Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-11-04
(From the Manchester Unionl
IN SPITE OF LUCK

In spite of all luck, [ mean, for Of all
unlucky people the Armstrong; had
what old Mrs. Ordway called 1.-THE
beatamost." 1t has been a gradual
come-down so far as the oldest inhabit-
ant knew, and old Mrs. Lyons,
etnigh onto hundred" as she said,
could well remember the great great
grandfather of the late Nathan, who
was well-to-do man represented the
town at the general court, and out of
courtesy was always called squire.
The grandfather of Nathan, though
standing high in the estimation of his
townspeople, being the old 'squire's
only son, enjoyed a sort of free and
easy life, and having what the exact
and prim housewives called a 'sshift-
less wife, as the years went on devel-
oped into a seedy-looking old man
who liked his pipe and his ease too
well for a determined effort in any di-
rectlon. His sons, as the villagers
said, did not amount TIC much, and
the time came when the only descend
ant left was Nathan, grandson
Nathan's physlognomy showed to the
close observer what effect might be ex-
pected from such a downhill process.
Fortunately, he wasn't vicious: he
drank neither cider nor whisky, was
honest and good-natured and easy.
His wife, poor girl, who had little ed
ucation but a good heart, must have
+n IA 81 c1o
would not have shaved twelve long
years to keep the larder half filed.
She would doubtless have gone on
shaving good many more had not
the good LORD taken her up higher,
only a few days later.
The clergyman who Officiated at the
obsequies called it can inscrutable
dispensation Of Providence" but in
the opinion of the village doctor, it
was a ''want of drainage" Little
Tommy, their only child, was then
about ten years old, long and lank,
with ill-ftting clothes from which his
wrists and ankles protruded in such
q suggestive way the minister's wife,
who had large heart for the heather
IN Umzilla's kingdom said to Mrs.
Graham, sit might be necessary to
borrow trousers and Jacket for the boy
to wear to the funeral, since it was to
be IN the vestry."
Tommy's long hair and sallow skin
did not make him specially attractive,
though the mournful black ewes, full
of unshed tears, in a well-fed and we'll
dressed boy who had not lived in the
malarious valley that had been his
home, might have found foster par
ents whose hearts would have gone
out to him. Instead, poor boy, Dea-
con Allen, overseer of the poor won
dered If Seth Grattan did not want q
boy to help him on his farm; the au-
thorities would 'sbind him out" prob
ably for a term Of years, and get him
of their hands.
None of that shiftless tribe for
me-" said Mr.. Grattan, when inter
viewed.
''But," said Deacon Allen, who with
81 little opposition was always ready
with an argument, "you don't know
nothin' agln the boy, and IN ten years
time you can git a heap O. work out
of him-be a good investment"
t'Humph, | tell ye, believe il hered-
Ity, and don't want such lazy ne'er
do-wells about
"His mother wasn't lazy" said the
deacon.
''Now, don't tell me she was smart,
living there as she did,"
"Well, but what's to be done with
the boy?" -.
THERE'S the poor-house."
s'No. no, Mr.. Grattan; don't send
the little fellow there" and Hamil
Brown wiped away a tear, rough man
that ne was, for while listening to the
above conversationhish heart was filled
with tender pity. He was one of a
gang of men, who, with guns and axes,
were going into a forest some twenty
miles away to spend the winter. "Let
him come to the camp with me; Pm
going up tomorrow"
''WelI, well, if you will take him off
our hands," said the good deacon, sit
Will be great relief. | don't know
that there is anything that he
can do on the town farm to earn his
board this winter; he would only be
an expense, and taxes are high enough
now"
Hamil Brown looked az the deacon
as il he could hardly repress an oath,
and the Lord who looks into the heart
might have had one to forgive. He
shut his teeth moment, and then
proceeded to make arrangements for