IN TI1K DARK.
I wouldn't liave been llo'oinson Cru
coe, not for five hundred n year and no
slack. It's nil worry well being your
own foremnu mid master, nnd so on,
but (lien such n life to my mind's like
a well-flagged deal-board just ready fur
ilour:rj. You'vo been over it, nnd
touched it well down with your j-.ick-)!atic,
and iinished off with your tiying.
plane, nnd there it is or ought to be
if it ain't scamped just liko a bit o
Fiitiu, ovcry knot just like n smooth
brown eye, nnd every bit o' grain itand
inz out as if polished ; but then turn it
over, and it's all a rough and shaggy,
anJ splintery ns can bo. It's all werry
well being master and gaugcr, but then
you has to be journeyman and laborer
into the bargain. But that ain't it so
much, for 1 wouldn't give a clout nail,
let alone tuppence, for a feller ns can't
turn his hand to anything in a push;
it's the loncFomcncss of the tiling.
1 expect it's not liking to be alone
made me pet married ; uuJ must, say
that now there's an old bird nt homo,
nnd five little fines in the nest, 1 ain't
wtrry Inucsomc there. How tlicy do
open their precious young beaks, end
what sight o' tuff it does tako al'orc
you can persuade 'cm to shut again !
But I ain't grumhliug about that, mind,
nnd I hope 1 never shall. However, as
I said afore, I don't like being alone,
for it puts me in miud of a werry lonely
time; but I do like having a mate come
iu for an hour's chnt, and join me over
a pipe and a pint of Lalf-aud half iu a
quiet, sociable manner, same as you have
to-night, Dick t'mith.
That's a good trying-plane of yours
the one you had in the chop to day
but I never did see, and dou't suppose
I ever shall sec, such a tool a3 one I
lost about four years ago least ways I
didn't lose it, for I sold it ; but it was a
loss, for all that, Fine sound bit o'
beech as ever you saw ; while as to the
iron, there was never a bettor bar o'
suft" came out o' Sheffield. Just show
it the ilo.stand now and then, and knock
it up to the right sot, and then whish !
whish ! the shavings would seem to
run off a board as fine, and thin, and
soft as as well ns shavings, you
know.
I sold that plane for two (drillings,
nnd the nest week I'd have given five
to get it lack, but was gone again, and
I've never set eyes on it siucc. You
see, nothing looks worse than for a man
to be parting with his tools ; nnd when
you sec a fellow doing of it, he's cither
one as isn't worth his salt, or clso he's
werry hard drove.
Now I suppose I do make my salt,
mostliugs, or else I shouldn't have been
two years in this shop ; but about the
time I told you of, 1 was going to part
with one o' my tools, so you may sup.
pose that I was hard drove. Tt don't
matter where it was, but it worn't a
hundred miles from Gray's Inn Lane;
and, after being out sis. weeks, I was
took on, and got my order to bo off
with a lot more down iuto Survey,
where there was a cottage army, as they
calls it, a building.
I slips off out p' the yard, ready to
bust with the good news, and I was at
the bottom o the lane aud across IIol
born in no time ; and in less than that
I was down to court where wo lodged,
and up two pairs o' stairs, and into the
room before my wife bad timo to bide
what she was doing of.
" Hooray, mother!" I says, "took
on!" and then I stops short; for though
I would not let her think I knew she
bad been having a good cry, it all at
once struck me that I should bo setting
nor ou again ; lor i d engaged to go
down iuto the country for a month cer
tain, and I should have to leave her be.
hind so I stops short.
" 0 fatter 1" she says, " I am thank
nil ; for I don't know what could have
gone next.
We had, somehow, then got into the
way o callin ourselves ' Mother nnd
" l-ather"; and so she said she didn't
know what could have gone next ; and
I'm sure I couldn't have told her, fur a
many of our things had gone about that
timo ; for what with no work, and a
long spell or two o' sickness, we had to
make a good many visits to a certain
remtive, as I'm sure every honest, bard
working man bates the worry name of.
