Year: 1877

Tom Darcy, yet young man, had
grown to be a very hard one. At heart
he might have been all right if his head
and his will had only been all right; but
these being wrong the whole machine
was going to the bad very fast, though
there were times when the heart felt
something of its old truthful yearnings
Tom had lost his place as foreman of the
great machine shop, and what money he
now earned came from odd jobs of tinker.
ing which he was able to do here and
there at private houses; for Tom was a
genius as well as mechanic, and when
his head was steady enough he could
mend clock or clean watch as well as
he could set up and regulate steam en-
gine-and this latter he could do better
than any other man ever employed by
the Scott Falls Manufacturing Company


One day Tom had a job to mend a
broken moving machine and reaper, for
which he received s.; and on the follow
ing morning he started out for his old
haunt = the village tavern. He knew
that his wife sadly needed the money,
and that his two little children were in
absolute suffering from need of clothing,
and that morning he held debate with
the better part of himself, but the better
part had become very weak and shaky,
and the demon OF appetite carried the
day.


So away to the tavern Tom went, where,
for two OF three hours, he felt the exila-
rating effects of the alcoholic draught,
and faneied himself happy, as he could
sing and laugh; but, as usual, stupe-
faction followed and the man died out.
He drank while he could stand, and then
lay down in a corner, where his COM
panion left him. aE @A


It was late at night, almost midnight,
when the landlords wife came into the
bar-room to see what kept her husband
up, and she quickly saw Tom.


Peter" said she, not in a pleasant
mood, "why don't you send that miser-
able Tom Darcy home? He's been hang
ing around here long enough


Toms stupefaction was not sound
sleep. The dead coma had left his
brain, and the calling of his name stune
his senses to keen attention. He had an
insane love of rum, but did not love the
landlord. In other years Peter Tindal
and himself had loved and wooed the
sweet maiden-Ellen Goss-and he Won
| her, leaving Peter to take up with the
vinegary spinster who had brought him
( the tavern, and he knew that lately the
tapster had gloated over the misery OF
the woman that had once discarded him.


"Why don't you send him home ??
demanded Mrs. Tindar, with an impa-
tient stamp of the foot


Hush, Betsy He's got money. Let
him be, and he'll be sure to spend il
before he goes home. Ill have the ker,
mel OF the nut and his wife may have the
husk ~ -


With sniff and a snap Betsy turned
away, and shortly afterward Tom Darcy
fitted himself upon his elbow.





"Ah, Tom, are you awaken ?''
"Ycs."


"Then rouse UP and have a warn
glass.


Tom got upon his feet and steadiet
himself.


ssNo, Peter, won't drink any more
o-night."


at won't hurt you, Tom-iust on,
glass;.


81 know it won't r said Tom, button
ingup hiscoat by the solitary button left
's I know it won't"


And with this he went out into tht
chill air of midnight. When he had go
away from the shadow of the tavern h
stopped and looked up at the stars, an'
then lie looked down upon the earth.


"Aye,'' he muttered, grinding hi
heel in the gravel, Peter Tindar i
taking the kernel, and leaving poor Ell
len the worthless husk-a husk NOR
than worthless and I am helping hin
to do it. I am robbing my wife of JOY
robbing my dear children of honor an,
comfort, and robbing myself of love an,
life-just that Peter Tindar may hav
the kernel and Ellen the husk, Wei
see p


1t was revelation TO tie man. Til