Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-12-23

a'ek Of sparO~s as~ up from the barn
yard. and ahsh,ed on the dismsn,led
ha,rsek in a corner Of the enclosure. a.
The broad doors ,rundled back on their
iron tracks
A familiar tinkle Of familiar sleigh
bells caught Alscks ear IS be started 10
tollos hs father into the house. lie
called:
Father here are Squire Haven and
joe and" he did not need 20 complete
his sentence. Cut short by the near sp.
prosbh Of their neighbor; Coz their for-
mer property. Ton. pricked up his ear.
and on, Of his honest eyes asked foe an
explanation Of this unusual uea,men,
-ith more force % expression than he
pat into the loud Whitney With which he
gave every body "Meuy Christmas =
Here Josl take your horse" said the
Squire with an unusual Kindness Of tone.
II DO not need him As much as you will
thi. winter. II isn't christian way 10
take = man. mean, of living from him
Make yourself easy abOu, ,ha, inisres,
money and pay me after your WOOL is
clipped in the spring. ny the way, Joel
II you are hard pushed for cash this sea
son. don't BE- too honest to trouble q
nsishbOf I, !. my business TO loan
money 10 such men As you, you
know"
The farmer VAS not more Gs,onished AZ
the return of bis horse than a, the unus.
ual eonsiierAiion Of the lawyer Al
oreakfss, Alex remarked "well. faith
-. they say the Squire he. sot,eaed in
hs dealings With Others. good
dsal. since the new rector b. been
here he Is q christian gen,lemsn
in every sense of the word. in heart ss
-sll q. Ia manner. and .ome of his an.
.e.h h.hness. mAay imagine. has ereP, into
the SQuifes heart. too The Squire. you
kno~. thinks good deal q his church
and vouldn't wonder II he were even
~sn pleased to have a little more spin,
-tirring amidst Il. decorogs settled forms
Judging by his deed ,hi. morning. could
almo., venture 10 say that Chn., Is nesly
,nosrnat- behind the Squirr'' brOad-olO,h
front."
JOEL smiled he fsl, a. II the Christ
mas .sn had reached the dsikaes, u hi.
o~n home. "lll ~ oa, and feed Tom
this morning." be ssii as be Aro.e from
The table" Bat Tom did no, appear 20
BE- very hgngry. and Joel inferred TIA, be
had trvskiasted =, the Sqairc.. and he
kaew ,ha, Squire Haven. horses were
not s.ingdy fed
"Nos GrAndpA. we can have our
Chns,mas uds. cant we ," Little Joel.
Alexis ,on sAls,sd the happy turn Of AZ
fair. By nj. practical proposition.
"Oh, zee, yosr mother and Aau,
Mary ~lll take = drive dosn 20 the Cen.
,sr this forenoon. and presume yoa aud
Fannie will ~ too" The little fvllos
ran OF 70 Nanl- with the uiding.. and
they we're dressed and ready fof the ss-
earsioa loag before the older par, Of the
eNmpany.
H1nssi Tom took the loaded double
.lsist over the cleaning road, as II the
~hole affair bad besa designed fof bis
osa particular amusement. While the
o,kers bad merely come With him 10 Sc
hin pa, forth bis strength. The bells
i,nglcd. tae childrea laughed and shout
81, the -0usn talked both =, once. aud
Aleck pl.eidly enjoyed the brselng air
and smooth rosd. The three niles we're
quickly travelled. and they dres up a,
the block Of stores IN which were mos,
u The business shops in town.
While The ladie. we're engaged ia their
purchases. Aleck was roaming about
from place 10 place, having no engage.
ments oa his hands A yoang man OF
energetic step. clean brown eye, snd IN
al respect. attractive manner, approach
"a hin after the usual hearty greeting.
The young f-llo~ said Il believe John
sou wss rather privately inqairins for
y0a this morning
''John.on asking for me wha, can
be want, Hasa't be doae enough 70 in
lure me yeti be concluded IN consider
able bitterness
"well. Aleck. don', wonder you feel
as yoa DO toward Johnsoa. bu, since he
has closed bis bar. eOnfe.. that he has
risen q pa 10 my estimation What IN
dacement can there be Tor . mAn 20 re-
form Il hi. neighbOr don't recognize his
good inten,ions ,,
"Do you mean TO tell me ,ha, Johnson
has cult selling liquor
Then you hadn't heard Of IL. Can
you see large card on the frs, hi,ehias-
po.i Al the hotel he hung Il out be-
fore any Of us we're up this morning; II
reads NO more liquors will be sold a,
,hi. stand by the Presen, proprietor. IL
vas Merry Chris,mas salatA,ion TO
us Who have been hshting the rum busi-
nes. ia thi. town. | tell you. We got
the band out in the street by eight o'clock
this morning. and q lot 0f the most re-
spectacle men in town went over and
gave Johnson a hearty blessing and ssre.
made"
The Lord be praised :" calculated
Burton in low voice.
"wai, here. while | draw of. said
bis friend. John Is coming across, yon-
der up street. and ! que" he wants to
see yoa."
Bai,oa took bis position where be
would no, Be ia the way Of the inn-keeP'
er unless be was sought by him. Bat
Johnson made Coz him directly. A shof,
legged. long bodied, man he vas. limp
ing a uiflc as he walked. His face ~a'
square in iis maia eharae,eristies; hi'
bros "a. blaek-hss. his j.~ ree'ansu'
lar. and on the whole seemed 10 be
general absence Of curves in the outlines
of hi. visage. Bat be did no, have th'
ruddy nose and cheeks Of . dnnker o.
arden, fre-waier, for be Who had made
30 much money oa, Of the falling. OF 9TH
er., strictly abs,Ainsd from the hsol, him
self.
"Burton, come over to the house.
van, to see you"
Aleek wen, along vi,h him TO th'
Nh