The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-06-14

SDNtI. btib Hucn us C1H might a1yo IL
shut Ont from heaven.
But il the first gray OF the morning
the hcrsss were pnt il, and while tbe
others still lay on their helnlock bouehs
the team was making itg way OUT ayain
Il have found tho lay Of tlie land bv
the way the stars were goings.a he said
to the mother; and before long they wore
II the open road dawn flushing all the
heavens above, the snow below. and
turning tho whole forest into a twinkle
Of rainbows- -and on tho way to a safe
end Of their journey
HES 4 man worth keeping, said Mrs.
Slpiey 70 her husband, Il wouldn't lose
sight of him"
Hes brought home the horses ali
right said NJ Sibley. And he took
John home with him that night. and
found plenty for him to do next day in
the great warehouse Of supplies, and
listened to various suggestions that
seemed To occur to the youth as a new
conner there, kept him busy, anu wnen
slarllig came sent him behind the Morgan
colts with wallet full Of money to pay
on the men in camp.
He's o treasure, that Iad," said MI.
sioiey. vixen John returned with his
vouchers Gil correct. .Luckiest days
work ever done when come acrost
him. Saved me his keep already in small
leaks. He's too good to last. Some out
about him somewhere Dnrnd ef / can
find it though
Il don't believe in crossing bridges
fore you come to them, said the fussy
little mans wife. Il don't believe you'll
ever come to this one. He's as good
boy as treads sole leather 49,
As good a boy as hasn't been found
out. Well. you spread your saving grace
over him, mother, and less see ii he'll
want better home 'n-this Is
And in his few spare half hours Jim
was invited into the sitting room, and
presently If anything was wanted by
the home people it was to John that they
went instead Of to the busy husband and
father, and it was taken for granted that
on Sundays he should have seat in the
family pew. And thus one year passed
and another, and the third year found
John Dean keeping Mr.. Sibley's books
and his bank account, collecting his
moneys, making his payments, going and
coming between the lumber camps, en-
gaging and paying OFF the men .ashort,
the trusted and faithful intimate Of his
business, always firm and strong and
ready, always bright and gentle and
o5liging. Mr.. Sibley used to say it was
as good as an open fire and a mug Of
cider to see Johns face on gloomy
evening, and there was many rosy
young girl in the Port who thought no
less, and looked shyly asl1ance at his
face once so bleaehed and now with
healthy tan and ruddy color beneath
the white brow, at llis wholesome mouth,
whose bright laugh was not hid by the
tawny shadow of the recent mustache,
at the sparkle of his happy eyes, at his
shapely shoulders and his easy bearing.
But of late this cheeriness Of Johns
that Mr.. Sibley liked was going under a
cloud. Mr. Sibley thought he must be
tired, and was for giving him vacation.
Mrs. Sibley thought he was i'll and was
for dosing him with herbs. Annie Sib-
ley, If she thought anything about it,
only showed her thought by heighten-
ed color on her cheek and a brighter star
in her eye when his name was mention
ed, or when she saw him coming up the
garden walk.
Certainly an unknown young fellow
who had found place almost without
asking for it, had been taken into his
masters confidence and into his family,
and had every reason to think his future
secure and fortunate, ought to have
worn gayer face than John Dean was
wearing now. 1t is true his good nature
was continually the same on require
ment, but gradually all iests and quips
and drolling, as Mrs. sibley called it,
had ceased, and he went about his work
pale and preoccupied and silent, and
Sundays he strayed off over the fields
instead of listening to little Annie sing
ing in the choir, or walking home with
her as he had been used to do. Perhaps
it did not occur to him that any one
might be troubled by this; perhaps he
was not aware of it himself; he certainly
did not see the paling Of the bloom on
Armies cheek.
But Mrs. Sibley did, and it smote her
heart to see the girls eyes follow John
and fall again, she taking shame to her.
self that they did, to see the unconscious,
pretty ways in which she tried to win
him out of his gloom. ''She might do
worse" said Mr. Sibley, when his wife
spoke to him about it, as a good wife
should ''He's likely fellow. I'm go
ing to raise his salary the first of the
year. And he'll be a rich man yet
s.But -father-you you wouldn't be
willing to let the first conner have her
and he, as you may say, a sort of-of-
hired mann
ssHired man bel mean, said Mr.
Sibley. who didn't allow swearing, ''he's
my confidential man of businessl"
ssButwe don't even know where he
came froml"
'.Steady as clock, faithful as dial.
There's some out about him somewhere,
Of course, but I can't find it. Perhaps
that's it. / guess we can find out where
he came from. I'll ask him. don't
never want ter know, though, a mite
inore'n know about him. Always I'M
der our eye, and this the third year.
What's she pale about? Does she think
wouldn't like itl You tell her | say