The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-10-13
SELECTED STORY.
Uncle JudsOn's Crust.

door softly behind him.
Mr.. Hardacre says he will see you in
few minutes. Will you be seated?
and the little man turned and began to
rustic the papers on his desk as if he
were very busy indeed.
Willis Everett dropped into chair
close to the railing, fused with his hat
and watched for Judson Hardacre's
door to open. He thought it was a
rather cold reception for an uncle to
give his nephew and yet his mother had
warned him what to expect.
Your Uncle Judson, she had said, is
very much devoted to his business.
He has never in his life had time to give
to his friends, and people say that he is
crusty and hard-hearted, but am sure
that my brother Judson has as kind
heart as any man living, If only one can
reach it.
Willis had come to his uncle as last
resort. He had Just finished his Junior
year in college and he knew that the
completion OF his own course would de-
pend on his earnings during the sum-
mer. His father had been able to sup
ply him with money, although not so
literally as he really needed for the
hIbb bnlCC 1Cdlo VI LILO OOAlCRO lllOy Dub
hard times had ruined his business, and
it was all he could do to pay rent and
grocer's bills, not to mention the pro-
visi IN of clothing for the younger chill
dren.
want 10 see you finish up your class,
he had said to Willis, but it is out of
the question for me to furnish the
money. You will have to get out and
see what you can do for yourself.
And Willis had tried his best to get a
position. But he found that he was
compelled to compete in the struggle
for an opportunity to make living
with men older and more experienced
than himself, who knew better what
the employers required. One man
said he would take Willis on trial, but
he couldn't pay him anything for few
months; another said he had position,
but he wished to give it 70 man who in
tended to remain with him permanent
ly and work up the business. And so
they all put him off, and now he was
watching for the door Of his uncle's
private Office to open.
He had not seen his uncle in several
years. He remembered the last meet
ing without any exuberance of pleas
ure. Uncle ,Judson had called on his
mother one afternoon, and he had
come in warm and excited from ten.
mis- game.
What's that thing you have got in
your handp his uncle asked, after his
mother had presented him.
Why, tennis racquet.
Sarah, can't you teach your children
to 90 into better business than david
ding around in white trousers with a
toy bat?.
Even as Willis thought of it now, he
felt his cheeks tingle with mortifca-
ton and anger.
Mr., Hardacre is ready to see you, said
the dapper little man.
Willis slipped quietly into the private
office. He saw his uncle sitting at
handsome roll.top desk and glaring at
him from under his shaggy gray brows.
He had square lean face, with de-
termined chin and his bair was coarse
and gray.
Well, sir.
am in search of work, said Willis,
somewhat falteringly; father can't sup
ply me with money for my last year in
college, and unless l can earn it can't
go.
That's just what l told your mother
before she married Everett. Now that
he has got family of boys he can't ed
ucate 'em. But she wouldn't listen to
any of my advice.
The hot blood surged into Willis
face. He couldn't bear this reference
to his hard working, noble minded
father, who had sacrificed everything
in order that his boys might have their
schooling.
My father has done the best he could,
Willis said, holly, and l can't listen to
anything against him. If you have
nothing 1 can do-and Willis turned
and started toward the door with his
shoulders thrown back.
There, there, said his uncle, with the
trace of a grim smile curling his lips;
Wen let that drop. You say you want
wOrk-what can you do?
Pm just out of college, Willis said,
and III have to do most ANYTHING i
can get to do.
suppose you are well up in tennis
and football and leaping the pole and
all that sort of thing.
Yes, sir, responded Willis, tempted
again to leave the room.
Well, l don't happen to have any of
those things in my business. You
know, l am engaged in the manufac-
ture and sale of lumber. It's very pro-
saic-you can't wear white trousers
might get soiled.
Willis kept his temper, although
every one of his uncle's words stung
him TO the quick.
understand all that, he said, and
am willing to do anything from wood
saving up that will enable me to save
little money.
Wood saving, eh? said Judson Hard
acre and the grim smile again curled
his lips. Let me see your hands.
Willis held out his hands-they were
certainly rather small and white, al
though tennis playing had worn few
hard callouses on the right palm. i
thought 80, said Uncle Judson; tennis
hands, eh?
They may be soft now, but l assure
you, Uncle Judson, l am not afraid OF
any kind of work which will help me
finish my course.
At the sound of the unfamiliar