Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-01-30

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1t was cozy sitting-room joey en-
tered few minutes later; a small
table near the fire, beside which Aunt
Alice, fair-faced, brown-haired wo-
man was sitting busily engaged with
a basket of mending; on the oppo-
site side was Harold, sturdy young
man of three and twenty, piling
blocks for the little girl in his lap,
whose ringing laugh now sounded
clear and sweet, as the pile on the ta-
bic toppled over and fel lwith a crash
on the floor.
"Did you see it?" she called to
Joey as he came in.
s1Nol but L wish / had. What was
it Rose?''
"It's the Tower of the Seven
Knights, sister Ellen says,and it was
top heavy, joey" shaking her curls
and sliding down from Harold's lap,
and going over to him.
81 have been over to Farmer
JONES' he replied to Aunt Alice's
question as he lifted Rose.
''Over to see Farmer Jones !" ex-
claimed Ellen, throwing down her
book, "why, you never go there
thought you did not like him. $50
did l." put in Harold, "and l ;" echo
ed Aunt A lice.
"Well, you see, aunty," with
nervous glance at Harold, 81 heard
you speaking about the mortgage,
and | thought it was high time | was
helping to pay it /; and the long and
short of it is, Farmer Jones agreed
to five years time, and let me try to
pay it. Don't laugh, Aunt Alice;
you have not kept me at school so
long for nothing, and besides l have
job of wood-cutting for Farmer
Jones, and | mean to teach this win
ter. You're committee, Harold, won't
you let me try?"
But Harold had to swallow some
thing dry and hard in his throat be-
fore he could answer, while Ellen
danced around the room exclaiming:
81 will be real good and help joey
teach, if you will, Hal"
.TMe too - chimed in Rose, patting
his cheek.
"Well, girls, we will see what
mother thinks of Joey's plan. 1 am
glad you thought of it, joey" and he
took the paper from him.
Here, mother, it's plain English
enough" and he handed it to her.
"And five years time to pay it off.
How did you manage the old fellow,
Joey?"
81 don't know. Guess it was his
wife that did it. See here, girls, she
sent you some nice apples" and emp
tying his pockets he left the room.
''Bless the boy" murmured Aunt
Alice, as she heard him 60 up the
old stairs.
The girls followed soon, leaving |
Harold and his mother to talk over
Joey's success, and decide about the
school, which was in his favor.
81 will let him try" Harold had
said, "for it is his doings, keeping
the house over our heads five years
longer"
eyes," answered Aunt Alice with
a sigh, show he is helping us. l re-
member how, when brother died, /
did not see my way clear to bring
joey home, it seemed such a care, land
now he is very willing to help. Yes,
but for his doing we might have been
left with small hope of paying the
debt and saving our home. AS it is,
with his help, the way seems very
much brighter.
CHAPTER III.
Morning dawned and found joey,
saw in hal d before Farmer Jones
door.
The wind had gone down. The
bright sun peered over the mountain
tops, lighting up hill and valley and
making all so beautiful that Joey al
most forgot his work, as leaning
against the long pile of wood his eyes
wandered adown the valley, resting
first on the river, cleaning like silver
in the morning light; then on to the
snow-covered housetops, the towering
mountains. above all the clear blue
sky, which gave promise of another
lovely winters day.
Farmer Jones was looking also
upon the morning scene, and as from
the window his eyes fell on the boy,
he turned, lifted his cap and began
brushing away the snow, and very
soon the noise of the saw was heard.
"He is at it already" exclaimed
the farmer to his wife, as he turned
away.
'fWho At what %
''Why, the boy to cut wood, and
he will get enough of it, too, reck-
on it's as hard as rock-mean
stuff for boy like him. seating him.
self at the breakfast table and help
ing himself to steaming roll,
CLEARED off NICE" remarked Mrs.
Jones.
eyes; the sun shines. Guess |
will be off over to the village for my
new sleds. If you need anything
call that youngster in, and now am
off, seeing have eaten all the rolls
myself ne remarked, thinking to
himself. stIhat saw has snOiled