The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-09-05


side him.
The boys crowded into the hot
little school-room, and the girls, fol
lowed, excepting Lou, who hung back,
and finally went to the woodple again
She knew she should not be missed,
and she could not bear to hear Johns
examination.
The poor little girl had but one friend
in the world, her brother. She sat down,
her hands shaking as is in a chill.
"He'll fail know he'll fall" she
said, looking up to the sky and talking
out loud.
"I can't stand it'll Oh, Heavenly
Father! l can't!'
AS with most Southern children,
Heavenly Father was very real to
Lou. Then she began to pray, fast and
hard, to this PARKWAY Friend in the sky
to help John.
"Oh, dear, only get HIM over the
Latin, and them Ningiansl He'll man
age the arithmetic himself"
She sat there an hour or more, hearing
only a droning voice now and then from
the open window.
At last there was hush. Uncle Job
was going to give his decision. The
little negroes crowded up to the school
house steps.
Lou stood up and threw her calico
un-bonnet off her head She did not
know what she did, She was sitting
with sudden, terrible heat Her strained
eyes were on the door.
Presently she heard Uncle jobs voice
in few brief words. But she did not
catch them. They sounded to her like
Cd John has won-John Fremoy."
Suddenly there was a cheer inside.
Then the negroes took it up.
"Bob Sewer! Cunnel Bob3 Hooray
for Bob"
Lou sat down and covered her face
with her hands. Her brother came to
her in a moment
"Get up and come along home" he
said roughly.
She caught his arm and patted it.
Don't you mind it, johnny she
said. You kin do lots of things Bob
Sewer knows nothin' about" she cried,
tercely.
"No, Bob won it fair" he said, stur-
Oily. Pm a Ounce; didn't deserve it !;
that's the worst of it,"
His face was colorless, even to his
lips, but he showed his disappointment
in no other way.
Judge Peters came to the village the
next day, heard the report of the exam
nation, sent for Sewer, and promised
him the appointment.
He then went out to the farm which
he owned, near to Cabel Fremoy' Johns
uncle. The boy crept over, toward
night, to catch a glimpse of the great
man who might have made him happy
for life, but had not done it.
He hung miserably about the
place until evening, and then set out
hOmeward.
Coming to the edge of Craggy Creek,
Just where it turned from the mountain
he sat down on the bank, and put his
hot feet into the water. Tomorrow he
was to be set blowing with the negroes
cts al yer fit for" his uncle said.
eyed a chance for West Point, an We
didn't take it. SO We ken kennel with the
darkcys for the rest of yer life. I'll
feed We no more"
John sat modify tlinging pebbles
into the water, until dusk came on, and
an owl began to boot.
Suddenly the boy stood up, trembling
with excitement, holding a stone in his
hand up to the fast fading light. 1t
shonc with brilliant luster, like great
drop of dew in the morning sun. AS he
moved it, it flashed a blood-red star in
his dirty palm. John had heard of the
ruby which had once been found in the
next gorge.
at was worth thousands of dollars ~
he sobbed, rather than spoke. Il heard
Judge Peters tell my uncle there was a
corundum on his farm, and a ruby is a
kind of corundum. | am rich for life. .
lie sat down breathlcss, carefully rub
bing the brilliant lump in his hand, a:
Aladdin might have done his lamp
What was West Point to thisl Money
beautiful houses, a glimpse of the world
an easy, happy life for himself and Lou
poor Lou. | was so cross to hel
to day I'll go and tell her"
Then he stopped as if some one haG
struck him The ruby was not his. He
was on Judge Peters land.
The boy sat down again, and for ont
whole hour the tempter strove with him
If there was one quality strong and dom
inant in John Frcmoy, it was his hon
esty; but this was a temptation such a
seldom comes in the way of any man.
} The next morning Judge Peters wa
mounting his horse to 90 into the village
when boy came across the yard IL,
walked quickly, as if driven by som'
, force from behind.
The Judge waited one foot in tn,
stirrup. AS long as John Fremoy lived
he remembered, like sudden, terrible
picture, the glaring light of the ittl
, muddy yard, the staring negro DO.
holding the horse, the porty, kind
looking old man awaiting his approach
, When John reached the Judge, h
5 stopped and was silent. He had hi
: little speech all ready, but his tongu
was still and his throat parched.
"Well, my boy, what is it2' askeC
the Judge, kindly.
? Johu thrust out his hand.
"a ruby, sir. It's worth great man
1 thousand dollars. found it on you
+ land ~