Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-10-24


of rags, and at the same time Baard heard
the go&d watch ticking in his own pocket.
Anders went to where the smaller branches
lay; instead of STOPPING to load himself he
stopped, leaned back against the woodpile
and looked out at the sky, clear and gilt
tering with stars. Then he drew q sigh
and said:
"Yes-yes-yes-O Lord, O Lordr'
So long as Baard lived he heard that
ever afterward. He was just about to &c
up to him when at the same moment his
brother coughed, and it seemed so difficult
more was not needed to hold him back
Anders took his armful Of wood, and
swept SO close by Baard that the branches
hit his face SO that it smarted.
For at least ten minutes he stood still on
the same spot, and it was doubtful when
he would have moved if, after his emo
ton, he had not been seized with such a
shivering fit that he shook all over. Then
he went out; he acknowledged freely to
himself that he was too cowardly to go in.
From a woodboX in the corner he had just
left he took pine knot, went up into the
barn, shut the door after him, and struck
light. When he haA lighted the pine
knot he held it up to the nail where An
ders hung his lantern when he came early
in the morning to thresh. Bard took out
his gold watch and hung it on the nail
put out his light and left; and then he
was SO light of heart that he bounded ovel
the snow like a young boy
The next day he heard that the barn had
burned that night. Probably sparks had
fallen from the pine knot which lighted
him while hanging up the watch.
This overwhelmed him to such degree
that he sat that day like sick man, took
out his psalm book and sung SO that the
people in the house thought he had gone
crazy. But when evening came he went
out. 1t was bright moonshine. He walked
to his brothers farm, dug about where the
fire had been, and found, sure enough, a
melted lump of gold. That was the watch
1t was with that in his hand he went in
to his brother that evening" begged for
peace and was going to explain everything
But it has been before related how his visit
terminated
A little girl had seen him dig about the
spot of the fire, some boys going to a dance
had seen him the Sunday evening before
walk down toward the barn, people in the
house related how strange he appeared on
Monday, and as every one knew that he
and his brother were bitter enemies infor
nation was given and an inquiry was
made. No one could prove anything against
him, but suspicion rested on him.
Anders had thought of Baard when the
barn burned down, but had mentioned his
suspicious to no one. And when he saw
Bard enter his room the next evening
pale and distressed, he thought immediate
ly now he is seized with repentance, but
for such an awful deed to his brother he
shall never have forgiveness. Afterward
he heard how people had seen him go down
to the barn the same evening it burned
and although nothing came to light at the
examination he firmly believed that Baard
was the guilty one. They met at the ex
amination-Baard with his good clothes
Anders in his patched ones Baard looked
over to him and his eyes entreated, so that
Anders felt it in the depths of his heart
He does not wish me to say anything
thought Anders, and when asked if he sus
pected his brother he answered loudly and
distinctly, "No."
Anders took to hard drinking from that
day, and soon began to show the effects Of
it. But it was still worse with Baard, al
though he did not drink
Late one evening there came a poor
woman into the little room which Baard
rented, and asked him to follow her out g
minute. He knew her; it was his brothers
wife. Baard understood directly what er
rand brought her, turned pale as a corpse
dressed himself and followed her without
uttering word. There shone faint light
from Anders' window, it twinhled and dis
appeared, and they went in the direction
of it, for there was no path across the
snow. When Baard stood for the second
time before his brothers door he noticed
peculiar odor of sickness which made
him feel i'll. They went in. A little child
was sitting over in the chimney corner
eating coal and was quite black in the
face, but looked up and laughed with its
white teeth. It was his brothers child.
But over in the bed, with all sorts Of
clothes thrown over him, lay Anders
emaciated, with smooth, high forehead
and looking with hollow eyes at his
brother Boards knees shook; he sat
down at the foot Of the bed and burst into
violent sobs. The sick man looked at him
steadfastly and was silent. At length he
babe his wife go out, but Baard made 8
sign to her that she should remain, and
now these two brothers began to talk to-
gether. They explained everything from
the day when they bid for the watch up tc
the onewhen they now met, Bard conclud
ing by taking out the lump Of gold, always
carried with him, and it was now made
clear between the brothers that in all These
years they had not felt happy a single day
Anders did not say much, for he was not
strong enough, but Baard remained sitting
by his bedside as long as Anders was i'll.
'Now, I am quite WE'LL" said Anders
one morning when he woke; "now, brother
we shall live long together, and never
leave each other, just as of DID,"
But that day he died.
Baard took the wife and child home with
him, and they Jared well from that time
What the brothers had talked of together
sprung out through walls and darkness
and was known to all the people of the
district, and Baard became the most re-
spected man among them. All greeted
him as one who had known great sorrow
and found happiness again, or as one who
had been absent a long time.
Boards firmness of character increased
with the friendliness which surrounded
him.. He became a God fearing man and
wished to find some occupation, he said,
and so the old corporal became school mas
ter What he impressed on the children
first and last was charity, and he himself
practiced it, SO that the children in the lit
tie school loved him at once as playmat6
and as father.-"The Happy Boy" by
Bjornstjerne Bjornson.
Had to Work to Die.