And now that I ain't speaking fair,
for I said we had to make a good many
visits ; but it warn't wo, for I'm blest if
I wasn't such a coward myself that I
daren't go.butstopped sneaking at home,
and let the wife go instead, which
worn't at all manly, i-ays you ; no more
it worn't.
Howsomevcr, when she said that, I
knew that something must go; aud I
felt so light-hearted with the idea o'
that work that I mado up my mind to
0 myself, and wrapping my old favor,
ite piano up in a rod handkerchcr, I
slips out iuto Fetter Lane and sold the
plane tor two shillings.
I was hard to work to comfort the
wifo when she knew that she was going
to be left alone; for " O, Tom," she
ays, "the poverty's hard enough to
bear without having to bo cparatcd."
But I promised her that I'd take a lodg
ing, and got her down with mo as soon
as I found tho work likely to last ; but
ext nittjning at breakfast I saw more
than one tear drip into her teacup.
But it was a bright morning, and I'd
been doing all I could to cheer her up ;
for I wasn't going to start till nine ; so
I gave young Tom a treat washed his
bead for him, and rubbed on the soap
till bis little nob was all white.
" Now bloosh, faryer," he says ; and
I slooshed him, and never got the soap
ouce io his eyes, nor yet up his nose,
Which Wasn't Mirm-iKinc seeing what a
little chap he was then, and no nose at
u io spm or.
Well, nt last I had my tool basket
ready, and a hammer through the han.
dies to swing it over my shoulder.
There were three cloun aprons inside,
and some odds and ends I should want ;
and then there was nothing else to do
but say gnod-by. But there, I won't
tell you about it, for she took on a great
deal, ns it was the first time I had been
away from her.
" You will write, Tom ?" says she.
" Why, of course," I says.
" And I've put four sheets nnd some
envelopes in," she says, " so that you
needn't write on the back of tho sand
paper with yourjpencil, for it's so hard
to make out."
And then, after five minutes' silence,
I bolted out, and wouldn't look behind
till I was out of the court.
Why, of course, I was soTy to leave
her behind ; and I went along with my
heart feeling as heavy as a lump of lead,
and everybody I met looking dim aud
weary, which I should think mu-st have
beer, indigestion, or something of that
kind; but it soun wont off, and the
clear sunshiny morning seemed to
brighten one up, till I felt so hearty and
cheery that I was ashamed of myself,
for I felt ns though 1 ought to be mis.
erablo, like 1 kuew the wife was at
hiimo. But there we were, several of us
along with carts full of scaffold. poles
and material, and beforo loug we were
out in the open country.
Out in the open country God bless
it 1 with tho birds twittering in the
trees and hedgjs; tho bluo sky over
head, with now and then a light cloud
slowly sailing across; the soft wind
smelling that delicious, that wo opened
our mouths aud drew iu great long
breaths, as though wo should never be
tired. There were flowers everywhere
lilac, laburnum, nnd may ; orchards
full of pmkey applo blossom ; whilo as
to the green ot tlio holds in the golden
sunshine, ah ! it was a sight to men who
had been cooped up in close London
courts, without knowing where tho next
day's bread was to come from !
Out in the open country, with fresh
beauties at every turn. Why, wo were
liko so many boys, running by the carts,
larking, shouting, and making regular
fools of ourselves, winch must, of course,
been owing to tho light, free air. I've
heerd talk of prisoners, and sick men,
and their delight at being out once more,
but they could not have felt bnppicr
than wo did, out in the open country,
on tuat bright Jlay day.
Lvery now and then, though, some
thing dull would keep coming over me,
and I wasn't sorry when it did ; for
what business had I to be so happy and
chcvrlul, knowing how miserable 1 had
left some one at home ? But so it was ;
and the bit o blackness wore off, and
was as lively as the best of them five
minutes after ; for, mind you, it isn't
money as can give the real gladness of
heart.
