Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-21

convince her that he was not child of
wrath and of the devil and he reproGched
himself for having entered into any dis
cussion of any kind whatever in this house,
where Maggie was to live-he hoped in
perfect accord and amitt. AS for him
self, he wished only to be out of it, lie
was not III his right element. The vulgar
complacencv Of the rich elder irritated
sister-in-law oppressed him lie foresaw
that not here WIS any abiding nlace for
him while h. sujourned in the great
city.
Bnt how WIS he to get away They
fingered and GawdlSd over their tea
drinking in most astonishing fashion,
his brother being the most Incorporate |
of all of them, and obviously accounting |
thereby for his palld and bilious cheeks !
Moreover, they had returned to that fruit |
full topic of talk-the cGpability of this or |
the other member of the congregation to !
subscribe to the fund for paying off the
debt on the church and as this involved |
u discussion of everybody's ways and |
means and of his expenditure, and the
manner of living of himself his wife, his
sons, and daughters, and servants, the
very air seemed thick with trivial and
envious tittle-tattle, the women-folk, of
course, being more loquacious than any.
Lord help us ~ said Ronald to himself,
as he sat there in silence, "tnis house
would be perfect paradise for an income
tax commissioner.
However, the fourth or fifth teapot was
exhausted at last the minister offered up
prolonged thanksgiving and Ronald
thought that now he might get away, and
out into the freer air. But that was not
to be as yet His brother observed that
it was getting late that all the members
of the household were gathered together;
and they might appropriately have family
girls were summoned in, to clear
the table, and, that done, they
remained the minister brought the fam
lily Bible over from the sideboard, and all
sat still and attentive. their books in their
hand, while he sought out the chapter he
wanted. 1t was the Eighth of the Epistle
to the Romans and he read it slowly and
deliberately, but without any word of
comment or expounding: Then he said
! that they would sing to the praise of the
| Lord the NCIIT. Psalm-himself leading
off with the fine old tune of Martyr
dom " and this the young people sang
very well indeed, though they were little
interfered with by the uncertain treble
barytone of the elder Thereafter the
minister offered up prayer, In which
| very pointed reference was made to the
brother and sister who had come from the
far mountains to dwell within the gates
of the city and then all of them rose,
and the mad-servants withdrew, and
those remaining who had to go began to
get ready for their departure.
Come over and see us soon again, the
minister said to him, rs they followed him
into the lobby; but the minister's wife
did not repeat that friendly invitation.
RONALD" the little Maggie whispered,
and her lips were rather tremulous, IF
you hear from Meenie, will you let me
know ~
But am not likely to hear from her,
lass" said he, with his hand upon her
shoulder. you must write to her your
self, and she will answer, and send We the
news"
mind We pass the public-houses on the
of finishing up the evening with joke,
Ronald took no notice, but babe the others
good-by. and opened the door and went
out.
When he got into the street, his first
startled impression was that the world
was on fire: all the heavens. but especial
ly the southern heavens. were one blaze
of soft and smoky blood red, into which
. the roofs and chimney-stacks of the dusky
. buildings rose solemn and dark. pulls
: ating crimson it was, now dying away
slightly, again cleaning up with a sudden
feryor: and always it looked the more
strange and bewildering because of the
heavy gloom of the buildings and the in
etfectual lemon-yellow of the gas lamps
,, OF course ne remembered instantly wha
this must be-the glow of the iron work:
, over there in the south; and presently he
= had turned his back on that sullen radi
ahCe, and was making away Tor the north
size OF the city.
!Slt when he emerged from the compare
, tive quiet of the southern thoroughfare,
! into the glare and roar of Jamaica Street
a and Argyll Street, all around him there
seemed even more of bewilderment thar
in the day time. The unceasing din o.
: tramway-cars and vans and carts still
q filled the air but now there was every
= where Il fierce yellow blaze of gasligh
p glowing in the great stocked windows
q streaming on, across the crowded pave
: ments, aid shining on the huge gildeC
y letters and sprawling advertisements o.
. the shops. Then the people-a continu
. Gus surge, as of river-the men begrmet
q Tor the most part here and there drunk
q and bawling the women with cleaner
. faces, but most OF them bare-headed, will
y Highland shawls wrapped round thei
ii shoulders Tho sutTused crimson GLOW n
Il the skies was scarcely visible now: thi
8 horizontal bHZe OF gas-nEht killed IL ant
rb,ntoSruu,rIrin of a citv,v lifa-the car