I 
 
 I
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 
 >~- 
 
 Yon are a mean temperance meddler
 
 THE 
 
 LUCK OF ALDEN FARM: 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF CRANE'S CORNER, 
 
 WHERE " LUCK " WAS SLOWLY LEARNED. 
 
 THE WHOLE INTENDED AS A SAFE GUIDE OF ALL YOUNG 
 PEOPLE TO "GOOD LUCK." 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. Z. A. MUDGE, 
 
 AUTHOB OP " SHELL COVE," ETC. 
 
 Soston: 
 Published by <D. Jlotkrop & Co. 
 
 (bover, JV. H.: G. T. (Day & Co. 
 
 1873.
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, In the year 1873, 
 
 BT D. LOTHEOP & CO., 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
 
 M884-4L 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. PAGB 
 
 A HINT, 5 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 SUNSHINE, 17 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 SHADOWS, ... 35 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 THE CHILDRENS' MEETING, 50 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 THE RAISING, . . . 63 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 MORE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM, 76 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 THE HUSKING, 95 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 AFTER THE HUSKING, 115 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTER, 136 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 A BREEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER, 152 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 TUB WINTER SCHOOL, .175 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE EXAMINATION, . 200 
 
 622647
 
 4 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. PAGE 
 
 PATTY VOSE, , 219 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 STTTDYING BY RULE, 239 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 "MosEPoND," 255 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 A NEW LIFE, 277 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 BURDENED HEARTS, . . . . . . ' . . 297 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 THE COMFORTER, 318 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 THE DECEIVERS AND THE DECEIVED, . . ' . 330 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS, 349 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 THE ANGEL HELPER, 368 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 THE JUBILEE, 380
 
 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A HINT. 
 
 THE homestead of Alden Farm, as a whole, 
 is, at the time of our story, a good speci- 
 men of the New England homesteads of "the 
 olden time." The old chimney is there, in 
 the center of the house, and contains bricks 
 enough for all the chimneys of three, first 
 class, modern farm houses. But the old fire- 
 place, its settle, huge crane, large, winter 
 back-logs, around whose great fire the chil- 
 dren could scarcely keep comfortably warm, 
 and up whose immense flue the heat rushed, 
 into the thin, cold atmosphere, as if bravely
 
 6 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 seeking to warm "all out doors," this old 
 fire-place, we say, is not there. 
 
 The proprietor we mean plain John Alden, 
 the farmer and owner of the house and its 
 farm does not retain old things because 
 they are old, nor reject proposed changes 
 because they are new. He was in the prime 
 of life when cooking-stoves were proposed 
 as a substitute for the old fire-place. John, 
 when in town with a load of his best oak 
 wood, which had begun to bring "a good 
 price" say three dollars and a half a cord, 
 stepped into a stove dealer's to look at "the 
 new notion." The man of stoves, with a 
 sharp eye to trade, opened its doors to ex- 
 hibit its fire-range, oven and drafts, paraded 
 its shining furniture, with a proud air, as 
 much as to say, " Mister, see that ! " and 
 talked the while in a manner which meant 
 trade. 
 
 John Alden whistled, thrust his hands into 
 his pockets, examined the article closely, made
 
 A HINT. 7 
 
 little talk with the man, and finally stood 
 some minutes in musing silence. 
 
 "What's the price of that arrangement?" 
 said John, breaking the silence. 
 
 " Only thirty-six dollars ! " said the stove 
 man, blandly. 
 
 "I'll talk with Patience about it," said 
 John, turning resolutely away. 
 
 John mounted the seat of his heavy ox- 
 wagon, and rode off whistling, while the 
 disappointed man of trade walked back to 
 his bench, muttering, "The simpleton don't 
 know his mind, but must ask his old woman 
 at home ! Such old fellows would not pay 
 thirty-six dollars for all the improvements in 
 Christeadom ! " 
 
 "I'll take that article, " said John Alden, 
 just three weeks from this time, as he walked 
 into the stove dealer's place of business, at 
 the same time drawing a purse of silver dol- 
 lars from his pocket. 
 
