The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-11-12

lHefG - no ooobt auput Nv hc uius suu
yet II vAs the Last ihing be v1 likely 10
believe. He loved music; bis voice vas
often heard ringing ont rollicking song
In The tap room. And nos II kept coming
10 him, in u least score oi different ways
- be himself VAS ihe man vho spoiled all
the music
He was not in the brightest possible
condition for an argument, and certainly
not in humor 10 be convinced Of truth
that he did not want 10 believe; and yet
convinced he was, and every sight about
him. and the silence. II not the sounds.
forced IL home upon him, 40 that there
ccsid not possibly be any mistake.
II vas Sunday afternoon about O'Clock.
He ~as leaning against the wall BY the
dirty fireplace. unwAshed and in his shirt
sieeves The room looked ~ wretched =.
The nsa himself. and = gblfq1nesd ~
brok&a, sa1ssh1sv psnss ~ ~ phsesrs1'
ov1s Sish paper SFvtnGS1 % vish rsss.a
Seated on The other side Of The nrep,see
was . white faced snd hsitsssly sifA
holding . tiny bill Of mortality II bsr'
breast. and breathing heavy sies that
told Of ; bnrdSN ~ ters : gssas deal Aesvisr
than the baby.
One word summed up the whole reason
Of her wretchedness drink. Not bad
sort OF man bu. for this one thing; abls y
earn good wages and TO hare > coufostablt
home yet no idle miscrant ever dweIt amid
greater squalor or kept oil about him in
greater misery; the home with il dainty
bits Of furniture. ard all about itsc bright
and clean, gone for this; the children oftsn
wanting clothes and bread, yet dreading
no want so much ~ they dreaded their
fathers presencs--it il was only the curse OF
drunkardness.
SO II was thst on this Sunday afternoon
Jack stood NJ cross as cross could be,
ready to let oat his misery upon the first
victim be could hnd, as IL one were to be
ciamed for it sooner than himself Then
it was that the door opened suddenly with
bang, aud 10 burst two little maidens
singing meryly; eyes and faces, hands
and feet; all wer, full Of music. They
had come from the mission Sunday school.
and the last hymn was on their ears and
came cheerily ringing from their lips;
II am 30 glad that our Father in Heaven
TELLS Of His love In the Book He has given"
They had just got to the line Of the
chorus, II AMI SO glad" and IL came in at
the opened door With such sbounding
gladness as they lifted the latch and felt
that they were in the freedom Of the homo
III am 80 glad" then suddenly they
came far enough to pee their father: In
stantly the voices we're silenoed, the sun
slime died out Of their eyes; With fright.
ened look Aiiing their faces -shey shrsuk
outside the door again and shut il noise |
lessly. .Tw x~A IA
Ths silssce ttkE followed - 6braka6l !
by > sound. The wife sat monrnfully |
looking at the blackened ashes Of the fre. |
place. with the little one asleep in her
arms. That abrupt and sudden silence
smote Jacks heart; those changed faces
and the little frightened maidens husbed
like that---he felt that he had done it all.
He seemed to hear. agaia the happy burst,
II am SO glad" and then that dreadful
stopping. He was going to ask with an
oath why they didn't go on singing, but
they weren't there, and so it was no use
to do that; besides. he knew well enough, |
too we'll, why they had stopped; so it
came about that he lifted hims,,lf fiercely
into his jacket, and went slouching toward
the door. He strobe out Of the court and
away on anywhere, until he got outside
the streets and into the more quiet and
pleasant roads; then be slackened his pace.
The Herceness had turned to grief, and at
last there came words muttered 10 himself,
"That's what am always doing; I spoil
all the music"
II WAS dreadful to think Of it, ~ he
turned it over, how much il meant. He
thought Of his wife. and Of the sweet
voice she had long ago, and how back 10
the old times. they had sung together.
And now to think OF her sitting there so
white faced and silent! She never even
sang the baby of to sleep only kept on
signing, Anyhow, not when am there,
said Jack; Il spoil all the music"
II was dreadful to think about il; OF the
places be had been in as carpenter and
the chances be had had, and how one after
another be bad lost them all through the
drink; and now the first TO get notice to
quit, the last to be offered job. was be
who had prided himself on his work. sOh
dear. I've been spelling All the music for /,
years." sighed jack. k II
Il spoil al the music." ssid jock again.
every where" And at every pause and
interval there came again the sound Of
those glad voices silenced at the sight Of
him. II their own father. "rsighed Jack ! !.
agsin. Poor little dears. to go spelling
Iheir nnsic tool'
Jacks trouble seemed 10 grow bigger
avery moment. unit! u last things began
10 get desperate. Awful temptations few
about him. He would soon end il all, the
Eifc and little ones couldn't he much
worse of than they we're. and be at any
'ate wouldn't be spelling other peoples
n usic when he was dead. Bat bsioFe the
sri0 thousht had we'll get bold Of him be
'eemed to sse again the sunny faces and
o hear the merry voices siDging their
'ong. II am 10 glad" And With the
hought OF them this time there cams >
otter fesling and gentlsr tone. Poor
little things" be sighed again. IL would
,os mend their nAsic either II I vss ponc. 4