Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-28
CHAPTER I. A PICTURE AND ITS CRITICS.

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 It is on the sidewalk in front of tho fine residence of Ezekiel Breton. Surely every body within the length and breadth of hun dred miles must have heard the name of the wealthy mill owner, whose energy and shrewdness have passed into byword. The house is brilliantly lighted, and the windows wide open as if to invite the attention and admiration of the humble passers by.
 Three men, laborers, if coarse, soiled clothes and dull, heavy tread mean anything, have come down the street and now stand leaning against the tall iron fence.
 "Why shouldn't we see the show, boysp' continued the long whiskered man, with an unpleasant laugh. "It's our work that's pay in for it, guess How long do you think it would take you, Jack, to scrimp enough to- gether to buy one of them candlesticksl Hullo-there's the boss himself," and he thrust his hand inside the iron pickets to point out a portly gentleman whose bald head was fringed with silver white hair. Mir. Breton had paused a moment before the window.
 'Corne, let's go on," urged the man with a clay pipe, edging of a little into the shadow; "he'il see us and be mad"
 Whats the odds if be doeST' and the speaker drowned at the rich man from be tween the pickets. "He can't get help no cheaper than us, can he? That's one good pint of bein' way down, you can't tumble a mite. But just look at him, boys; big watch chain and gold bowed specs a-danglin'. See the thumbs of his white hands stuck in his vest pocket and him as srnilin' as if he never did nobody wrong ill his whole blessed life. There now is somethin' purifier, though"
 The old gentleman moved unsuspectingly aside and revealed young girl, large and fair, with great calm blue eyes. She wore a pale blue silk, with delicate ruff1es at her half barred elbow and at her neck, kissing the warm white skin.
 "Well, suppose my girl Jane might look just as good in such clothes as them. But she wouldn't no more speak to Jane than as if the girl wasn't human. And as for poor man, he might pour his life out for her purty lace and she wouldn't give him look. A Jew dollars and a suit of clothes makes the odds"
 "What's she laughin' at!' said the tall man, taking his clay pipe from his mouth.
 "Can't you sect There's the boy standin iist beyond her. Breton's young hopeful. -'othin less than the biggest kind of game LOT her, carlate."
 II never seen him before," remarked the third man, reverentially. II s'pose he'll be oir boss some day"
 "Hos been to college polishin' up his wits Faint goin' to be so easy as it was to grind
 10 poor The old man now didn't need nc :Itra schoolin."
 II aiat so sure now,' said the tall man lowing out wreath of smoke. "The boy looks moro kind about his mouth and eyes. See him look at the girl. I callate she don't think he's very bad"
 "Wait till he gets his heel on the necks ot a thousand of us, as his father has. Wait til ho finds we aint got penny ahead nor spot of Gods earth for our own, but lie at his mercy. Sec how kind he'll be then. 'Taint thc nature of the beast, Bill Rogers
 Bill Rogers took long look at the slight form of the mill owners son--at his fresh young faco and small, pleasant black eyes trust him, Graves. Hadn't we better be startin'7 The meetin' will begin purity soon. "Ivhat's the hurry: Curran Is always late himself Well, come along, then" Just now Mr. Breton is leaning lightly or the mantel near one of his pet heirlooms- the siver canclelabra. Near him stands a tall elegantly formed gentleman, only trife past middle age, whose clear chiseled mouth has the nerest hint of a smile on it, as if ht had just said something bright. Itwas smile he always wore when he had spoken-a smile with a1 edge to it. But Mir. Ellingswortl had t. make that smile do good service, fol he never laughed. The funniest jokes hae been told hinl--the most ridiculous situation! described to him-but he only smiled. "What am I going to do with the boy? | MT. BTc:ol's voice was always loud anG sharp cs if making itself heard above tn, roaring of his mills. "Why, marry him tt your daughter the first thing. Eh! PhilipT