 John and his wife, Patience, had talked
 
 8 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 the matter over beside their huge fire-place. 
 They carefully noted the increasing value of 
 wood ; they called to mind the cold drafts 
 from the opened doors, during the winter, 
 and the hot drafts which went roaring up the 
 chimney ; John explained what he deemed the 
 conveniences of the new invention its sav- 
 ing of labor and fuel ; and, finally, the great 
 outlay of thirty-six hard dollars, earned by 
 hard toil, was balanced, with careful reck- 
 oning, against these advantages. When the 
 decision was once made, John and Patience 
 went quietly at work, as assured that their 
 'decision was right, as if it had been consid- 
 ered by a jury of the fathers of the town, 
 and they had rendered their verdict in due 
 form. 
 
 John and Patience Alden were not self- 
 conceited people, but they did have "a mind 
 of their own," as even the stove-man now 
 believed, and- a self-reliance which was re- 
 markably fruitful of good luck. .
 
 A HINT. U 
 
 The mason was called to wall up, with 
 brick and mortar, the ancestral fire-place. 
 The man with the trowel worked away, but 
 grumbled as he worked, "It is none of my 
 business, Patience Aldeu, and I am not a 
 man to be meddling with other people's af- 
 fairs. But it does seem to me that John 
 is real foolish. " I heard my mother tell how 
 his good old grandparents sat before this 
 very fire-place, resting and chatting, and then 
 getting out the great family Bible j just as 
 people used to do, when new faugled things 
 wan't so much thought of. And then, Pa- 
 tience, haven't I seen, since your day in 
 this house, John's own dear father and 
 mother, sitting right here, in this place 
 which I'm shutting up never to be seen 
 again, drinking their cider of a cold winter 
 evening, and a thanking God for their own 
 home and hearth? Dear me, what would 
 they say ! Well, they have gone where they 
 won't be troubled with these times of pride 
 and nonsense."
 
 10 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Patience dropped a tear at the allusion to 
 the greatly beloved parents, which the brick- 
 layer mistook for a tear of regret at John's 
 foolish purchase ; so he added with increased 
 earnestness, "Patience Alden, I never 
 thought you were to blame for this foolish 
 business. It don't seem like John neither. 
 He's been real lucky, and got ahead smartly. 
 But it don't signify, he's missed it this time !" 
 
 Patience wiped the tears from her face, at 
 this reflection upon her husband, and turned 
 to the meddler, with a quiet but resolute 
 countenance, as she exclaimed, "John and 
 I are perfectly agreed concerning this im- 
 provement ! " 
 
 The man subsided into a becoming silence 
 during the rest of his stay in the house. 
 
 John Alden's neighbor, Mr. Crone, and 
 his wife, Jerusha Crone, and all the little 
 Crones, let fly their sharp arrows, that is, 
 their bitter words, at John and his wife, for 
 their late extravagance.
 
 A HINT. 11 
 
 "I can't afford to spend thirty-six hard- 
 earned dollars to gratify my wife's foolish 
 notion for a new thing." 
 
 "You may thank your good fortune," said 
 Mrs. Crone, smartly, "that your wife has no 
 foolish notion after new things." 
 
 "I know it, woman," said Mr. Crone, in 
 a conciliatory manner. "We always get 
 along nicely in the good old paths. I told 
 the parish committee, when they came round 
 to make up the salary of the parson, that I 
 should pay only the two cords of wood, 
 which I have always paid, and which my 
 father and grandfather paid. f lt was enough,' 
 said I, 'for their minister, and it's enough 
 for mine.' But, Jerusha, I believe they 
 would have teased another cord from me, 
 had you not given them a piece of your 
 mind about the extravagance of the times." 
 
