The Opelousas courier., 1894-01-20

"You wouldn't?" echoed his mother,
in surprise, mingled with reproach.
ssThe children are badly off for boots
and 50 are So. Beside, it'll have to go
next week with all the other things,
and maybe it won't bring as much as
that at the SALE" This, with a little
sigh.
"Perhaps I shall not sell it," said
Zedekiah, slowly.
seed, you must be crazy!"
"No, I'm not. He had risen and was
was wandering about the low-ceiled
room, his hands deep in his pockets.
cat least, I don't think I nm. But,
somehow, it goes against me to part
with Uncle Zed's legacy. Hasn't it
been in the family as long as there's
any record and didn't my great-grand-
father, generations back, bring it with
him when he came to American"
$50 I've heard tell, Zed.
His wanderings became more ener-
getic. 2
"Well, then," he said, II don't be-
lieve we ought to let it go while we
can stick to it. 1t isn't just because
it is the only thing we shall have left
when we leave here to let the children
know that we came Of a family that
was well-to-do once. II they don't
make people respect them for them
selves it isn't much use having q tail
of grandfathers behind them, but
when I think of the poor old great
grandfather bringing that big clock
across the sea to his home in the new
country because he priced it more
than anything he had, and when !
think of all the generations it has
licked for, I can't find the heart to let
it go into strangers hands" He
brought himself up short before the
tall old clock in the corner. "No, the
clock shan't co." he said.
"Zed, you're the queerest!" said
his mother, with an u~nspeakable con-
sternation. "Queerer than your
poor father, and I could never make
him out"
But Zedekiah was contemplating the
old timepiece, with its once stately
carving Of black oak and its dial of
polished brass, where, beneath the
s.Giles Hembest me felt, London,
I7O9," ran a half obliterated legend
and the name 'John Barnes, Exeter,
172l."
II believe it's worth ever SO much
more than 49," he said, examining the
quaint engraving with care. "Any-
way, it's not going for that, o for
anything. l don't mean to say I
wouldn't sell it to keep us from starv-
ing, but we're not there yet, and /
hope we shan't be-"
"Heaven forbid!" said the widow.
.:But I mean to set that before me
TO work for. A home to put you and
the little girls and the old clock in.
Why, I'm certain the HAIRLESS would
give it d corner in their kitchen till ]
could claim tiff 1t only went and
kept good time, that u.s." He bent
nearer to the dial. "What is it it
says?" He spoke out the quaint letters
slowly. "Keep me true to TYNE, and
I'll be true to thee" 'sWhy, mother"
he turned suddenly, "wasn't it Uncle
Zed's will that We should keep it in
order and goingg"
Mrs. Barnes thin face flashed a lit
SO, to be sure, but it wouldn't go when
it first came, although your father tried
to make it and you know there never
was the money to spend on watch
makers, even if we hadn't felt too badly
oyer the way Uncle zed had deceived
us. Whatever are you after my boy?"
"Only going to see what I a do to
it, said Zedekiah, with calm resolu-
ton. ssIt seems too bad, somehow,
not to have a try. Poor old clock,
how could it be true to us when we
weren't true to it! I'll fetch the tools
and have it to pieces, anyhow"
ssYou'Il only make bad worse?"
Mrs. Barnes rose in some meek exas-
peration and wentto the outer kitchen.
There were plenty Of small 'schores"
to do for tomorrow, and she felt I'M
reasonably vexed with Zedekiah for
his refusal to sell the clock. Dearly
as she loved her only son, she was
growing dim1y aware that in strength
of mind and will he was leaving far be.
hind the little red-haired urchin who
used to lean on ssMovver" for every.
thing, and then he was becoming as
staueer'' and fanciful as his father
had been before him.
The sound Of gentle hammering came
from the kitchen without, followed by
the rattle Of the %ponderous weights on
their numbering old chains. Then
Zed's voice sounded eager and pleasant.
Guess what's the matter, mother?
No wonder the old gentleman wouldt
tick! The works are ell stuffed up
with paper. ] can't make them move.
I shall have to take off the dial before
/ can pull it out. What on earth could
have been the object Of feeding the old
thing with crumped paperg
Mrs. Barnes made no response. She
had paused in her work OF gathering
chips and fragments of pine branches,
to lay ready for lighting the fire in the
morning, and stood there, half leaning
against the wide and vacant chimney-
piece, her arms folded in her calico
apron and her eyes nxed dreamiIy on
space.
It had sscome over her, " as she would
have said, with the eyer recurring
shock it never failed to bring with it.
She thought Of how seldom again
should she do these dear and familiar
household tasks under the old brown