Well, we got down to the place, and
the work went on merrily. The foreman
was a good fellow, and made me one or
two little advances ; and as there seem,
ed to me to be work for a good three or
four months, I began to look out for a
little place where I could bring some
one down to ; and a comfortable lodging
I soon found, made all my little ar
rangements, and sent a letter up with a
post-office order inside, so that some one
and the two little oucs could come down
comfortable the next day but one.
Every one, I dare say has his own
fancies ; and I don't mind telling you
one o' mine. I don't know any one
thing so satisfactory as diiviujjr a nail
home. You make a small hole witli
your bradawl ; iu goes your nail ; and
then tapping gently at first, you go on
Dy degrees until tuo ncad gets nearer
aud nearer, aud at last is driven right
into the sol t deal board.
Not much in it 1 says you. Perhaps
not to your way ot thinking ; but every
man to his trade, and, you may depend
upon it, in every trade there's a similar
way of thinking. I've seen blacksmiths
laugh as they pegged away at their iron
the old cobblers grin as they drew tho
wax. end tight ; the painters wag their
heads as they laid on the flatting ; and
soniuthing o' the same kind in ino:
trades; fur a fellow would not be much
of a workman if ho did not love his own
crait.
icii, i was uusy driving nails in n
piece o' boauliug, thinking all tho time
about the missus coming down, when I
makes a false stroke, hit the nail on ono
side, and it flew up and caught me in
the right eye.
Talk about agony ! No one knows
what I suffered, for in a short time the
inflammation spread from one eye to tho
other, and I was quite blind, so that 1
had to be led home to my lodging.
Perhaps you know what a bit o' dust, or
a lash, or anything o' that kind is iu
your eye ; you know tho pain and wor
rying it gives you ; so you can think
what 1 suffered a great, tall, stout fal
low as I lay turning about with tho
sweat dropping off mo.
Doctor came and did all ho could.
Next day came, and tho pain seemed
easier. Next day after that came, nnd
a letter saying my wife would uot bo
there for another day, and some one
had to read it for me, for everything
was black as night; and at last, worn
out with pain and louesomencss, and
the horrid fear that I was to be a blind,
helpless man, I turned over upon my
face, and sobbed there till the pillow
was quite wet
Yes, I know it wag the act of a child ;
but I felt ono then, as I thought of the
bright light of God's sunshine gone
from me forever; that I should gaze
no more upon tho loving face of my
own wife, and that the merry, bright
eyes of my little ones would sparklo for
me no more. That I should henceforth
grope about in tho dark, socking like
that sorcerer in the Testament, for some
one to lead mo by the hand. That I,
the great man of bono nnd muscle,
should be in a moment stricken down
helpless, to be henceforth a burden to
my poor wile, and wo poor people.
It was the act of a child. I know;
for, with an exceeding bitter cry, I lay
there and sobbed miserably, while every
tear smarted and burned like melted
lead running over my eyeballs. O, yes,
it was the act of o child, and I know I
was now ns helpless as the weakest.
How I lay and thought of poor blind
Samson, nnd pitied him ! How I called
to mind those with sightless eyeballs
whom I had often passed by uncaringly
and how I thought and thought what
could I do for my bread in the long,
long night that now seemed to be my
future.
" In the dark ! in the dark 1 " I kept
on groaning to myself as I lay ; nnd
then the thought came to me of other
blessings which never seemed blessings
before, for being mostlings short o' mo
ney, I always thought myself hard used,
and growled more than I need have
one. An at last of all thinking nnd
suffering, my head seemed to get hot,
and I turned delirious half mad, you
know nnd went on terribly, I suppose,
till two days after, when I seemed to
wake up in tho dark, and lay still, think
ing and wondering where I was, till I
heard a noise as of some one moaning,
and I calls out, " Who's there ?" I
knew who it was directly, fori just
heard tho ono word, ' Tom," sobbed
out, and then there was an arm under
my head, and tears falling upon my poor
sightless face, nnd such tender, hopeful
words whispering to mo, ns made my
heart swell and beat ; and I felt that
como what might como sickness, come
sorrow, blind, or able to see I had
some one to lean on, and lead me by the
hand.
