Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-04-07
WILLIAM THE MYSTERY.

WILLIAM THE MYSTERY.
We called him William, just as we
might have called a stray cat Tom.
and no stray cat was ever adopted
into family with less ceremony than
was William into our home at North
Farms, a suburb OF large manufac-
turing town in New England. He
made his first appearance when was
but 10 years old, and | remember the
day of his advent distinctly. 1t was
late in December and the snow was
piled up in the roads to such depth
that travel was almost impossible.
The mercury was at zero and the cold
wind sang shrill among the bare
branches Of the apple trees, threaten
ing another storm. 1t was nearly
chore time, and while mother was
lighting the lanterns and getting the
milk pals ready father, wrapped in
his great coat, was grumbling at the
weather and warming his buckskin
mittens preparatory to starting for
the stables. Suddenly there came
timid knock at the door, and in
answer to fathers grutf "come i'm it
opened and there stood William. His
Shivering form was scantily clad and
his face and hands We're pinched and
blue with cold. He was truly pitt
full figure.
81 am freezing and have had moth
Ing to eat to-day" he said. "Give
me some food and let me get warm
have no money, but l can work If
you have anything to do"
His voice was soft, and although a
French accent was plainly diatin-
guishable, his tones were distinct
and not unpleasant to the ear. /
knew that father was particularly
Rverse to tramps and glanced up at
him expecting to hear his usual "Be
of with you. but to my surprise he
said in tone even more gentle than
that which he usually affected in
speaking to the members Of his own
family "Sit down"
With a simple thank You the poor
fellow drew up. chair and spread
his benumbed fingers before the
blaze. While he was seated we all
examined him closely. but he seemed
utterly unconscious OF our scrutiny
and never moved his eyes from the
fire until mother brought in some
bread and milk and cold meat
He was little, wiry-looking man,
whose face was tanned by the sun
and wind to the shade OF "a russell
apple. His features were small bat
regular, and with the exception of q
closely trimmed moustache, he was
clearly shaven. There was no touch
Of gray in his black hair, but an in
cipient badness about the crown of
his well-shaped head and the innu-
merable wrinkles which scanned his
tanned cheeks and forehead showed
that he was on the wrong side of 4).
His eyes were small and deeply set in
his head, but they sparkled like gems
and at times were as lustrous, soft
and expressive a. woman's. He ate
the food which was placed before him
ravenously, but when he had finished
he arose and said: II can work now. "
Without more ado father led the
way to the barn and il was there Will
liam began his silent conquest OF the
family. He mi ked we'll. ground the
stalks for the cattle, Uttered the
stalls and fed the calves as If doing
chores had been his vocation from
childhood. 1t was after z o'clock
when the work was finished. The
darkness was intense. The storm
which had been threatening all day
had set in and the snow was falling
heavily. Our farm was over five
miles from town, and, of course, there
was no question of William resuming
his journey that night. Supper was
ready and when mother had set the
milk we all sat down to the table.
William spoke never a word during
the meal and father was unusually
; silent When we had finished he
turned to the stranger and said:
Where are you goingp"
81 don't know" replied William
with an expressive shrug of his thin
: shoulders. Il am looking for work. "
For a few moments there was
silence. Then father said in his slow
} way: II want man. Would you
} care to stayP 1 will pay you fair
, wages, and the work, particularly in
tho winter, Is not hard. J."
William leaned forward eagerly.
, "You will let me work for you" he
said huskily. "How kind you are. "
Ind as he spoke ! noticed something
glisten on his brown cheeks like
: diamonds, but as brilliants were not
IN keeping with his general appear
,nce, sagely determined that they
we're tears.
And so he became member OF our
household and within O month was
looked upon as one of the family. He
) vas man of few words, but in the
brief periods in which he forsook his
teticence we found him an interest
Ing taflker and a man of considerable
education. He was the most con-
scientious worker / ever saw. No
task was too hard for him, and he
. never left of until he had accom-
plished 1t. He was perfectly familiar
with farming, and could prune tree
or NOW q swath with the best man in