 All the little Crones caught the spirit of 
 their parents. Ezekiel, or "Zeke," as they 
 called him, said, petulantly, "The Alden boys
 
 12 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 always did feel big. Now they will be 
 grander than ever ! " And Zake gave his 
 "chip hat" a toss into the air, and a kick 
 when it came down, transferring to his in- 
 nocent hat the ill will he felt to the lucky 
 children of Alden Farm. 
 
 Neighbor Goodnow thought that John and 
 Patience knew what they were about. "For 
 my part," he said, "I would not risk the 
 throwing away of thirty-six hard-earned dol- 
 lars, but I shan't matter it, if John's exper- 
 iment proves saving. It's a blessing to have 
 a man like John among folks, who is willing 
 to take all the risk of new things." 
 
 Goodnow represented a class of John's 
 neighbors, who were sure to reap a benefit 
 from his spirit of enterprise. If his plans 
 succeeded, they adopted them ; if they 
 failed, they were wiser in their own eyes 
 than before, exclaiming complacently, "We 
 told you so, John ! That was a silly notion 
 of yours ! "
 
 A HINT. 13 
 
 John Alden and his wife were fully in- 
 formed by the gossipers concerning the talk 
 of their neighbors. But they were neither 
 angry nor disturbed. He sometimes laughed 
 heartily at their expense. He could gen- 
 erally afford to do this, for his plans were 
 adopted with caution, and patient thinking, 
 and then carried out with decision. So he 
 laughed when his neighbors grumbled, and 
 felt the better for it, especially as his health- 
 ful laughing did them no hurt. 
 
 John's stove was set up, and in due time 
 the winter came. In the time of which we 
 speak, the winter, like the early Puritan 
 society, was a positive "institution." The 
 
 fall did not shade into the winter, and the 
 i 
 winter into the spring, so that one was at 
 
 loss to tell whether the winter had been ab- 
 sorbed by these two seasons, or whether 
 there had been no season in particular, as 
 in these degenerate times. The cold came 
 on, like a genuine article as it was, direct
 
 f 
 
 14 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 from the Arctic regions. The snow was a 
 home product, and in quality and quantity 
 did credit to the sturdy old character of the 
 New England climate. 
 
 The great kitchen of Alden Farm smiled 
 "all over its face," as the little Aldens dil- 
 igently supplied the stove, in a stormy win- 
 ter evening, with well seasoned, oak wood ; 
 it did not smile, as in the days of the huge 
 fire-place, on one side of its face with the 
 rosy hue of summer heat, and on the other 
 scowl with a biting frost. The old kitchen 
 was jubilant with the stove's genial warmth, 
 and so were the kitchen's inmates. ^The 
 little Aldens, with whom, in a larger growth 
 we are to become acquainted, sat around a 
 table at one end of the room. Their parents 
 sat at the little "snap stand" at the other. 
 The young folks liked this; their pent-up 
 laughter and sly fun were under less re- 
 straint than when the family were huddled 
 about the now cast-off back log. The par
 
 A HINT. 15 
 
 ents liked it, because, sitting by themselves, 
 they had more quiet, a better chance to in- 
 dulge in their own line of talk, and, espe- 
 cially because they did not choose to see 
 and hear all that their children did. John 
 and Patience did enjoy immensely to see the 
 young folks fairly sparkle and run over at 
 times, with youthful animation. They knew 
 when such outbursts had the right moral 
 tone, and they knew how not to be nervous 
 at their noise, and when not to put their 
 hands on the escaping steam, and so how 
 not to scald themselves, and how not to blow 
 up the children. 
 
 John Alden cut the usual generous pile 
 of wood that winter. He did not spend 
 his time loitering in the kitchen, because it 
 was more comfortable than usual. When the 
 Crones saw his wood-pile, larger, as they 
 thought, than, ever, they shrugged their 
 shoulders and said, "John don't expect to 
 save any fuel by his new notion, after all ! "
 
 16 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 But before the summer was ended, he had 
 sold in town enough wood saved by the 
 store to replace more than half of those 
 thirty-six dollars which so troubled his neigh- 
 bors. 
 
