Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-10-24
THE BAR OF GOLD.

LOOK Ned! LOOK now. It's like
them curlecue things on Mrs Jones wall,
amt it?"
$50 it's, said Ned, looking over his
sisters shoulder. "Nell can do any
thing"
This amt so good," said Nell, mod
cstly. 81 wish | could do anything,
Ned I'd paint nice lot Of flowers to
hang over your bed"
"Do, Nell " Jim exclaimed.
eyes, make that for us, Nell," Ned
added, as he looked admiringly upon the
drawing on the table. At that instant
the little group around the table were 81
fenced by womans voice.
IF were your father I'd take them
notions out of you mighty quick, miss ="
The girl looked up, turning fright
ened face to the speaker. Her lips trem-
bled, but she mastered her emotions as
she replied:
81 washed the dishes, ma, and swept
the kitchen"
"After | told you q dozen times or
more. Why don't you hunt up your
clothes and sew the buttons on them, in
stead of putting all the work on me2''
'1'll mend them, ma. didn't think
it was any harm to learn to draw and
paint little"
"Learn to paint What does a colt like
you know about drawing2 It's down
right laziness, and Pm going to see if
your fathers going to encourage it, when
you ought to learn to make your own
clothes. When l was old as YOU
The supposed head of the house entering
at that moment, Mrs. Chapman turned to
him, wrathfully:
"That girl has had the impudence to
talk back to me because | spoke to her
about attending to her own clothes in
stead of fritterin' away her time in non
sense on paper"
Mr.. Chapman, who, after taking to
himself second wife, discovered he had
voluntarily placed heavy yoke upon his
neck, looked at the little group now hud
died together mute, and with scared
faces.
81 tell her, if | was her father, I'd take
that laziness and nonsense cut of her.
A girl as big as that ought to be to work.
You ought to take her to the factory with
you, Chapman. She can carry spools ur
and down stairs, or do something useful,
Stead O sprawlin' all over paper and
states, usin' up pencils.
81 didn't think Nell big enough to &C
to work yet. I'll think about it."
The fathers heart pleaded for the lit
tie girl whose upbraiding eyes forcibly
recalled the dead, and reminded him o.
his obligations to the living.
"Well-only don't be too long think.
ing about it, said Mrs Chapman number
two, as she left the room. Nell stole to hel
fathers side, apd slipped her hand in his
Don't mind, pa. If it wasn't fol
Ned and Jim, | wouldn't care, but TC
rather be with you in the factory than a
homc.n
"Hush!" He felt ashamed of it bu
he was afraid his wife would overheaI
her. "Ill see about it-don't fret--ant
don't talk back. You must be gooC
children" This was addressed to tn,
group collectively. The BOY mutineer
were preparing to knuckle their eyes
when he added harshly, "None O. tha
now!" whcreupon the boys choked lump.
down their throats, and pushed thei
fists straight down into their pants pock
cts, while their father glanced at tn
paper Neil left lying on the table. H,
bent suddenly over it, then turned t.
Nell:
"You copied it,
"No, indeed l didn't pa"
~ saw her do it." said jim, comm!
to his sisters aid man fully.
''Shc did it all out of her head, pa,
Ned affirmed. They both looked a
Nell, and Nell blushed as she cast he
eyes down.
81 can do ever so much better thai
that, pa"
Mr.. Chapman sighed He wished HI
was not quite SO poor. He wished h,
could send her to school, He wished
so many things that he realized keenl,
for the thousandth time, he had mad
the mistake of his life in marrying Han
nah Cone 1t would not do to let thi
nonsense grow-to encourage it, Bes
take Nell to the factory. Work woulC
occupy her time--keep peace in tn
house maybe.
So it was settled to the satisfaction O
Mrs. Chapman number two. Nell, at tn
age of fourteen accompanied her fathe
to the factory the following Monday.
Hague's factory was so vast, tn
crowds of men, women and children VIII
were shut up in it from early morn til
night, so numerous that q score more o
less were never noticed. 1t made a grea
difference to Jim and Ned however
The stcpmother's breath grew colder noy
that Nell was out of hearing. They ha,
more surprises now in the shape of smar
blows, and the stcpmother's voice gre,
shrilicr. Two pillows were bedewed of
toner with tears, and two trembling
fearful children became afraid of thei
own shadows.
Meanwhile tho great chimneys q
Hague's factory projected the smoke G
thousands of tons of coal heavenward
the looms produced acres upon acres c
beautiful and costly fabrics and Ne
Chapmans feet toiled up and dow
! stoirways that seemed to lengthen as tn
dav wore on YEARLY until there SCENE