The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-10-30
NOW JOE CANE BACK.

tVsb " - ~ os~<*a9 As~s y -r~-
small coantry iovns. u wss ten miir
from any railroad. and most Of rs busi
ness u~ farming. There ~sss lss mil
. isnnery. snd One or tvo other small es
tsblisLm ments, bot oil Of them togeihe
we're not suGicieot 10 warrant calling th'
place . business comm unity. There yer
comfortable farm houses and well tille'
farms. There was also one white meeting
house, OF . structure that had been white
snd 9 store where everything could b.
found that any Of the people might want
from . knitting needle TO load o
bay.
The people we're shrewd. honest. fru'
gal; they read sveekly paper almost NJ
10 date. and monthly religious mssssio'
which vas ssvsrsly denomins.ionsl. The,
bed 40 idea. most Of them. thss they ksp
up With The styles and ways Of thinking
Of the outside world. though that world
always smiled when !, came in conisc
With the village life and noted i,s ways.
The men plowed, sowed. resped, garner
ed. talked politics. discussed religious
"pin,s," lived snug" saved, and finall,
died, satisfied with their relations to ib'
world and TO themselves
The district school system was then il
vogue, end near the church was littl,
rel building, roughly foished, well aired
10 sum mer. and still more thoroughly air
cd in winter. The scholars ranged from
eight years old to twenty. There vas
very democratic feeling among them, will
= few exceptions. One Of these exceptions
was tbs cause Of our story.
Way ont on the outskirts OF the town
ball mile or more from any other neigh.
Dor, had lived for many years a simple.
minded old fellow, known as Bill, the
hermit" No one knew who be was or
he came. All that WAS known va,
that he suddenly sppearedi in the village.
bought the old house 10 which he lived,
and thereafter took no part or interest in
he town's affairs He had with him lit.
lie boy whom gossip said was his grand
son, but this was neither verified nor dis
proved. He called the boy Joe. and few
aver heard him called by any more Of .
name.
The pair evidently bad enough to eat,
md managed somehow to obtain clothes
enough 10 cover them. The boy Was as
reserved as the older man He never play
a with other children. He seldom came
nto the village. When he was ten years
I'D the man died without revealing the
mystery Of their lives or the character Of
heir relationship.
From that time on the boy gIew NOR
,id, and II at last became evident that he
rss growing up ignorant, misanthropic;
md Il times VS. antcslly suffering. BY
patient effort he was finally induced 10 It,
end school. where be became interested
md made fair progress. But be could not
" would not mingle freely with the other
,upilr. Some Of them simply ignored
lin. but his manner aroused sntsgonism
n others, and 3 few were hateful in their
Intercourse with him.
One day as be came into the school
,srd, one or two Of the boys made faces at
lin, and tsunted him about bis poverty.
The boy bore their insults for time with
,ut showing any signs Of unnatural feil !.
ng. This emboldened the little torments
Vho grew more insolent in their remarks,
tesr stole down the boys cheek,
he clepchsd his fist ~ II to strike, but re'
rsined from doing 30, and exclsimed,
I'll 60 away and never come back to this
hateful place" AZ be said this be turn.
ID. and stsrted sts rapid pace, ~ though
o csrry bis tbrest into execution, As be
lid so Harry Jackson. little older than
,e. stopped him, and in very sympathe.
10 tone said. Don't go. Joe. they're
hateful enough. certainly, but the best
way TO do is not 10 mind them. I'll be
Four friend, any way" Joe really burst
,ut crying then, and suffered himself to
be led back to the school yard.
At this instance bis diligence was more
marked than ever. but the fact that the
others had the start OF him made him sp.
pear at . disadvantage. This was q sore
trial to him, especially Is be sometimes
overheard himseli uDiustly spoken OF -
stupid. by those who should bave known
better,
Time sped along without bringing him
.uy great respite from the unpleasant re'
|ations 10 which be found bimself. The
,hildren a. they grew older were not 80
rude 10 their action. but their manner in'
lics,el ] disdsin; the teacher. though not
aeslectins hla. evidently did not place
him among his isvorise pupils -
0oe autumn day there was large as
,embly Of parents and friends 10 the
'chocI honse. The older boys and girls
,ad decorated the walls with leaves and
evergreen and all vas evidently srrsyed
or some unusnsl occasion. Every scholar
vas 10 bis or her place. sitting 10 precise
.ttiiuie. With attentive manner The re
washable space Vas occupied by
proud man mas. each conscious Of the
merits Of her own children, by fathers III
Il esse 10 their Sunday clothes, by symps.
lbizing friends, snd prominent on the
platform those imposing local diSnitaries
he school committee. Who we're usually
,poken oi siih the accent on the com
There were four Of these latter and
lbsy oil looked wise euoush 10 smbody
III the xisdom Of the ages. The child
REQ had . spelling match. "did suu..
read in the moootons. familiar 10 those
days soI crowned their efforts by speak