We were werry quiet then, and I lay
on my side trying to look through the
black darkness at that dear old face
that 1 could feel close by me as some
ono kneeled down by the bedside ; bv
no, J could not see it with my evts,
though I could with my heart. And
then she stopped sobbing, and talked of
hoping for tho best, nnd of how tho
eyes of the blind had been opened, and
and that perhaps my affliction might,
by His help yet bo removed. And so
we talked and talked and, and she said
that wc would sorrow no more aoout it,
and then how much 6he could get by
needlework, and nil on so hopefully,
that I seemed to brighton un ; but on
ly for a few moments, for I knew what
a dead, helpless burden I should be.
And then she must have seen my face
working, and poor lass ! she broke down
herself, when I said she had better been
left a widder.
At last, in the quiet o' that little
room, not a sound to bo Ucaid Imt the
twittering o' the birds outside the win
dow, I said in better hope, some wotdi
with her,. as she knelt by me, but we
got no turther than " Thy will bo done."
Dick Smith, I never knowed how
much love, and tendernes, and gentle
ness there was in the world till I groped
around i i the dark. I'd been bitter, as
many a disappointed workingman, and
railed at my betters ; but now, in the
midst of my trouble, I learnt that I had
walked all my life in the dark, stumb.
ling about, and not seeing tho blessings
that were spread around mo. We never
knew want during that dark month
which we spent in that pleasant coun
try place, where my wife led ino about
amongst the sweet spring flowers, while
everybody had a kind and lovinz word
for me. The governor allowed me half
wages, and somebody did needlework,
and they used to pay her double and
treble ; and Bend me all sorts o' things,
so that were well off. Then the doctor
came every day, and told me I wasn't
to fret about it, for he hoped I should
gat my sight yet.
One day I sat trcmbliug in my chair,
with tho doctor operating not tremb
ling nt the pain, but for fear he had
been deceived; somebody stood there,
too, holding my hands, for she had got
leave tobe present. All at once there was
a bright flash of light, and then I felt
my head swim, and I fainted dead away,
for I could not stand up against the
swelling joy that burst upon ino.
As keen a pair of eyes, as ready a pair
of hands, and as willing and hopeful a
heart as 1 hope aro to bo round in any
workshop in England, Dick Smith ; and
I m a humble aud thankful man for it
But the Lord bless you, I has my fits
of ill-temper wheu things goes three
cornered; nnd then Patty comes and
whispers God save her in my car,
when the sun shines ngaiu, and 1 thiuk
of old times before my accident, and say
to ner
" Eyes shut, Patty. I was in the
dark! "
Senator Fessenden is sick with va
rioloid.
n i mi i ..
uencrai j. nomas ana lamily are
rusticating at Lookout Mountain.
Clement C. Clay was released from
rortrcss JMonroo.
Sir. Joceph Coltart. for morn than
forty years a business man of Pittsburgh,
died on the 19th ultimo.
Mrs. Horace Greely and daughter,
and Mrs. II. E. Johnsou, nee Harriet
Lane, are visiting Havana.
Hon. Charles Shaw, Mayor of Bidde.
ford, Maine, has been appointed Com.
niiraioner to the Paris Exposition.
IThen is Echo like a visiting ac
quaintance? W hen ehe roturns your
call.
D
It U 0 STORE
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BORDWELL & MESSENGER,
RIDGWAY, PA.
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In all diseases ot Swine, such as Coughs, TJloen la
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Price it Cents per Paper, or 6 Papers for 9JL
ar
FBEPARED ST
S. A. FOUTZ &c urto.,
AT THEIR
WHOLESALE DBl'Q AND MEDICINE DEPOT,
No. 118 Franklin St., Baltimore, Md.
