The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-02-18

N~'"
Ties all sci up. by finding out that three
good sound machines, by best makers,
had gone nobody knew vherr. vho should
come into the chop but lady.l,ks looking
woman 10 q very shabby widows weed.
She wanted machine for herself and
daughter 10 learn. and said she had heard
would take the money BY installments.
Nov, Just half an hour before. BY our
shop clock had made . vow that I'd
give mp all that part Of the trade. and l
was very rough with her Just as I am
when I'm cross = aud said No.
Dat you will II the lady gives security,
said my wife hastily.
The poor woman gave such woe be-
gone look 1t us that II made me more ont
OF temper than ever. for could feel that
II stopped l should have to lot her have
one at her own terms, And 90 II vas;
for there. il l didn't let her hsve frat
class machine, as good as new; she only
paid 7 Ia down, and undertaking TO pay
half crown . week. and no more security
than nothipgl
To make it worse, too, il didn't send
the thing home without chargel-Luke,
going with it. for he was back At home.
now, keeping nv books, being grown in
to fine young fellow Of 25; and sat and
growled the whole Of the rest Of the day,
calling myself all the weak minded idiots
under the sun, and telling the wife that
business was going to the dogs. and L
should be ruined.
You ought to be ashamed Of yourself.
Tom, said she.
So am. says I. Ididn't think could
be such fool.
Such fool as to do q kind action to
one who was evidently lady born. aud
come down 10 the world.
| Yes, says,to be living in Benefits
place, where I've sunk no less than ten
machines in five years.
Yes, says the wife, and cleared hundreds
OF pounds. Tom, I'm ashamed OF you
you man with 20 working men busy np1
stairs, a couple OF thousand pounds worth
OF stocks In the bank, a.
| Hold your tongue, will you? l said
roughly, and went out into the shop to try
and work it Off
| Luke came back soon after, looking very
strange, and was at him directly.
Where's the seven and six? l says
angrily.
He didn't answer, but put three half
crowns down on the desk, took out his
book, made his entries-date OF delivery,
first payment, when the others due, and
all the rest Of it-and was then going in.
to the house.
| Mind, said sharply, those payments
are to be kept TO the day; and to omorrow
| 20 go down to the Rollys, who live nearly
opposite to 'em, and tell EN- to keep an
eye on the widow, or we shall lose anoth
er machine
You needn't be afraid, father, he said
coldly; they're honest enough, only poor.
l was Just in that humor that | wanted
to quarrel with somebody aud that did.
When ask yol for your opinion, young
man, you give it me; and when tell you
to do thins. you do it. said in as saw
age way as ever spoke to the lad. You
go over to morrow and tell the Rollys to
keep strict lookout on those people; do
you hear?
/ Father. he says, looking me full in the
face, l couldn't insult them by doing such
q thing, when without another word he
walked quietly out Of the room, leaving
me worse than ever.
For that boy had never spoken to me
like that before. and should have gone
after him feeling like mad. only some
people came in and didn't see him again
until evening, and good thing, too. for
I'm sure should have said all sorts OF
things to the boy that l should have been
sorry for after. Aud there was. tuning
about savage with everybody, giving |
short answers, swapping at the wife, and
feeling as q man does feel when he knows
that he has been in the wrong. and hasn't
the heart to go and own it.
II was about o'clock that was sitting
by the psrlor fire. with the wife working
and very qnet. when Luke came in from
the workshop with book under his arm.
for he bad been footing up the mems
piecework, and what was due to them
and the sight OF bin IN ale me feel as il
wanted to quarrel.
He saw it. too. but said nothing. only put
the accounts away and began to read.
The wife saw the storm brewing. and
she knew how put out was. for ] had not
lit my pipe, nor yet had my evening nap,
which always have after tea. She did
what she SO we'll knew how TO 10 filled
my pipe, forced II into my hand, and just
ss was going to dash 1t to pieces In the
ashes, she gave me one OF her old looks.
kissed me on the forehead, as with one
band she pressed me back in the chair,
and then with the other she lit splint
and held 1t to my tobacco.
was done She always gets over me
like that; and after smoking 10 silence
for hall an hour. was lying back. with |
my eyes closed, dropped of TO sleep. when
the wife said what bad gone before had
not hesrd)
Yes. he's asleep now.
4 That woke me up. Of course, and II |
didn't lie there sliamming. and heard all
they said 10 whisper.
How come you to make him more vexed
than be vas, Lukes says the wife, and be
told her
4 | conlin't do Il. mother. be said excit-