the wife ofErank IS en-
Iployer had written several letters
speakine Of Frank In high terms O
| conmeadation, and telling how much
eonddenee her husband reposcd Y
him