The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-12-29
A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION.
Which is Worthy of Record Because it
Was Kept.
Bl WM. LUNTON.


The cphemeral existence OF New
Years resolutions is proyerbial. though,
not TO be wondered at. The sincerity
which would postpone until Il red letter
day the commencement of new de-
parturc in the line of virtue cannot be
very deep-seatcd.
Nevertheless, far be it from me to
discountenance the habit OF swearing
OFF, on the lst of January. Even if the
diary brought to record the abiuration
Of anything stronger than cider on
the first day OF the year contains the
memorandum Of Il ''hung up whisky
straight on the fourth. good alone has
resulted, and those three days in which
the diary's owner was on the straight
path will stand ont rs boldly in his
recollection rs does the memory Of
George A. W. Stuart in the mind of the
Brooklyn parent as he hands over Il
ten dollar bill for new school books for
his children.
But it is not my intention 10 cite in
stances in support of the proVerb hint
ed at above What | wish to record is
uu,abir exception 10 the ple-crust
nature Of New Years vows though |
am reminded Of the old saw in relation
to the royal support given TO any rule
by the exception TO ii.
The name of my hero is Arthur Boil
ton. AT the age OF twenty, when | first
knew him, Arthur was, and had been
Tor two years, II full-iicdgcd Journey
man in the immense clocK-makiug es-
adjustment of Slick Bros, on + -
street New York City. He had enter
ed this establishment at the age OF four
teen. for his parents were very poor,
his father IN invalid, 'and his mother
had all she could do by working at
vest-making to add suilicien, 70 the
pension the father received to make
both ends meet.
Fired with ambition to make happy
the declining years Of his parents, Ar
thur had applied himself with such
carnestness to his trade that on his
eighteenth birthday he was uneXcclled
rs workman, and Mr. Charles, the
senior member of the firm. had called
him into the private Office, wished him
presented him with check for 800,
and told him that hcnocforth his wages
would be those OF Il Jour.
My readers may easily imagine the
happiness that now reigncd in the Boil
ton family. The very best medical aid
was obtained for the father, and his
suilerings were greatly lessencd; no
more did the mother burn "lhc mid
night oil at ycst-making; comfortable
furniture and roomy quarters replaced
the carpctlcsS and crampcd apart
ments. Everything that love could
suggest did Arthur to s6lacc the old
age of his beloved parents.
But powerful though love undoubted-
ly is, il cannot withstand the attack of
sorrow; and Arthur, within six months
of his good fortune, was called upon to
mourn the death OF, not one, but both
of his parents His fathers sickness,
contracted in the army, had developed
alarmingly aud. despite the utmost
care and best attendance, the old gen
tleman had passed away, to be follow
ed by his faithful wife but two DAYS
later, from an attack of pneumonia.
aggravated by the sleepless nights she
had passed by her husbands bedside
l am particularly grievcd to have had
10 record the events above related, but.
had they not TRANSFERRED. my story
would have never been written.
For months after his bereavement
Arthur went his way as If rapt in him
self True, he attended to his work as
well as he ever did; but no longer did
he occasionally break the monotony of
the work room with snatch from one
OF the songs Of the day; no longer was
he celebrated for his innocent practical
jokes; no longer was Arthur Bolton
1.-THE life of the clock factory"
Ever since the day Arthur entered
the employ Of Slick Brothers he had
been the alter ego of Jack Swift, some
three years his senior, and now, next
TO Arthur, the best workman i'm the
shop. And Jack was grievcd beyond
expression ut his friends grief; and,
fearing If longer INDUCED in, it would
have serious consequences. he determ-
ined to draw Arthur from his shell of
woe.
Now Jack was the most convivial
sort of fellow; and, excellent workman
though he was. his employers frequent
w shook their heads when his old faith