The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-11-18
WHAT u TO sEconE or sAn''

family. thsy vess sure Of IL. Il al svsuta
they treated him - 10 vsrs %. Not tha
thsy we're upkiBd 10 hin: on The contrary
thsy vsss al vssy iosd of ''poor old Sam !
bul il seemed 70 b taken for granted thai
whatever hs said vas not worth noticing
sod that almost everything hs did was Y
Be made fan Of moro or less, He Vas, IL
fact. the family bust. though The shaft'
usre = : sule. 70 tipped with gcod-nsturs
= not V hurt his fesIings
OF course. there we're somc patent res.
soos Tor eli this. To begin with. thers
vss sossthins mapiisssly peculiar OF
backward in his mental Development He
never could learn like other boys. and al
mas>srs bad shaksu their heads at him.
Thsn thsrs vas heavy comicalisy in his
face. and IN svkvaEdness In his gait. to-
gsthss with stuntsd growth. oil OF which
bstoksusd IN abnormal condition Of no
turs. and furnished some excuse 70 his
brothers and sisters for regarding him q
an oddity 10 their midst A. the sams
time Il w1 yet more excussbIs In Sam
himseli. and Tar more accountable, that
bsing thus accustomed from bic childhood
land he vas nov about 19) TO be treated
- II he were little better than fool, he
settled down more TO being one. Hardly
over did hs attempt to say or do anything
10 serious earnest, since almost everything
he did OF said was treated % sort Of joke.
There was one exception to this. Mothers
always know best how TO deal with the
weak in the flock. aud Sans never laughed
at him. and never despAired Of him.
What IL 70 become Of Sam? his father
would say; bell never earn his own living;
and bis mother would quietly answer.
wait bit, my dear; there is more in him.
perhaps. than We think. but II wants to be
drawn ont. and ! doubt il We arc acting
wisely in laughing At him - we do. She
said We. good soul but that was only her
discrete way Of putting it.
Now Sam had sister. Mary, Of whom
be was especially fond. Perhsps it was
because she was the sister nearest to him
in age, but 1t was more likely because she
placed little more confidence in him than
the others did; it wasn't much, but it
was more than he got from any OF the rest.
He would do anything for Mary, and when
certain Mr.. 81 Leger in the neighbor
hood took fancy to her il was amusing to
- how Sam resented The engagement.
This Mr.. ST Leger had lately come into
the ueighborhood. NO one knew where
from; but he had plenty Of money and
very agreeable manners. and was gener-
al favorite with the Frere family. SAM
however, never liked him from the first.
and when at length he became Mary
Frere's accepted suitor, Sans aversion to
him became intenss. II must bs owned
that Mr.. 81. Leger took no pains to win
him over 10 moro friendly state Of mind.
Hs had fallen st once into the habit OF
making light Of the poor fellow. which as
W have ssen was the family custom. and
whom hs saw how Sam shrank from him
be had certainly gone out Of bis way to
poke fun 1t him, il was an amusement and
quite in accordance with the general prac
tice.
The day was fixed for the Wedding and
the Sunday had arrived when. 10 defer
sncs 10 Mary's particular wish the banns
we're TO be published in church. The
Frerss were all in their place-a great
square pew in front Of the pulpit The
names were ont in due time. Mary
was recovering from the electric shook OF
hearing them; the villagers were IN
terchsnging glanoss, some even cautious.
y rising little to peep into the square
pew. when voice WAS heard all over the
church, saying. in the most emphatic way.
forbid the bannsl"
Surprise was on every face, but it quick
y gave way to sense Of the ludicrous as
Sam wss seen standing in the middle OF
the pew. looking the clergyman steadily |
10 the isce. ~ much ~ to say. There
now; get over that II you canl" The cler.
gyman wss 20 amused that be had TO rush
on with the service 70 prevent an unseen
y display, whils Sans kindred in the
squars psw we're in every attitude OF pam
fully rsstFained amusement And there
be stood unabAshed and defiant, until his
father plucksd him by the arm and made
him sit down. But mono Of them for
moment thought il was anything more
Than very unscoouutabIe freak Of poor
Did Sans"
No sooner was the service over than be
~ sssailed on III sidss Tor ~ explanation,
Two only ware serious about it-his faith
q sad Mary. wbal = sths neaaing Of
his. siri sAid his father, sternly; what
,ould have possessed you 70 mako your
,eIf 20 ridiculousi
Hs has got wiis already, replied Sam
loggedIy.
Who has! was the general exclamAtion.
st. Leger.
Who told you 20?
Tom Tylerl-Tom Tyler was the village
etter- carrier.
There YES shout Of laughter at this
piscs Of information.
when did Ton Tyler tell you this7
Yesterday. He brought Isttss for Mrs.
T. Lsger.
Another shout Of laughter greeted this;
,ss Mary Looked grave. while her father
aid that. Of course. tho letter was for ~.
Lsesr's mother. Of whom be had more
han snes spoken. So Sam vas sharply
,sbuked Tor iistsuing 70 Tom Tyisr's idle
aiss. and ordered 10 bold his tongue
-.