Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-05-26
BRAVE BEN BALLARD.

He was using his axe sturdily and
with effect upon one of the great logs
wood pile, that dull November after
noon-a thin little fellow with sandy
hair and pale blue eyes, and afreckled,
old looking face, in which there was
certainly no appearance OF anything
like heroism. Just at that minute,
indeed, there was cloud of mingled
grief and anger upon it, and the tears
Ben could not check were chilling on
his cheeks. He was Deacon Wilson's
bound boy, and was expected to
work early and late for his food and
clothes.
He could scarcely remember the time
when he was not bound boy though
the time had been. A cottage in the
little country town was occasionally
pointed out as "the place Rufus Bal
lard owned before he took to drink. +"
Poor Rufus Ballard! There was no
kinder hearted or happier man in all
Paynville than he, before the demon
that has ruined so many homes
clutched and held him in his vicious
when his mother died, but Que memory
of his dreary babyhood still appeared
to him, standing out terribly distinct
against the dark background of forget
fulness. Often he thought of it, and
seemed again to see his mother, as he
saw her then, lying, OH so white and
still, her pretty soft hair all dabbled
In the blood that was trickling slowly
from g. wound in her forehead. Her
head had come in contact with q sharp
corner of the stove when she fell, struck
down by her husband in fit of drunk
en- rage. The shock sobered him in
stantly; through all his madness he
never before raised his hand against
her. Now, with dry, burning eyes, he
lifted the insensible form at his feet
and placed it on the bed; and he kissed
the still lips with sad remorseful ten
derness. All this Ben remembered;
and he remembered, too, always with
grateful tears swelling up from his lone
~ little heart, how his father had
turned to him, then, taking him in
his arms for moment, and strokipg
his hair.
GIVE been BRUTE" he said, huski-
~. ''I'm going away-away, Bonnie.
If | ever get to be a man again I'll
come back. Tell-your mother what I
say. And don't you ever, ifyou die first,
Bonnie, touch a drop of liquor. Run
across, now, and ask Mrs. Brown to
come over-to see And when Ben,
crying bitterly, had performed the er-
rand to the best of his small ability,
his father had disappeared; and from
that day forth Rufus Ballard was seen
no more in Paynville, nor did any
word come from him to one little,
lonely, waiting heart.
Scarcely three months later Ben's
mother died-of consumption, the doc
tor said; of q broken heart, said the
neighbours. At her death good Mrs.
Brown took the boy and was very
kind to him until she, too, went to her
long rest. And then Ben fell into the
hands of Deacon Josiah Wilson.
They we're not particularly tender
hands; though, to do the deacon JUS
tice, ne endeavored to perform his
duty to his charge conscientiously.
His trouble was only that In his COM
position duty was synonymous with
discipline, and that of the most
rigorous description. So the life of
this poor little bound boy was hard in
the extreme, and pitifully devoid of all
simple, childish pleasures. 1t was just
after prayers that morning that Ben
had proffered a timid request, stand
ing as he spoke with flushed cheeks and
downcsbst eyes.
deacon Wilson, can't Lob, if you
please, sir, Eben Beals says that if you
If will come over aud help him after
| get my chores done nights-he-I
MAYBE will give me his old skates in
pay. got-a new-pair." Poor
little Ben! How the color came and
went in his thin face, and how painful
ly hard his heart thumped behind his
checked blouse. The deacon's sharp
gray eyes were upon him.-'"Trash!"
CALCULATED the deacon, shortly. "What
do you want to do with skates Pr
"I'll skate" cried Ben eagerly, bright
ening with a new hope. ST learned
last winter at recess time and Moons
on Mr.. Kane's duck pond, SIR
Deacon Wilson's next words dissi-
pated all expectation of good to come,
however; and the clouds swept across
Ben's sky again, darker than ever.
- "You might have been better
employed. Idon't send you to school
to cut up any such didos. You can't
help the Beals boys, an you can't
nave the skates. Give 'em backs
quick as you're mind to-"
1t was of all this Ben was thinking
as ne stood with half angry, fearful
face by the deacon's woodpile, where I
have left him an unconscionable
length Of time. His tears fell thicker
and faster with the gathering shadows
OF night, and ne dropped his ak at last
with little bitter cry.--"It's no use
TO try" he said. go, father! O faith
ar. whY don't YOU come With q.