Year: 1875

consents to his going, that we will
call for him as early as 6 o'clock"


Philip said: eyes, sir" and took
up his hat and went into the hall, but
before he got to the outside door, his
father called out:


"One thing more, Philip I left
my bride hanging on a bar post
down by the sheep-barn this after
noon. If you'll come back across
the lot and bring it~ap, it'll save go
ing for it in the morning. intend
ed to get it myself when l came
home from Dexter's, but it slipped
my mind"


On his way over to Mr.. Dexter's
Philip had a great variety of feelings
and as great conflict with them as
his father had while standing behind
the barn door; but before he got
there the summing up was that he
was an ungratetul scamp, and that
his father was all right, only he had
so many cares and anxieties that it
sometimes made him little stern
and cr lbbed.


Mr.. Dexter was always ready to
oblige his neighber Raymond, and
he cheerfally gave his consent to
Clinton's going. Clinton didn't
know what to make of this sudden
turn of affairs. As he went to the
door with Philip he whispered:


"What's up Phil? what has hap
pened? Has your father found out
anything?


"Not Il thlng-not a thing" Philip
hurriedly whispered back. "You
don't suppose, Clint, he'd be taking
lis to Hartford tomorrow if he had?
It's all right, but it's the strangest
thing that ever happened-T'll tell
you all about it to morrow-can't
stay long enongh now"


Mr.. Raymond took up newspa-
rer and lowered his head over it as
soon as his son started for Mr.. Dex-
ter's; but if his wife had observed
him closely she would have seen that
he did very little reading, and that
there was a troubled expression OH
his countenance. He did not raise
his eyes from the paper when he
heard returning footsteps, but he lis
tened very mtently, and he knew
that Philip stole hurriedly to the
back end of the hall and opened the
chamber door before he came into
the sitting-room. A look of relief
came into his face, and he straighten-
ed up as if a great burden had been
lifted from him. He had no doubt
but that bundle of clothing had been
brought III from the oat-bin and left
on the chamber stairs till Philip
should go to bed. That is what he
hoped his boy would do when he
asked him to come around by the
barn and get the bride. He had no
further fear that he would attempt to
give him the slip that night.


Mr.. Raymond and Philip rode up
to Mr.. Dexter's door for Clinton the
next morning just as the sun was
peeping over the hills. 1t was as de-
lightful September morning as they
could desire. As soon as they were
on the road Mr.. Raymond said:


"Now. boys, you must keep your
eyes open-sec all there is to be seen,
and get all the enjoyment out of go
ing you can. We don't have holi-
days very often, and we must make
the most of them when we do have
them. Philip and l have worked
pretty hard lately, and l guess, Clin-
ton, that you have. l believe play
day will do us all good. l made up
my mind, this morning, to try and
leave all my cares and business be-
hind me for once; so you need have
no fears. if you talk to each other all
you please, and ask me as many ques-
tons as You wish, that it will disturb
me at all"


1t did not escape Mr.. Raymond's
observation that his remarks caused
the lads to glance at each other in
blank astonishment, and it cut him
to the quick, "What Kind of father
have l been?" he asked himself, "no,
to be able to speak a few civil and
kinds words to my son without hav-
ing it received with such SURPRISE
Poor boy! Wonder, pleasure, guilt
and grief are all depicted in his
countcnance to-day. After this, with
Gods help, I'll so manage that he'll
never doubt my loving him-never
plan to run away from his fathers
house again"


Mr.. Raymond spared no pains to
have the boys enjoy their first trip to
Hartford. He called their attention
to ev"rrthing that he thought would
interest them on the way. He told
them who owned such and such Il
farm when be was Il boy; what the
land was worth an acre then, and
what was its market value now; who
built this house and that; and he
pointed out where General - was
born, and where Hon. - lived till
he went to college. He was no less
painstaking when he got to the city.
He took them past Trinity college,
the State House, the high school; he
pointed out the different churches,
and told them who preached in them;
he went with them to the Athen@um
and spent an hour with them there.


Sometimes Philip looked at his
father in dumb bewilderment and
wondered if they really were in Hart
ford or if it were all a dream. How
social and interesting his father was!
He felt as if he never was acquainted
with him before. What delightful
time he should have if he had not
been planning to do so mean thing.
If his father knew it, how he would
dcspise him; he looked at him SO
earnestly, sometimes he was afraid
that he saw guilt tinge his counte-
nance. If he could only get up the
courage he would confess the whole
to his father and implore his forgive
ness.


Thus the day wore away, and Phil
ip was not sorry when it was time to
start home. After Mr. Raymond left
the lads to follow on with the heiter,
they talked over the events of the
past twenty-four hours together, and