The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-01-05
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al Ia the parish O: BilIinacspple. oi
eourss, people ,rcesed hiu, II ihev were
vdy st-Sesnsd, 90 tie pea that bed
grown up by hi ntclf 10 that "disoli oald
house OF bis" and bad reFer Q woman 70
pat 10 stitch for him nor TO zee that be
went DOT iidy even Oh sutday BernArd's
mother had died vhsn be WAS child.
is wu . pity be tbooli be fucb scare
crow, the neighbors were sgreed, seins
ths, he VISA hae, s,Ialgh', clean limb' d
fellow, the very cut Of an alhtiete. lid ed
II wss only in the football jsisey he show
I'd TO sdvsnisge lie wssn't dirty, teesuse
be was a great swim mef, and, careless ss
be wss, be would run iIzDr over bis face
once q week At least. But the forlorn
clothes Of him His eurls pes ped through
the holes In his eAubeen; when he lifted
his arms the rags hurg from them like the
scarscrows' In the fslds. His stockings
bad hardly more than l'gs TO th,m 10
fact, be was barely decent, 20 ragged was
he.
HIs farm showed the same rsagednets
Of aspec, ss himself, Hedges were uuclip.
ped, gates burg loose on their hingeF, thi:-
ties aud rsseeds grew here they oughtn'l
to his very bits Of cattle had staring coats
his oats grew more In patches than biz
neighbors'.
IL wssn't ss II the man drank, said the
neighbors who sat 10 judgement upon him.
Bernard had no vices He was merry
gentle, laughing philosopher. He liked to
take his esss and dream his dreams while
be sucked at the little black pipe. What
though he grew poorer and poorer every
yesr2 l, would last his time, he said. ard
there was no one 10 come after him. There
were fearsome stories told Of the cor dltiop
Of bis house. Few penetrated 1t 1t was
only sort OF roof for Bernard at night. He
carried the KEY In bis pocket all day +; be
was essentially lover Of the q .ds ard the
open air.
one person had demonstrated gravely
with him on his reckless ways. This was
Mr.. Morris, the travelling organ'zsr Of the
Board Of Agriculture, who explained agri.
cultural banks and the desirsbillty OF new
seeds and implements, new stock ard new
ways, to the conservative people. He had
routed them out OF their conseI vatism, too,
for they were quick-wittod and could see
an advantage when 1t was set before their
eyes.
Mr. Morris bad taken an odd fancy to
Bernard Riordan. As matter Of fact,
they were kindred spirits. Both were
dreamers Of dreams, seers Of visions. 0oly
as 1t happened, some tricky fairy at Mrs.
Morris christening had dropped little
measure Of practical wisdom into the
childs cup. - 1t wss that the Board
found his services invaluable. He woD
the peoples confidence by having SO much
In common with them, and when he had |
won It, be appealed to the little kernel Of
common sense that lay wrapped away amid
their imprscticable ways.
He had demonstrated with Bernard. tell |
him what could be made Of the farm. Ber.
nard had invited him to q seat on the grassy |
bank which he himself occupied.
Sit down here, sir, he said, and let US
talk Of ghosts and fairies. tn last my
time
Why shouldn't you marry asked the or.
ganizsr, and have 3 son to leave the farm |
to?
I'm no more made that way tnin your.
self, said Bernard, with cunning look at
him. like women, but not to marry them.
The organizer blushed. As matter OF |
fact, he had cisconcerted all his frieIds b'
taking wife to himself In the most unex |
pected way, and when he was at home he
WAS as much interested In the details Of
baby's upbringing as he was even In sgri |
cultural banks.
Very well, be raid, resignedly. Lst US
ak Of ghosts and fairies.
And talk they did till dusk fell on the
fields and young moon wheeled up in the
ouiheasteIu eh1s h'u ~ was tiiho ioi DSi'
uard to 20 back to bis dark house and the
squalid discomfort In which be vet vas
able to dream bis dreams and be merry.
50 he would doubtless have gone on to
the end, or died before he ought from
neglected cold or some such thing, II
Susy whelsn hadn't risen on bis horizon,
beautiful as The morning star. As mat
ter Of fsc', the girl had come to live with
her uncle, Myles Whelau, and his vie
who had the village shop.
Bernard saw her first at mass, one morn
cg, ard his eyes happening to rest on her
by accident, he received such shock that
be felt as though his very rags must have
luivered In The sight OF all the folk about
l.m.
lie put bic face co~n 10 his hands after
.hs.. His visions included saints ard an
,els, aud YEA higher persons, as well as
ghosts and fairIes, aud be had great cspaci-
y fer n fcIelce Bot, try as be would, he
,ould no, concentrate his thoughts on his
prayers after ths. monetary glimpse.
When mass was over be FASTENED out Of
he church and back along the read to bis
,wn house, lot wal log for any Of those
orr, ltisurely chats on the road home
were his delight. lie was sfIaid
hat Myles Whelan might oyertake him
md slap him on the back, as he Was used
%, and that the eyes which he had not seen
,u, cot iectur,d in Susys pure, fssidious
ace might roam over his Own pers?n with
surprised and disgusted air.
Til be WAS 10 bis wretched kitchen he
,sd no leisure 10 thiIk. Then, before set
ing the potatoes among the ashes to roast
md the teapot beside him, he "a. down
md stared at bis muddy boots dcspondent.
y. He really did not see them. He was ,
,onn mplA,ipg the spotlea little person /
<K,h tts ssfr bsIr ltka ssfln waving hsch 4