Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-11-12
Pegging His Way.

how'll We be payin' your way.?' asked !
Mr.. Hadiey, as he stopped in the
doorway and ste od for a moment
watching his son.
Morris looked up from the trunk /
he was packing, and replied: "Don't !
know, father, but I'm going, and
guess there'll be some way for me to
get through. /
81 would I could help ye, but the
times are ard, We know
Morris returned a grateful smile as
his father laid a kind hand on his
shoulder.
eyed better put in some bits o
leather an some tools,'' Mr.. Hadley
suggested Eye can mend your own
shoes and save mite that way
And going to the little shop, where
Morris had spent many weary hour
on the shoemaker's bench, he return
ed with the needed articles, and Nor
ris slowed them away in the trunk.
Morris Hadley was the som OF En-
glish parents, and had come to Amer
lea with them at the age of two years.
The father was shoemaker good
one, ,too-and had taught the trade to
his five sons, who thus assisted in the
support of the family. Morris, the
third son, hated cobbling, and very
early in life began to lay his plans to
become a carpenter. All his spare
pennies were saved to buy tools, and
many were the happy hours he spent
with hammer, saw and plane after he
had finished his task at the shoe-mak-
er's bench. 1t was the dream OF his
boyhood to be able to draw plans and
construct large buildings when he
should become a man. But these
hopes were never to be realized.
While yet boy he began to feel that
his life-work was to preach the Cos
pei Fight against the conviction as
he would, he could escape from it; 1T
was the call of God. When, at the
age of fourteen, he surrendered his
heart to Christ, he accepted the call
and prepared to respond, though he
was too shy to speak of his purpose
even to his parents.
s'Fd be glad for We to get more
learnin', boy, but l need your help in
the shop Mr.. Hadley said when
Morris first spoke of attending the
high school.
81 can work out of school hours,
Morris replied.
1t was decided that he should go.
He went through the high school,
walking four miles day and work
ing in the shop mornings und even
ings, often studying with his book
nailed to the wall before him. He
graduated at Fairfield Academy, hav
ing boarded himself for five terms at
a cost of eighty-five cents per week,
meeting the expense by canvassin9
during vacations-work which he hat
ed far worse than cobbling, but which
seemed an absolute necessity. He !
passed successfully the entrance eX-
aminations to Morgan University.
On the morning our story opens he
was ready to start for college, to be-
gin four-years' course, with only
fifteen dollars in the world. 1t was
a great undertaking, yet he seemed
not to realize it or to see any diff
Guilty. He felt that he was called of /
God, and that God would open the |
way before him. We will see how
well founded was this confidence.
The busy opening weeks of the F.!
college year passed quickly. Morris, !
who at first felt shy and homesick,
was becoming accustomed to his new
mode of life. Finding that the city
pavements had made sad havoc with |
his shoes, one Saturday afternoon he
shvlv drew from his trunk the leather
and tools and sat down to repair
them.
81 am glad father thought of put
ting these in,' he said to himself 81
couldn't afford to hire this done. My
money is all gone, and more, too"
He worked very quietly, that the
sound of his voice might not attract
attention Little he thought as he
sat at the familiar task how much |
hinged upon that afternoons work.
He fell to thinking as he worked |
away how he might replenish his
purse. Some of the students had
borrowed money to meet their ex-
penses, others were planning to leave
college during the winter and teach.
but neither of these plans seemed
practicable for him.
The door suddenly opened. Nor
ris dropped his hammer and looked
up. Had some one heard the noise
and come to order it stopped? No, it
was only Fred Thomas on his way to
the campus.
''What are you moping in here for?
Come out, Norris said Fred.
81 can't now," replied Morris.
"Why not? You don't mean to
study all day Saturday. hope. What
are you doing there?'
Before Morris could answer, Fred
entered the room.
ssOh! cobbling," Fred exclaimed.
eyes, tough on shoes here, isn't
it?'' said Morris, in a tone of apollo
gy.
ST didn't know you were cob
BIER
ssOh yes I've been at it all nv