Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-09-23
Only a Husk.


right: but these things being wrong,
the whole machine was going to the
bad very fast, though there were
times when the heart felt something
of its old truthful yearnings. Tom
had lost his place as foreman in the
great machine shop, and what money
he had now earned came from odd
jobs of tinkering he was able to do,
here and there, at private houses
for Tom was genius as we'll as
mechanic, and when his head was
steady enough, he could mend
clock or clean a watch, as well as he
could set up and regulate steam en-
gine-and this latter he could do bet
ter than any other man ever employ
ed by the Scott Manufacturing Com
pany.
One day Tom had job to mend
broken moving machine and reaper,
for which he received five dollars, land
on the following morning he started
out for his old haunt-the village
tavern. He knew his wife sadly
needed the money, and that his two
little children were in absolute suffer-
ing from want of clothing, and
that morning he held a debate
with the better part of himself; but
the better part had become very
weak and shaky, and the demon of
appetite carried the day.
So away to the tavern Tom went,
where, for two or three hours, he felt
the exhilarating effects of the alcohol
ic draught, and fancied himself hap
Ply, as he could sing and laugh; but,
as usual, stupefaction followed, and
the man died out. He drank while
he could stand, and then lay down in
a corner, where his companions left
him.
1t was late at night, almost mid
night. when the landlords wife came
into the bar room to see what kept her
husband up, and she quickly saw
Tom.
''Peter," she said, not in pleas
ant mood, ''why don't you send that
miserable Tom Darcy home? He's
been hanging around here long
enough"
Toms stupefaction was not sound
sleep. The dead coma had left the
brain, and the calling of his name
stung his senses 10 keen attention.
He had an insane love for rum, but
did not love the landlord. In other
years, Peter Tindar and himself had
loved and wooed the sweet maiden,
Ellen Goss, and he won her, leaving
Peter to take up with the vinegary
spinster who had brought him to the
tavern, and he'knew that lately the
tapster had gloated over the misery
of the woman that had once discard
ed him.
"Why don't you send him home p
demanded Mrs. Tindar, with an i'm
patient stamp of the foot.
"Hush, Betsey! He's got money.
Let him be, land he'll be sure to spend
it before he goes home. I'll have the
kernel of the nut, and his wife may
have the husk %
With a sniff and a snap Betsey
turned away, and shortly afterward
Tom Darcy lifted himself upon his
elbow.
"Ah, Tom, are you awaken"
eyes"
"Then rouse up and have warm
glass;
Tom got upon his feet and steadied
himself.
"No, Peter, I won't drink any
more tonight"
''It won't hurt you Tom-just q
drop"
81 know it WON'T" said Tom, but
toning up his coat by the one solitary
button left. 81 know it won't"
And with this he went out into the
chill air of night. When he got away
from the shadow of the tavern, he
stopped and looked up at the stars,
and then he looked down upon the
earth.
"Aye," he murmured, grinding his
feet into the gravel, "Peter Tindar is
taking the kernel and leaving poor
Ellen the husk, and I am helping tc
do it. 1 am robbing my wife OF
joy, robbing my children of honor ant
comfort, robbing myself of love ant
life, just that Peter Tindar may have
the kernel and Ellen the husk. We'll
see ~
1t was revelation to the man
The tavern keepers brief speech
meant not for his ears, had come upol
his senses, as fell the voice of tn
risen One upon Saul of Tarsus.
"We'll see," he replied, setting hi
foot firmly upon the ground, and thel
wendell his way homeward.
On the following morning he sail
to his wife:
"Ellen, have you any coffee in tn
house?'
"Yes, Tom" She did not tell hin
that her sister had given it to her
She was glad to hear him ask 70
coffee instead of the old, old cider
81 wish you would make a CUP
good and strong"
There was really music in Tom
voice, and the wife set about tn