Year: 1875

read a quarter of a column when he
drove up. Well, as true as I live and
breathe, after his promising me that
I should go to Hartford with him the
very first time he went after haying
and then breaking his word, leaving
me feeling disappointed and to work
all day, the first thing he said to me
when he drove up was: what are
you sitting there a-reading for? Why
aren't you doing your chores?' Il
CALLED, l tell you, but I replied as
calmly as l could that the chores
were all done; and he said: 'Oh, Oh
that is it? You do your chores in
the middle of the afternoon when
am gone, and then sit down and read
do you?' 1t was SO confounded cut
ting, if he had stuck knife into me
he wouldn't have hurt me any worse
I vowed then that l would see Hart
ford on my birthday, and shall be
much mistaken if I am not there to
morrow morning; and if my father
sees me again for one year, he'll see
more'n l think he will. l will be


here at the barn at just midnight
My bundle of clothes is here now in
the oat bin. Don't fail to he here on
time, Clint. We must get to Hart
ford by sunrise. want to get little
glimpse of the city before the steam
boat goes out. l don't know what
the t; re is to New York. | doubt il
we have money enough to take us
there. If we haven't, we can stop a,
some of the landing places OH the
way"


What Il variety of feelings Peter
Raymond had in the fifteen minutes
he stood behind thas barn-door and
listened! At first he was surprised,
he could hardly believe his own ears;
but he took it all in-as he comprc-
hcnded what his boy contemplated
doing, he was in Ugh dungeon; he
unconsiously closed his teeth very
firmly and clinched his right fist
tightly. He could hardly refrain from
pouncing upon his son then and
there and giving him sound drub-
bing; but he decided that it would
be wise to hear the boys talk out and
learn all their plans, and then con-
front them. But as Philip talked on,
Raymond's teeth were less firmly
closed, and when Philip said in halt
sad tone: 81 doubt if my father loves
me at all" dozen different feelings
strove for the mastery.


''Don't love him?" he repeated to
himself, 6" the ungrateful rascal!
Haven't been szrubbing along saw
lngly as possible, and privately put
ting little sums into the savings bank,
so that / can send him awayin year
Or two, and give him better chance
for an education than l ever had?
Haven't l often said to my friends
that he was one of the most faithful,
trusty, boys in the world? and that l
could leave home any time, day or
night, and never worry about things
so long as ne was there to take care?
If he does doubt my love up to this
time, I have loved HIM and have been
proud of him. I haven't been very
demonstrativc about it, to be sure. l
never thought it was wise to pet and
praise children. Perhaps I've been a
little too unsocial and straight-laced
with him. Maybe I'd better not let
them know that I've heard this talk
about their running away; but | shall,
of course prevent their going. I'll
go up to the house and think over
what course to take"


And Peter Raymond crept away
from the barn as though he were a
sneak thief, and then hurried home as
fast as he could, not once thinking OF
his bride. He had hardly got seated
in his usual place in the big arm
chair before Philip came in. Philip
his father would say gruffiy:
"It's high time you were in bed y
And so he was taken by surprise
when his father said gently:


"Won't you hand me that almanac
before you sit down, Philip"


Philips mother raised her eyes
from her sewing and glanced at her
husband as though she wondered
what had called forth such unusual
gentleness. Raymond opened the
almanac at September, and after
glancing down the page, he turned
to his wife and asked: ''ls today the
third or fourth Tuesday of the
month";"


care You quite sure about it?' he
qucricd; eff you are correct. | am Il
week behind in my reckoning. I've
got so many things crowding upon
me lately, I've hardly known which
way to turn first. l promised Mr..
Skidmore that l would take that two
year old heifer away that bought of
him before the first of October. She
must be got home tomorrow"


Philip got up to go to bed. Ray
mond said:


"Don't hurry, Philip, I'm thinking
how to get that heiter home. | be-
licvc that will take you down there
early in the morning, and leave you
to drive her up. 1t is nine miles
there, but you can come back leisuve-
ly and feed along side the road
You'd like it as we'll as to stay at
home and work, wouldn't you, Phil
ip?''


ayes, sir"


"And so you will be Is years old
tomorrow. Well, well, it does beat
all how time flies. Fifteen years! 1t
doesn't seem more than half that
time since you were a baby. Let me
see, l believe promised to let you
90 to Hartford this fall, did't 1? We
shall be half way there when we get
to Skidmore's, and seeing tomorrow
is your birthday, perhaps we had bet
ter keep on. l don't know when we
shall have any better time to 60. We
can take an early s,art-have break
fast at half-past five, and get off by
six, and by nine, if we have good
luck, we shall be there. We can stay
there till three o'clock in the after
noon, and you wouldn't be late home.
1t will he light tomorrow evening
there is good moon now. Well,
you may as we'll 90 to bed and get