The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-02-25

growl, as even the jolliest of farmers
will now and then. Farmer Blackthorn
was there now. l
But-alas for Stephens memories
he was jolly Tom Blackthorn no more.
When Marrish entered he found pre-
maturely aged man, with his still burly
frame fallen away beyond the recogni-
ton of his own shabby clothes, and
with certain crushed look; the look
of one who has not the courage left to
look the world in the face; the look
which (when seen in an honest man)
tells Of the transmutation of excessive
pride into corTespondingly excessive
shame. Whatever he had once been,
Tom Blackthorn was a broken man
now. 1t was even difficult any longer
to find any trace of what he had been
but few years ago-a very model of
British yeoman in the palmy days Of
the breed, reveling in work, reveling in
sport; standing his seventy-three inches
and carrying his thirteen stone as light
ly as if they were ten; proud of his son,
proud of his daughter, proud of his
farm, proud Of himself paying every
body on the nail, and spending-well,
with both hands. Difficult TO recognize
all this in him nowP No, not difficult
impossible.
When Farmer Marrish entered, Farm
er Blackthorn was engaged in what is
either the most delightful or else the
most miserable Of occupations-poring
over accounts in which all the differ
ence between delight and despair is
made by such trihe as the entry of
three or four figures on the right hand
or the left hand of an arbitrary black
line. Absorbing as the occupation was,
he looked up as the other entered, and
at once pushed the papers away.
"Well, Marrishp" he asked, with just
a film of what might pass for hope in
his eyes. and for impaticnce in his tone.
"Well?"
"Well, neighbor-Tve been to Lon
don. And-there. It's first and last
time. Never you 90 to London, Black
thorn. You'll drop more money up
there in week than you'll get back out
of good crop in bad year. I'm a
poorer man by guineas and guineas
than.when l went up"
"'Twas all the more neighborly, then.
But hang the expense" said the other,
who, to Judge from appearances, had
no expenses except those of other peo-
pie left to hang "Did you see the old
man? Not that l care-I know what
he'd say"
SAY. / saw the old man.
"Ther you saw the hardest-hearted
old skinhint-but there. Let him be
You've seen him, and he sent you to
the devil; and | might have kept the
last rag of pride. instead of throwing
it away for something less than a far
thing. You needn't tell me what he
said. know"
Il did it for the best, neighbor Black
thorn. spent six good shillings on n
hackney coach, and found him in rot
ten old wharf that you wouldn't put a
proper pig in. And put the case, too
Just as if twas my very own. Old
gentleman, says there's honest old
Tom Blackthorn, that married your
own daughter, and is father to your
own granddaughter, come down to the
bottom for no fault of his own l said
that, Tom, though you'll own yourself
twas stretching pretty big point,
considering you never would take the
advice of your wi.ers: no, never, since
you and | went into business the self
same day. For no fault of his own,
says /; for man can't help the nature
whereto he's born. And there's you,
rolling in your thousands; who could
pay off his honest debts and set him 60
ing again by one stroke of the pen
You see, Blackthorn, | didn't mince
matters: l put it plain and strong"
"And hope" said Blackthorn, "you
didn't forget to tell him that, il 'twasn't
for my poor lass's sake, before I'd have
begged penny of him, I'd have seen
him da-"
"D'ye take me for a nincompoopF
| No. l told him just plain out how
things were"
"How things are! Good Lord, Mar.
rish! you never went to tell the old
curmudgeon that haven't got horse
in the stable, nor q COW in the byre,
I'll never forgive you If you told him
that: I'll never hold up my head again
"And how you wouldn't have bread
to eat IL he didn't give it you on &
golden fork. Ay, i told him all. / Ipu
things Just as black as they be. What
the good of mincing things when yoU
want TO get the most out OF 'em yor
canP"
"And to beg / am ashamed,''
sighed poor Farmer Blackthorn
That's all. WellP" he asked again
with Just that same film Of hope in hi
eyes, while feebly trying TO put on al
air Of Don't Care. a..
"Well," he said, "tell Thomas Black
thorn that when he took my daughte
twas to be without q penny, and
bargains bargain; and the man whit
says it isn't's rogue, and the mai
, who lets him say it's fool. Tell hin
to 90 to the devil'-and those were hi
very words-'and here's twopence
half-penny to pay the toll. "
Tom Blackthorn sprang from his sea
: like young man, and his old eye
flashed fire. "The old scoundrel-th
/ old villain! TO insult my friend-to in
' suit me! II wasn't an old man, an
! IL he wasn't an older But It's n
g good talking, Marrish. I couldn't e
, on my knees to him myself, no, nc
4 even for nv poor little lass's sake: an