Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-02-14
ONLY AsHUSk.

Tom Darcy, yet a young man, had
grown to be very bad one. At heart
he might have been all right, If his
head and will had only been all right;
but these being wrong, the whole ma
chine was going to the bad very fast,
though there were times when the
heart felt something of its old truth
full warnings. 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
which he was able to do, here and
there, at private houses for Tom
was q genius as well as a mechanic,
and when his head was steady enough,
he could mend a clock or clean
watch, as well as he could set up and
regulate a steam engine-and this lat
ter he could do better than any other
man ever employed blythe Scott man
ufacturing Company.
One day Tom had job to mend
broken moving machine and reaper,
for which he received five dollars,
and on the following morning he
started out for his old haunt-the viii
lage 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 car
ried the day.
So away to the tavern Tom went,
where for two or three hours he felt
the exhilarating effects of the alco-
holic draught, and fancied himself
happy, 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 compan-
ions 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" said she, not in pleasant
mood, why don't you send that mis-
erable 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 to keen attention.
| He had an insane love for rum, but
years, Peter Tinder 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 bought him the
tavern, and he knew that lately the
tapster had gloated over the misery
! of the woman who had once discarded
him.
why don't you send him alone p
demanded Mrs. Tindar, with an i'm
patient stamp of the foot.
Hush, Betsy He's got money.
Let him be, and he'll spend it before
he goes home. I'll have the kernel
of the nut, and his wife may have
the husk -
With sniff and a snap Betsey
| turned away, and shortly afterward
Tom Darcy lifted himself upon his
elbow.
''Ah, Tom, are you awake p
Yes"
Then rouse up and have warm
glass"
Tom got upon his feet and steadied
himself.
NO, Peter, l don't want any more
tonight
1t won't hurt you, Tom-just a
drop
Il know it won't, said Tom, but
tOning up his coat by the only solitary
/ button left. Il 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, be
stopped and looked up at the stars,
aud then he looked down upon the
earth.
Aye" he murmured, grinding his
feet in the gravel, Peter Tindar is
taking the kernel and leaving poor
Ellen the husk, and | am helping to
do it. l am robbing my wife of joy,
robbing my children of honor and
comfort, robbing myself of love and
life, just that Peter Tindar may have
the kernel and Ellen the husk. Wen
seer'
| 1t was a revelation to the man.