The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-05-26

very sore through that night, and
asleep or awake, again and again the
words came sadly to his lips, " spoil
all the music"
The next day he was up and off at
daybreak. Vexed and desperate as he
was, he went at his work with a grim
tierceness, without word for anybody.
His mates were used to his moods, and
did not care to interfere with him at
times like these "Jack is out again
about someat," said they, with a jerk
of the thumb in his direction. They
might stop for dinner, but Jack snatched
at bit of bread and worked on; they
might pack up at the strike of the clock,
but 30 long as the light lasted Jack
would stick at it.
Jacks fit was on the next day, much
to the surprise of his mates-the brow
knit and the lips tight and the work fly
ing on at tremendous pace. "Why,
Jack, lad," cried one, art thou putting
week o. work into a Gay, that thou
mayest 60 on spree all the rest of it?"
"No," said Jack, 30 gruffly that no.
body had word for him again; and so
it lasted Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday. All that was strange enough,
and set his workmates wondering; but
strangest of all was it when that Satur-
day afternoon came and Jack took up
his wages without word and just
walked right away from them. "Jack's
mad" said they. "Never knew his fit
to last so long as this"
"Now," said Jack, taking stride
just double the usual length, and put
ting his foot down as if he meant to
get through to the other side of the
earth, "l'll try and get the music back
again; and Jack meant to smile, but he
had to shut his mouth tight and to knit
his brows to keep back tear. "By
Gods help Jack added devoutly.
When he came home he evidently
was not expected; indeed, was scarcely
wanted. The wife lifted her face in
surprise, and went on with her scrub
bling. Whatever this coming home
meant, nothing ever brought her any
good.
Poor Jack, he seemed to hear it all.
"Spoiled her music, too" he sighed.
He hung up his bag of tools on their
peg and took off the apron that was
rolled about his waist, and then caught
sight of that very venerable and hair
less scrubbing brush. SIT will help to
bring back the music" said Jack to
himself, purposing to buy his wife
there and then new one, but the pur-
pose was somewhat delayed. Just
then, from some corner of the room,
came the cry of the baby. The wife
was rising up to get at it when Jack
dived in after the little bundle of rags
and fetched it out.
"I'll hold her a Bit" said Jack,
rather shyly.
Jacks wife would like to have said,
"Thank you," but she felt shy, too.
"Now, Jack, try and mend the music"
said he to himself, and that time he
really did smile, for the baby was un-
used to strangers, and none was great
er stranger to it then its own father, SO
it just cried out Justify. The good wife
scrubbed on. There were times when
she had to let it cry bit, and this
should be one of them. Jack took it
tenderly in his arms and chirped to it.,
and chirped louder, but still it cried.
Then Jack took it up in his hands and
danced it to and fro, and began to sing,
soft and low at first, as man who is
feeling his way But still the baby
cried. And the good wife rose from
her scrubbing to take it herself. Jack
would try once more; it really was not
pleasant to be beaten like this, 80 he
set him resolutely and then rang out an
old song of long ago with all the force
of his voice. The effect was magical.
The baby stopped as if it was charmed
it opened its mouth in imitation of the
fathers, it laid hold firmly of the whis-
kers with little, tangled fingers, as if it
would keep him at it, and then it
laughed and crowed with delight. The
poor wife looked on and smiled; it was
a strange smile, as if she had got out OF
the way of it, but it stayed longer than
you might have thought.
"Eh, Jack, it is good to hear thy mu.
sic again." she said, very quietly.
Poor Jack, it almost put him out
He did stop for moment, but instant.
ly the little face puckered and wrinkled
into all sorts of lines, the eyes closed
the nose was squeezed together, and
the lips began to culver with the com
ing cry. Then Jack had to strike of
again, only to find the effect as magica
as before, and to hear the baby laugh
ing and Growing once more. And il
the midst of it all there came in thu
two little maidens, to find the fathe
leaning against the wall making musi
like this.
"Why, we couldn't think who eve
it was, father" said they, wondering
and without the merriment fading from
their eyes this time.
They sat at tea, silent and shy, ever
one of them wondering except tn
baby; that kept stretching out its arm
to the father, and found new deligh
in pulling at his whiskers.
Poor Jack, he wanted all his thought
about him to say what he found it 5
hard to say, but words wouldn't come
and the most eloquent would find
hard to talk when tiny hand wa
being thrust in ones mouth, and al
other tugged at the beard. So Jack ha
to content himself with putting h
hand in his pocket, and, taking out on
sovereign and one-half sovereign, b
gave them to his wife.
What's this, Jack?" she asket
ooinp tn the window for il was oettin