The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-02-08
CHAPTER ".

] W tlLfT IIOWHNtil udu
been comrades In labor. Walter had
grown sunburned, and his once soft
| hands had become hardened with toll.
/ Those who had predicted that the pale
slender youth could not endure the
fatigues Of farm work, little knew the
/ power OF endurance in that delicat;
/ frame.
Corn cutting was over but the plow-
ing and sowing Of winter wheat AMI
general run Of chores kent the "bOy >
and hired hands Of Mr.. Mics busy.
Walter learned that labor was not 70
be dreaded so much o. he lad sup
posed. Ben Miles, with his drOll wit.
lghtcnod their hours Of toll. The
youth found that he could sleep
each morning awOke with renewed
strength and yigor
lie was intru,tcd with team and
permitted TO do some Of ths Lighter
work. such as hauling from one por-
ton Of the farm u another.
1t was rule Of Mr.. Miles. a II
should be- Of every good farmer. to lay
in his supply Of wint wood In the
autumn. Ills vast forest land furui he'd
fuel, and John and Ben Miles, beng
most expert with an axe, wcr 10 f,lI
the trees, and cut them into stick. the
proper sze for the wagon. while Wal.
ter was 10 haul them 10 the house.
Waller found hi, labor even pleasant.
To see the great horses display thc.I
giant strength in drawing heavy loads
OF wood was cLough 10 excite the al.
miratiOn and wonder Of any admircI
Of hor5 4 sh.
One day he was returning from the
forest with lar.e load Of wood on his
wagon. TIE path he was travelling
was what he called woods road, on
sometimes q "5lind road. II was us.c
only in drawing wood from the forest,
which was about once a year. The re.
maindcr OF the time it was permitted tc
grow up in weeds and brush.
Waiter mind had reverted 10 ~,
past life. and 10 one ST. event especial.
ly. He began to feel that he VS.
mystery To- the good people among
whom he was thrown. His past hiy
tory he could not reveal without &
blush upon his check.
In this rural d strict rs farm hon
he hoped 10 live in qu.ct clusion irce
from the vile slandcr, of the b y
ing manners were win ing place in
the h arts OF the reop.e w,th whom h.
lot was cast. HIe could bc happy b re
ii he could only forget tn liter wrong
tlat had been done i'm. But, try as
he would, the recollection OF it was
ever uppermost in his mind. IL was
not with a degree Of hatred or malice
that the memory Of the wrong re-.
mancd at his breast. but ", ha feeling
OF sorrow. regret and humiliation.
Other emotions TIRED his soul gt times.
The story might follow h m;Aaud the
humiliation woul b, tcu-io 4 greater.
The wealthy farmer would either d ;.
charge him and send him ,n"r more on
his wandcrmgs or else hc would be Os-
traciscd By the flmi = circle and r..
Carled with suspicion. This he could
not brook, AMI he hal determined in
case of such discovery 10 once more 20
into voluntary exile.
a m1n camc ont of tn" woods and
stood i'm the road few rods in advance
of the horses. He was "A buriy fellow,
strong. hcavy-sct. with dark tangled
hair and short beard. a face that in
dicatcd long exposure TO wind and
weather. also that the po,scssor of it
was addicted TO strong drink. ii was
dressed in rough Ear5, half farmer
and half tramp. Iii, paniarOns were
patched on the knees, and his weather.
beaten hat had hole in the crown.
He was certainly not very Ir UO>S So
ing in his appearance, and { taraCtcr
no one would care to mset Iu lone =
forest road.
Walter trcmblcd in spite of himself.
Although there WAS nothingapprou,,v
hostile about ia, m#u, h dr. iej
meeting liW The me t.ug could not
bc aycr'rJ. for the str nc cooliy
folded h., aims on his breast and
waited till the tam cNmc up. There
WIS grin on tn rangers g., 90 which
he intended for ;.u IA Surug SMILE.
Good moruin'. said the strange
man, hi, grin deepening rs tI' team
halted opposite him.
"Good morning, sir returned
/ Walter
"Plca,an, day fur toamm'"
"Ncry good, sir, said Walter.
"You work for Mr.. Miles, | Iguess?'
ayes, sir
"Yer names Walter Brownlicld?'
"Ics, sir. and as you know mine,
will You be 50 kind as to inform me
J what yours i~?"
81 am Eil Martin, an / work for
/ Jack Hawkins. who lives on the farm
jinin with Mr. Miles on the road to
Bushvillc,
Il am glad to get acquainted with
you, Mr.. Martin. said Walter. but
You must excuse me now aS my time Is
not my own; | must be going.
Hold; done be ia hurry, Walter"
said Bill, extending one hand toward
the bit Of the horse nearest him. "tlym
animals is tired, so We better let en-
blow or old Miles IL cuss a streak.
Walter. who was in the act OF start
ing up the team, paused AMI gr1cd il
wonder at the man. Bll, with than
strange grin ON his face, said
"lc come from Queenstown. didn' I
YEP"
"N-ycs, - stammcred the youth. .srr.
mg pale and trembling.
'Di,m't YOU used to clerk for Brr w.
Ttcr.' For moment Walter wa,
wholly unable 10 answer, hut at lcn, &!
Stamm,rCd.
Ill did
81 thought YOU was the same 'un,'
and the "rin 'crpyucd on Gil,'s face.
An awkward silence followed. Walter
looked hclIlc.s. us though he wou'C
fall from tac wagon, and 81 Martha