Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-02-17

crafty his leisure hours.
No carpet on the floor, "boys did
not need such things" be told his
wife. when she ventured Il plea for a
carpet and a few pictures to make
the room more comfortable.
Frank had passionate love for
the beautiful in nature and art-a
love that had been dwarfed in all his
life.
Mrs. Raymond was very fond of
flowers. A neighbor kindly offered
cuttings from her yard, and one fine
spring morning, when the Deacon
had started for town, Frank set to
work in high spirits. He spaded and
laid out some flower beds in the big
front yard, set out his roots and cut
tings and sowed some seed.
AT noon his father returned, and
seeing the freshly stirred earth, in
quired into the matter then pulled
up the choice roots that had been
set and tossed them over the fence,
because they would interfere with
the growth of the grass.
There was really no chance for
Frank in the house that his father
made so uncomfortable.
The morning dawned, clear, crisp
morning in October.
The trees were throwing down
their brilliant hued leaves over the
path. The yard was full of them.
The Deacon utilized autumn leaves
by having them raked up and mixed
with loan for fertilizing his land.
If he had found spray of those
gorgeous leaves fastened upon the
cherries walls of his sons room he
would have tossed it contemptuOus.
ly from the window.
Frank hung about his fathers
wagon regretfully that morning his
heart ached, for he was hungry for
kind word. If it had only been said
the scales would have been turned.
But at last his father noticed his way
of lettering, and in his imperative
manner, ordered him to 60 to his
work and quit idling. Frank walk
ed off, and the Deacon drove away.
After his father had gone, Frank
finished the tasks that had been CIV
en- him, and then went to the house
to bid his mother goodbye. He in
tended to go to Weston, manufac-
turing town hundred miles away.
Mrs. Raymond had written a lets
ter of introduction to a manufac-
turer there, whose wife was friend,
briefly explaining that her son want.
ed work, and asking him, if possible
to give him chance.
A sad afternoon was that to Mrs.
Raymond. She had given Frank all
the money she possessed few dol
lars-and he had gone, after tear
full parting and promise given to
write when he had found work.
Frank Raymond walked sadly but
resoluteIy down the road. Once he
turned about and looked yearningly
toward the house. His mother was
standing by the door he waved his
hand, then dashing the tear from his
eyes, walked quickly onward and
was soon out of sight.
Ii the inflexible laws of justice
were tempered by geEtleness and
forbearance, if homes were made as
attractive as are the gilded haunts
of vice and crime, our prisons and
reformatory institutions would be
less crowded.
Mrs. Raymond dreaded her hus-
bands return, for she knew how an
CRY he might and though it might
be a righteous indignation, still he
was a 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 Els quick,
impatient way for Frank to come
and take the horse, Mrs. Raymond
responded to the summons, telling
him that Frank had left home.
The deacon looked unutterable
things, and uttered few words that
had better been left unsaid.
~ grateful, good-for-nothing
boy" he said "after all my toiling
and saving to lay up money for him."