For Sale by Druggists and Storekeeper! through
out the United Btatca.
Sold nt Manufactures prices, by
Bordwell & Messenger Ridgway, Agents
for Elk county.
AGENTS WANTED TO TAKE ORDERS
for tho best Belling book now publish
ed. Thrilling Stories of the Great Rebellion.
Comprising heroic adventures and hair
breadth escapes of Soldiers, Scouts, Spies
and Refugees ; daring exploits of Smug
piers, Guerillas, Desperadoes and others ;
Tales of Loyal and Disloyal women : Sto
ries of the Negro, &c, with incidents of
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By Lieutenant Colonel S. Greeno, lato of
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lustrated with engravings on steel and in
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Send, for circulars and see the liberal
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CIIAS. S. GREENE & CO., Publishers
No. 134 S. Third St., Philadelphia.
IXECUTORS NOTICE. WHEREAS,
U Letters Testamentary upon the Estate
of Daniel Hewitt, lute of Jay township, Elk
county dee'd, have been granted to the
undersigned. All persons indebted to the
said estate, are requested to make immedi
ate payment, and those having claims
against the same, will preseut them duly
authenticated for settlement
WM. B. nEWITT,
JOSIAH W. MEAD,
ipri3'666t-pd. Eivoutori
1 . V
NEW ARRANGEMENT!
TREMENDOUS RUSH TO THE
NEW STORE OP
FREDERICK SCIKENING,
CENTREVILLE, ELK CO., PA.
NEW GOODS
daily arriving
THE PEOPLE
AWAKE TO THEIR INTEREST!
As manifested by the daily throng of cus
tomers exchanging "GREEN BACKS" for
goods.
All the Domestic Cotton .Goods are high.
Customers one and all exclaim
HOW CHEAP YOUR
DRESS GOODS ARE
My stock consists of
DRY GOODS,
GROCERIES,
HATS &, CAPS,
BOOTS & SHOES,
CLOTHING,
CROCKERY,
TIN WARE
HARD WARE,
OILS J- PAINTS,
PUTTY,
NAILS, GLASS,
WOODEN WARE,
PORK,
FLOUR,
FISH,
SALT.
It is useless for me to attempt, to give a
full list of the stock, but invite one and all,
to drop in and see for themselves.
BUTTER,
EGGS,
TOTATOES,
GRAIN,
HIDES,
CALFSKINS
and all country produoe taken at market
price, for goods.
FREDERICK SCHOSNING,
Centretilie, Jims lit'65-ly.
J iggJB
AWTFnTiTrTllTnTf
.1 41 V J J JV
Is kept up by the
DAILY ARRIVAL OF NEW GOODS
AT
FREDERICK RUDOLPH'S
Cheap Cash Store,
Where he has on hand and for sale
MEN & BOY'S CLOTHING,
DRY GOODS,
LADIES & GENTS FURNISHIG
GOODS,
LADIES DRESS GOODS,
LADIES At CENTS'
SHAWLS, SONTAGS,
BREAKFAST SHAWLS,
NUBIAS, COMFORTERS,
SCARFS, HOODS &c.
ALSO HATS & CAPS,
BOOTS & SHOES,
A very large and well selected STOCK of
the best made, and warranted in every
respect
ALSO GROCERIES,
COFFEE, SUGAR, TEA,
RICE, FLOUR, SALT,
TORK, FISH 4c.
ALSO CONFECTIONARY
AND YANKEE NOTIONS
IN GREAT QUANTITIES
AND QUALITIES
TOBACCO AND SEOARS
OF THE BEST QUALITY;
JBtiyl say, to one and all, that my stock
is full and complete, and will be gold i
small profits.
Give me a call before purchasing c!ge
where.
FREDERICK RUDOLPH!
St. Mary's, Not. 25'66-ly.