Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-05-14
tom POORHOUSE."
The Old Clock takes the Farm
er to Task for his Cruelty.
Which Drove Poor Boy to Death
and Made Himself Raving
Maniac.


The old clock down stairs began to
strike midnight as he started up. The
wind was making the old farmhouse
rock and trcmble, and the powder-llke
snow was driving in through every
crevice. The wife slept ndisturLed,
but the old farmer was nervous and
wakeful.
"Farmer Johns. are you awake ?"
1t was q voice which he had meyer
heard before. 1t sounded close at his
bedside, and yet, as he looked about the
room, fairly lighted by the cold winter
moon shining in throgh the window,
he saw nothing but familiar objects.
"I am your accuser !" continued the
voice 81 am witness against you J"
"What have l done ?" gasped Farm.
or Johns.
"Last fall you took lad from the
poorhouse-had one bound to you ac-
cording to law"
''Sartin, sartin, and it was poor
speculation fur me. The boy hain't
ARMED his SALT"
"You broke him down in the harvest
field, and when you knew that he was
i'll you refused him medicines =! The
boy hasn't seen a we'll day for three
months"
Eyes, but boys are great shirks.
How'd I know whether he was sick or
or playing off on me ?"
"You are lying to your conscience,
Farmer Johns ! How has that boy
Jared Cor provisions and clothes ?"
"Hain't he got some of my old
clothes on this very minnit ?" protest
ed the farmer. "They is full o. holes
and patches, in course, bat am | going
to take a boy outer the poorhouse and
dress him in broad-cloth S'posen he
does shiyer little-shiverin' don't
hurt anybody He gifts 'nuff to eat. l
reckon-leastwise all he Arms. I amt
goin' to feed nobody on sweet-cake ~
"Think of his sleeping in that cold
and dismal garret such night as this!"
whispered the accuser,
"All his own fault !" replied the
farmer, ST gin him chamber by him.
self, but he kept coughing and groan-
i'm till I couldn't sleep. PUTT all on
to git sympathy, but he made a mis-
take. Mem the old woman worked for
what we've got, and others must do the
ssme.''
ga straw bed-a ragged quilt. and
the night cold enough to chill an OK '"
accused the voice.
"Oh | pshaw You can't make me
believe the boys Of to-day are so much
more tender'n the boys of my time. 1t
hain't healthy fur boys to sleep too
warm. He'll warm up at the wood
pile as soon as daylight comes"
s'Farmer Johns, no true Christian
talks as you do. You haye neither mer-
cy nor charity ~
."Pooh Got lot of it And il
wasn't Christian man how'd git TO
be deacon in the church ? That boy
is heap better off'n most of 'em.
"His body is black and blue from the
pounding you have inflicted"
swell. he shouldn't oversleep then."
"You have heart of stone, Farmer
Johns. If that boy dies you will be ac-
cused at the judgement seat of his MUIR
der 10
Nonsense I! Nobody feels any more
pity for poor folks than do, and il
Tom Poorhouse' dies it will be of eat
ing too much"
''Thls is the oldest patient we have
in the asylum" said the guide, as we
halted at the lower end of the ward.
1t was grated door. I looked
through and saw an old man covering
in corner. After moment he rose
up and approached the door and whis-
pered
"And at daylight called and called
him, bur Re didn't git up. l went up
with the horse whip to teach him bet.
term to oversleep on me that way, but