The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-04-26
SELECTED STORY.
An Eight-Day Clock.

the setting sun. The ragged-looking
cornfields stretched desolately away at
his feet and wore an apologize aspect,
as though ashamed TO call attention to
the meager array of cornstooks and d.
minutive yellow pumpkins which were
their utmost effort in the way of crops.
1t was a poverty. stricken inheritance
enough; land that had run out " from
lack of enriching; a belt of once glorious
woodlands, now sadly shrunk and
spoiled by repeated Telling, and the low,
gray farmhouse, implanted for many
long year and showing the ravages of
time and weather to An alarming ex-
tent despite all Zedekiah's unfagging
efforts at patching and repairs.
Yes, it was poor patrimony, and yet
Zedekiah loved every tree and every
and his heart within him swelled with
sorrow and passionate regret at the
thought that that terrible mortgage
must be foreclosed next Monday, and
Birch Brook farm lost to the name of
Barnes forever.
1t had been a desperate struggle to
keep their heads above water ever since
their fathers death two years before.
Farming carried on by delicate widow
and boy of fifteen, however much en-
ergy and good will they bring to bear be-
tween them on the work in hand, can
hardly be expe cted to afford brilliant
results, and the wet season just passed
had " finished the job" as Zedekiah
himself would have said. The hay was
spoiled and the wheat sprouted, and
where the magnificent income of the
owners just sufiiced to buy the salt for
the stirabout which the ruined corn
should have supplied, that meant ruin.
And so the mortgage was to be fore
closed next Monday, and the harnesses
were to be homeless.
"Zedl Zed!" 1t was gentle voice
that Gale d, and Zedekiah, with shake
of his shoulders, forced CHASTITY smile
of assumed cheerfulness and turned to
greet his mother at the open door.
She had been pretty woman once,
and even now, faded and worn though
she was, there was certain grace and
gentleness about her which accounted
for her sons devotion, even though the
little plaintive voice and manner showed,
poor woman, that life had been pretty
hard and bitter struggle.
"Come in to your supper, Zed,' she
called again as he came up the tagged
walk with an air of intense jauntines SIS
to hide the fact that he was footsore
and lame where the fints had bruised
through the worn boots. "The children
are that hungry that can't keep them
quiet, and they ought to have been in
bed, poor things"
Two yellow-haire little girls ran up
as they entered.
"Ahl Zed," cried little Mamie, "
amt had no supper yet. Wasn't you
bad to stay away SO long!" While baby
Carrie chimed in: Yeth, Zed velly
bad boy. Shan't have no supper his
self"
"Hush, hushr' said the mother.
Children, how you talk! One would
think you were beggar children to talk
like that!"
Zed's forced smile faded in quick
look of pain.
"They ought to 60 to school," he
said, then checked himself at the recol-
lection of The cost of school books.
He was staring hard at the red EN-.
bers of the fire as his mother returned
from giving the little girls their good
night kiss and sat down in her shabby
rocking chair TO the darning and patch
ing, which was the usual evening occu-
patton. He reused himself again at
her approach. He was always trying
to be cheerful for her sake, poor fellow
"Iguess I've got that place, mother"
he said. went to the store Mr.. Nor
ton told me of and they've pretty well
settled to take me on. The wages don't
seem fabulous, TO be sure, but they'll
be something, and then there's the
prospect of RISE"
"Ob, Zedl" The darning fell into
Mrs. Barnes lap. "You poor boy
Yes, the wages are something and nc
mistake, but l can't bear to think OF
you, your poor fathers son, just COM
mon errand boy in grocery store"
Zedekiah's sallow cheek flushed.
g don't see why " he said stoutly.
Groceries are honest enough, and
they're clean, too-a great deal nicer
than good many other things, think
Besides, errand boys always make their
fortune right away, Did you ever he al
OF millionaire in book who didn't
begin by sweeping out a store?"
Alb, if your Uucle Zedekiah had
Ohiy ioi1 you ali LIS mOuev, as ne PROM
ised! sighed the widow, taking up
the tattered sock again.
Instead of only his name and the
old clock, eh, mother?"
sob, yes 1t was too bad of uncle.
He ought to have been ashamed, and
after making us give you his horrid
name, tool"
Never mind, motherl It's an hon.
est name, even though the first man that
owned it wasn't much in the way of a
king. He's been dead so long the name
ought to have grown respectable again
by now"
" And then to leave you nothing af
ter all
6 don't believe, do you know, that
he had anything to leave. Folks say
he was really very poor"
"Poor? Not hei" Mrs. Barnes was
reused to Indignation. 81 guess ht
wasn't But he was an awful miser fol-
years before he died, and he lived fol-
all the world like beggar! We fanciet
he'd have left you hundreds-and there
was nothingl"
Don't forget the clockp'