Year: 1860

L will tell you some-some other time.
Please let me 60 to my seat am not
well.7


%, yes, that's likely; and Mr.. Lu-
gare bulged out nose and cheeks with
cUntempt. Do you think to make me
believe your lies ? I've found you out,
sir, plainly enough, and | am satisfied
that you are as precious villain as there
is in the State. But win postpone set
Ting with you for an hour; l shall then
call you up again, and If you don't tell
me the truth then, I'll give you some
thing that'll make you remember Mr.
Nichols melons for many a month to
come


Glad enough of the ungracious permis-
sion, ard answering not a sound, the
child crept trembling to his bench. He
felt strangely, dizzily-more as if he was
in dream than in real life, and laying
his arms on the desk, bowed down his
face between them. The pupils turned
to their accustomed studies, for daring
the reign of Lugare IN the village school,
they had been so used to scenes of vic.
lence and severe chastisement, that
such things made but little interruption
in the tenor of their way.


Now, while the intervening hour is
passing, we will clear up this mystery of
the bag, and of young Baker being un-
der the garden fence the preceding eve
ming.


The boys mother was q widow, and
they had both to live in the very narrow
est limits. His father had died when he
was six years old, and little Tim was
left sickly, emaciated infant, whom no
one expected to live many months. To
the surprise Of all, however, the poor
child kept alive, and seemed to recover
his strength, as he certainly did his size
and good looks,


This was owing to the kind offices of
an eminent physician, who had country
seat in the neighborhood, and who had
been interested in the widows little fam
| lily, TIN, the physician said. might out
grow his disease, but everything was un-
certain 1t was a mysterious and battling
malady, and it would net be wonderful it
he should, in some moment of apparent
good health, be suddesiv taken away.
The poor widow was in q continual state
of une4siaess, but several years had now
elapsed, and none of the impending
evils had fallen on the boys head. His
mother seemed confident that he would
live and be q shield and honor to her old
age. The two struggled on together


mutually happy in each other, and en-
during much Of poverty and discomfort


each for the others sake.


| Tln!'s pleasant disposition made hin


many friends in the village, among then


a young farmer by the name of Jones


who, with his elder brother, worked {


large farm in the neighborhood, OF


shares. Jones very frequently made


Tim present of a bag of potatoes o


corn, or some garden vegetables. which


he took from his own stock but his part


ner was a parsimonious, high-temperet


man, and he had often remarked tha


Tim was an idle fellow, and ought nos t


be helped because he did not work
Jones generally made his presents ii
such manner that no one knew any
! thig about them but himself and tn
> graceful objects of his kindness.
1t might be, too, that the widow wa
10th to have it understood by the neigl


bors that she received food from any one
It Tor there is always an excusable prid
o in people of her condition, which make
n them shrink from being considered as oil
a jects of charity, as they would from th
r severest pain


: On the night in question, Tim hs
IS been told that Jones would send him
o bag Of potatoes, and that the place


meeting should be at Mr.. Nichols garde
IF fence. 1t was this bag that Tim ha
j. been staggering under, and which hs
n caused the unlucky boy to be accus,
is and convicted by his teacher as q THE


That teacher was little fitted for
h important and responsible office. Has


to decide. and infexibly severe, he W
Ia the terror of the little world he ruled
f. Idespotically. Punishment he seemed
n delight in. Knowing little OF tho
re sweet fountains which in children
ID breasts open quickly at the call of ge
TO tleness and kind words, he was feared
ne all for his sternness, and loved by nor
N would that he were an isolated instan
is in his profession.


The hour of grace had drawn to
or close, and the time approached at viii