The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-08-05

red when he answered the last ques-
ton, ignoring the first, by saying, %,
he works for several different people,
Harris Montague raised his head in his
lofty manner and sneeringly said, A
day laborer, is hep AS you please
was the answer, when Johnnie, with
whom he had become quite intimate,
said: / do believe you are a relative
say, don't you know him at ALP 90
yes, l know him; l worked in his gar
den nearly every day last summer and
he often spoke to me-"
81 can see that Montague swelling
up. Ha, ha, ha," roared Harry. "Of
course he cut him dead ?''
To be sure, but before he did it he
informed him, in the presence of the
other boys, that he wished him to
understand that the invitation to call at
his home was not only withdrawn, but
his sister Florence would not care for
the acquaintance of a boy who had been
the Hon. Mr.. Aliens gardener, and
then added, in his pompous way, Father
announced at table to-day that he ex-
pected visit from him soon, as he is
coming East on business Soon after,
uncle came on, and for days before
Harris was talking about the company
we entertain at our house and the re-
ception father will give in honor of Mr.
Allen, etc. Fred said nothing, but
many of the boys pitied him and were
particularly friendly because of the i'll
treatment he received at the hands of
Montague; but there were few, with
Harris for leader, who appeared in
dignant and said he was an imposter-
wearing good clothes and palming him
self off for gentleman when he was
the son of a man who worked for the
city, when he couldn't get any other
job, for, you see, he had been conduct
ing famous lawsuit for the city of G..
and Fred had told the truth and moth
ing but the truth when he said what
he did. One day Harris asked how
much man got for driving a dump
cart and sweeping crossings but said
{ he supposed Fred earned something
himself gardening; and besides, he
thought he was in company with Car
roll Johnnie, you know, has taken
care of the school-room and helped Mr..
Reid in various ways, in order to pay
his tuition, since his father died and
that big fire burned so much property
for them; and his mother moved into
little cottage and keeps two boarders.
/ don't see why the judge keeps them
there when he is such a gentleman
himself"
Hal raised himself on one elbow to
say: "They are on their good behavior
when he is around, | tell you.'
" By-and-by uncle arrived and Fred
met him at our house and spent Sunday;
and though they went up on the train
together, Monday evening, he asked
him to excuse him a moment while he
ran up to Professor Reid's, and stepped
away Just second before uncle was
greeted most cordially by Judge Mon
tague, who insisted upon taking him to
his house Immediately, where large
company had gathered to meet him.
Now uncle, who had heard nothing of a
reception, and though he did not relish
being lionized, was propelled up to the
Montague mansiOn,' as Harris calls it,,
in hurry. With his fathers permits
sion, he had invited as many boys as he
pleased, and Florence had invited the
girls, and, as she once assured me, the
very elite of the town were present.
After a time uncle looked around
among the boys and girls, with whom
he had been talking Che hasn't forgot
ten that he was boy himself once),
and suddenly said: Why, where is
my boy? l hope he has been credit
to his parents and an honor to his
schoolmates. Where is my Freddie?'
turning laughingly to Harris. Mon
tague, so jake Thompson, who came
down with Fred, told me, could not
have turned whittier if a bomb-shell had
burst in their midst, and Florence, who
had tossed her red head the day before,
saying, all of the young gentlemen in
school are invited was completely
wilted. jake says words can never
tell it, He doesn't know how they
would have got out of it if uncle's tact
had not been sufficient for the occasion.
He went right on talking pleasantly,
not appearing to notice their white
faces; but just let me tell you if Har-
ris and Florence and their precious
mamma, who is just like them, do not
move out of L., would not give much
for their peace of mind"