Connecticut western news., 1885-04-15

lFrom the Detroit Free Prosal
 The old clock down stairs began to strike midnight as he started up. The wind was making the old farmhouse rock and tremble, and tue powder-like snow was driving in through every crevice. The wife slept undisturbed. but the old farmer was nervous and wakeful.
 Farmer Johns, are you awAkef'
 It was a voice which he had never heard before. K sounded close at his bedside, and yet @ he looked about the room, fairly lighted by tho cold winter moon aiming in through the window, he saw nothing but familiar objects.
 "I am your accuscr r continued tho voice "I am Q witness against you r.
 "What have done2' gasped Farmer Johns.
 "Last fall you took lad from the poorhouse-had one bound to you according to law"
 "Sartin, sartin, and 1t was a poor speculation fur me. The boy hAin't airned his salt" "
 "You broke him down in tho harvest field, and when you know that be was i'll you refused him medicincst Tho boy hasn't seen a we'll day for three months" u-...
 "Yes, but boys are great shirks. How'd I know whether he was sick or playing off on me2" #.
 "You are lying to your conscience. Farmer Johns How has that boy fared for provisions and clothes2"
 "Hain't he got some of my old clothes on this very minnit 2' protested the farmer. "They is full O holes and patches, in course, but am I going 10 take boy outer the poorhouse and dress him in broad-clothf S'posen he does shiver little-shiverin' don't hurt anybodyl He gifts 'nufr to eat, reckon -leastwise all he airns. I ain't goin' to feed nobody on sweet-calSe r
 "Think of his sleeping in that cold and dismal garret such night at this l'' whispered the acouser.
 "An his own faultr' replied the farmer, "I gin him chamber by him. self, but he kept coughing and groanin' till I couldn't sleep Put it all on to git sympathy, but he made mistake. Men the old woman worked for what we've got, and others must do the same."
 "A straw bed-a ragged quilt, and the night cold enough to chill an ox r ao- cused the voice. .-.
 "oh pshRw You oan't make mo be- lieye the boys of to-day arc so much more tender'n the boys of my time. It hain't healthy fur boys to sleep too warm. He'll warm up at the wood pile as soon as daylight comes"
 Farmer Johns, no true Christian can talk as you do. You have neither mercy nor charity v
 "Pooh Got lots of itl And if I wasn't Christian man how'd git to be a deacon in the church That boy ia a heap better off n most of 'em."
 "His body is black and blue from the pounding you have inflicted" .
 "well, he shouldn't overaleep then"
 "You have heart of stone, Farmer Johns. If that boys dies you will bo accused at the judgment seat of his murder Y
 Nonsense Nobody feels any moro pity for poor folks than I do, and if Tom Poorhouse' dies it will be of eat- ing too much"
 
 "This is the oldest patient VIC have in the asylum" said the guide, as VIC halt. cd at the lower end of the ward.
 It was grated door. looked through and saw an old man covering in cor ner. After moment he roso up and approached tho door and whispered
 "And at daylight called and called him, but he didn't git up. I went up with the hoSe-whip to teach him bot. tern to oversleepi on me that way, but Tom Poorhouse was dead on his straw bed, and the snow had blowed in till it almost kiyered him up." ...a