Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1891-07-09
ARMSTRONG'S REVENGE.
From Chambers Journal


~NE bright June morning, not many
years ago, big ungainly farm
h servant, holding by halter a
III large and uncouth plough horse,
stood before the shut door of a
battered wooden building, the sur
roundings of which at once proclaimed
it to be a smithy, although through the
chinks in its weather-beaten walls no
forge fire CLEANED or CHEEKY hammer
rang. The ploughman, astonished to
see the place shut at an hour long after
that at which the blacksmith usually
gazed up at the chimney; and not seeing
even the faintest trace of smoke issuing
thence, he turned and looked about him
with a puzzled expression on his face. A
man breaking stones on the other side of
the road, noticing the farm-servant's be-
wilderment, approached, and, after the
usual morning salutation, proceeded to
explain what had become of the black
smith. We will give that explanation
in our own words:
Hamilton Armstrong was the name of
the blacksmith in question. His work
shop was situated close to wayside sta
ton on the main line of one of the great
Scotch railways, but in considerable
distance from any town or village. Be-
ing, however, kept pretty busy at work
for the neighboring farmers, and being
consequently well-to-do, and having,
moreover, as his nearest female neighbor
very pretty girl, the daughter of the
porter at the station, it was the most
natural thing in the world that he should
wish to make her his wife. Unfortunate
ly, this was more easily determined on
than done, for he had rival. This rival
was the driver of goods freight train
which was almost daily switched into
the siding near Sarah's house, to allow
of passenger express passing, and he
took advantage of this momentary respite
to chat with the porter's daughter.
Whether it was because he was far-away
bird that his feathers seemed fairer than
Armstrong; in Sarah's sight, or whether
he was intrinsically man of more worth
the gossips-for there were gossips even
in those solitudes-were not agreed
Rightly or wrongly, however, Sarah gave
him the preference.
Having made up his mind to ask Sarah
to be his wife, Armstrong was not long
in finding an opportunity for doing so
Though he knew he had a rival, he was
hardly prepared to hear from Sarah that
Sic ldu dlItduN piOlIlSCt W NAL y
Duffy. the engine driver. But Armstrong
was not going to yield without making
a special effort to win her. He pleaded
long and fervently with her to retrac
her promise to his rival, whom he was
persuaded she had only accepted because
he had been the first one to ask her. Bu
Sarah was quite sincere, Duffy being
really the man of her choice; and Arm
strong pleaded in vain.
For a week or two the blacksmith
moped about and did scarcely any work
On the day on which Sarah's marriage
was to take place he left the smithy il
the evening, and went wandering init
the country, returning late at night
Next morning he went away again, nov
walking with uneasy step along thu
quiet country lanes and now sitting de
iectedly by the roadside, muttering t.
himself. The neighbors soon came Il
hear of his strange behavior; and it wa
whispered that he must have gone GU
of his senses, as an uncle of his had don
under similar affection.
ssThat was yesterday" the ston
breaker wound up, s'and he's away alon.
the road by the railway this morning
They should look after him, or he'll b
living down in front of some train, o
Jumping down into the deep rock euttlni
and breaking his neck
If Hamilton Armstrong had not gon
mad as the people supposed, he certainl
acted like mailman. Stung to the quic
nv his rejection, he had no heart for hi
work. He shut up his smithy, and wen
ont to try to walk off the fever tina
burned within him. Proceeding alon
the path by the side of the railway, hi