The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1897-06-10

sf.ei ors, at tbou pvttlag = week o.
rork ius Day. that tkoa msyssl 40 % .
'pres sll th. rcsi 81 ~
No. ssid JACK, % gremr ,hs. nobody
hsd woFd Tor bin .ssiu, aud % II lss..d
Ws3usss,y, Thuuday sad ftldsy AL
Tbs, vas .lr.uu enough aud sel his woti
mates wondering bat .tfsDgs.t OF III ss
j, shsn that Saturday afternoon c.us and
Jack took up bis vVses without a Sord
snd Iqst vslked night ss,y iron thea.
Jsck's med sAid they. Never knsw hs
OF o last so long n this.
No~, said Jack, taking a stride jos,
double the usu,l length, aud putliGs bis
foot down IS II be meant to get through
10 the other side OF the estih. III try and
get the music back again; aud Jack meant
to smile, bat be bad to shut his mouth
tight and knit bis brows to keep back
tear by Gods help Jack sddsd devoui
ly.
Wh.n be came home be evidently was
not eI pested indeed, was scarcely wanted.
The wife hiled her face 10 surprise aud
wsnt on with bsr Ccrubbing. Whatever
:his coming home meant, nothing ever
brought her any good.
Poor Jack, he seemed to bear II all
Spoiled her music, too, be sighed He
hung mp his bag OF tools op .hsir peg and
took Of the apron that was rolled about
bis waist and then caught sight OF that
very venerable and hairless scrubbiug
brush. II will help to bring back the
music said Jack to himself. purposing to
buy bis wife ihere and then q new one,
but the purpose was somewhst delayed
came the cry OF the baby. The wife was
rising up 10 get al il when jack divsd 10
after the little bundle Of rags and istchsd
it ont.
I'll hold ber bit. said jack. rather
sbyly.
jacks wife would like to have said,
Thank yon, but shs felt shy, too. Now
Jacs. try and mend the music, said be to
himself and that time be really did smile.
for the baby was unused to strangers and
none was grsster stranger TO 1t than its
own father, SO it inst cried out lustily.
The good wife scrubbed on. There were
times when she had to let II cry q bit aud
this should be one Of them; jack took it
,endefly in his arms and chirped to it and
cbirped louder and still it cried. Then
Jack took it up on his hands and danced
it to and iro, and began to sing, soft and
low at first, as . man who is feeling his
way, But still the baby cri.d. And the
good wife rose from her serubbing 10 take
it herself jack would try once mere.
it really was not pleasant to be beaten
like this 30 he set himseli resolutely and
then rang out an old song OF long ago
with all the force OF his voice. The Of
feet was msRicil, The baby stopped ss
il it was charmed; /, opened its mouth in
imitation OF the fathers, il laid hold
firmly OF the whiskers with the little
tangled fingers. rs il it wonld keep him
at it and then 1t laughed aud orowed
with delight. The psor wife looked on
and smiled; 1t was strange emile, ss il
she had got out OF the way OF IL. but it
stayed longer than you might have
thought
Eh. Jack, it Is good to hear thy music
again, she said very quietly.
Poor jack, it almost put him out. He
did stop for q moment. but instantly the
little face puckered and wrinklsd into oil
sorts Of lines. the eyes closed, the nose
was squeezed together and the lips began
to quiver with the coming cry, Then
Jack had 10 strike of again. Gully to find
the effect as magical rs before and to hear
the baby laughing and growing once 1
more, And iu the midst OF il all there
came in the two little msidsps. TO and
the father leaning ag.inst the wall max
ing music like this
Why. We couldn't think whoever il
wss, father. said they. wondering and ,
wthou. the msrrimsnt fading from their
eyes this time.
Iney sat at tea, silent and shy. every =
one OF them wondering except the bsby;
that kept stretching ont i.s arms to the
'ather and found new delight in pulling
1t his whiskers /,
Poor jack, he wanted ell hi, thoughts
about him to say wba, be found 1t 90 hard g.,
10 say. bat words wouldn't come and the !.
most eloquent wonld fod it hard to talk .
v hen hand wss being thrust into ones /,
mouth, and smother tugsed al the beard.
SO Jack hsd to content himself With put +,
ing hi, hand 10 his pocket and, taking 4,
,ot one sovereign and one half sovereign. .
be gave them to his vile.
What this, Jsck' she ssked. going 10 1,
he window, for it VI. getting dukisb
md she isared the hrt glance bad de I
,sived her. n
Wages, said Jack, getting il out ~ be 4
could.
The poor vile looked al the IN onsy, and
hen she looked At tim. She bit each OF
be coins and looked as II she would like
o spply her lips at less. to jacks. But
be put the money in her pocket snd felt
bat il this thing went on she would have
10 ,ipg too.
I'll stay sud take care OF the little ones
I yon want TO go out wife. True. 1t va
poken With some interruption and more
ban one vofd .ss bobbed back into the
mouth by thst little nsnd. Bu, it vent
io~n iuto the good uiiss heart sd stin