Year: 1877

ONLY A HUSK.


Tom Darcy. yet a young man


had grown to be a very hard one


At heart he might have been alright


if his head and his will had beer


right. but these being wrong, th'


whole machine was going to The


bad very fast. though there were
| times when the heart felt something


Of its old truthful yearnings. Ton


had lost his place as foreman in the
great machine shop. and what money
he now earned came from old jobs
of tinkering which he was able to do
here and there, at private houses
for Tom was a genius as we'll as 8
mechanic. and when his head was
steady enough he could make clock
or clean a watch. as we'll as he could
set up and regulate steam engine
-aud this latter he could do better
than any other man employed by
the Scott Falls Manufacturing Com
pany.


One day Tom had a job to mend
a broken moving machine and
reaper for which he received five
dollars; and on the following morn
ing he started out to his old haunt
the village tavern. He knew that
his wife sadly needed the money.
and that his two little children were
absolutely suffering for whant OF
clothing, and that morning he had
a debate with the better part of MIN.
self; but the better part had be-
come very weak and shaky, and the
demon appetite carried the day.


So away to the tavern Tom went,
where, for two or three hours, he
felt the eXhilerating effects of the
alcoholic draught, and fancied him
self happy, as he could sing and
laugh; but, as usual, stupefaction
set in and the man died out. He
drank while he could stand, and then
lay down in a corner where his COM
panions left him.


1t was late at night, almost mid
night, 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 pleas.
ing mood, ''why don't you send that
miserable Tom Darcy home? He's
been hanging around here long
enough"


Toms stupefaction was not sound
sleep. The dead coma had left his
brain, and the calling Of his name
had stung his senses to keen atten-
tion. He had an insane love for
rum, but did not love the landlord.
In other years Peter Tindar and
himself had loved and wooed the
sweet maiden-Ellen Gloss-and he
won her, leaving Peter to take up
with the vinegary spinster who had
brought him the tavern, and be
knew that lately the tapster had
gloated over the misery Of the wo-
man who had once discarded him.


"Why don't you send him home p
demanded Mrs. Tindar, with an inn
patient stamp of the foot.


i" Hush, Betsy. He's got money.
Let him be, and he'll be sure tospend
it before he goes home. I'll have the
kernel of the nut, and his wife may
have the husk."


With sniff and snap Betsy turn
ed away, and shortly afterward
Tom Darcy lifted himself on his
elbow.


"Ah, Tom, you are awaken


Yes"


"Then rouse up and have warm
glass


"No. Peter. I won't drink any
more tonight"


at wont hurt you, Tom-only a
glass


"I know it wont 20 said Tom,
Outtoning up his coat by the only
button left. II know it wont !"


And with this he went out into
5he chill air of midnight. When he
lad got away from the shadow of
,he tavern, he stopped and looked up
at the stars, and then he looked
Down upon the earth.


Ave-" he muttered, grinding his
leel in the gravel. +" Peter Tindar is
,aking the kernel and poor Ellen the
worthless husk-a huslS more than
worthless! and I am helping to do
t. 1 am robbing my wife of joy,
'obbing my children of honor and
robbing my self of love and
ife-just that Peter Tindar may
lave the kernel and Ellen the husk
Ven see ~


Il was q revelation TO the man.
The tavern-keeper's brief speech,
meant not for his ears, had come
lpon his senses as fell the voice of
he Risen One upon Saul of Tarsus.


Well see T. he exclaimed. set
ing his foot firmly upon the ground
Ind then he wended his way home.
ward. H


On the following morning he said
% his wife


"Ellen. have you any coffee in
he house?'


"Yes, Tom" She did not tell
lin that her sister had given it to
Ter. She was glad to hear him ask
or coffee instead of the old. old |
,ider.


II wish you would make me a cup,
;ood and strong"