 "It is the luck of Alden Farm folks to 
 have things come out just so ! " exclaimed 
 the Crones. "Every wind is fair for them. 
 We never did have any luck." But deacon 
 Turner said in his quiet way that he thought 
 that the luck at Alden Farm was nothing 
 more than God's blessing on the exerciss 
 of good sense, and the putting forth of a 
 genuine Yankee energy.
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 SUNSHEtfE. 
 
 IT was a bitter cold evening of the winter 
 in which the "new notion" was introduced 
 into the great kitchen of Alden Farm. The 
 snow was drifting in heavy banks about the 
 door- ways and across every pathway. When 
 a gust of wind unusually fierce rattled the 
 sleet against the windows, Carver, the oldest 
 son, pushed the elbow of Miles, who sat by 
 his side absorbed in a book he was reading, 
 and exclaimed, " Hear that Miles, don't it 
 come good ! I guess it will be fun to-mor- 
 row wading to school through the snow ! " 
 
 Miles looked up for a moment, remarked 
 dreamily that it did storm splendidly, and 
 dropped his eyes again upon his book. 
 
 17 2
 
 18 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 The youngest child, the baby Winslow, 
 was asleep in the cradle, on the rocker of 
 which Mrs. Alden's foot was resting, while 
 her hands were busily engaged in mending 
 some rather large holes in the stockings of 
 the boys. Her husband sat on the other 
 side of the table, with folded hands, in a 
 musing attitude. His face at last relaxed 
 into a humorous expression, not uncommon 
 in his familiar intercourse with his family, 
 as he bent down and whispered to his wife, 
 "Patience, can you say your lesson in the 
 Catechism?" 
 
 Mrs. Alden, a little startled, said with a 
 slight expression of doubt as to the mean- 
 ing of the question, "I am not a child, John, 
 to be getting a lesson in the Catechism." 
 
 John smiled, but answered seriously, "Xo, 
 Patience, but the minister said last Sunday, 
 that the children would meet on Saturday 
 following the Wednesday-lecture, in the big 
 kitchen of the - parsonage, with their Cate-
 
 SUNSHINE. 19 
 
 chisms, and he should know what members 
 neglected the religious instruction of their 
 children. Now, Patience, you know we 
 haven't neglected this duty altogether, but 
 it don't stand to reason that the children 
 will learn from us what we don't know our- 
 selves." 
 
 "Do you mean, John," said Patience, lay- 
 ing down her half darned stocking and look- 
 ing at her husband with a shade of severity 
 upon her usually calm face, "that we ought 
 to go to the parsonage and say our Cate- 
 chism with the children, to prove to them 
 that we know what it teaches?" 
 
 "No, Patience," replied Mr. Alden, with 
 a merry twinkle of his eye. " You need 
 only to recite to me!" 
 
 " Oh ! " replied Mrs. Alden, pleasantly, 
 resuming her work, "if that is all, you can 
 get the Catechism and proceed." 
 
 John took down from the book-case one 
 of several carefully preserved copies of tho
 
 20 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 important little book, and commenced a very 
 slow and hesitating questioning of his wife. 
 Patience's face wore a devout expression, 
 but her attention seemed not to be diverted 
 a moment from her work, while she answered 
 every question as readily as though the an- 
 swers had been the last committed lessons 
 of a girl of sixteen. John, surprised, put 
 the questions more rapidly and with less 
 caution as to being heard by the children. 
 He ran through many sections of the book, 
 and then skipped here and there, picking 
 out questions which involved long and diffi- 
 cult answers. But Patience, nowhere, for a 
 moment tripped. 
 
 "Nicely done," said Mr. Alden, laying 
 down the book and pushing back his chair, 
 as if he was about to walk the room as he 
 often did. 
 
 "Stop, John," said Patience, the twinkle 
 this time being in her eye ; " it don't stand 
 to reason that you can insist upon the chil-
 
 SUNSHINE. 21 
 
 dren knowing the Catechism, without you 
 can answer its questions yourself. Let me 
 hear you!" 
 
 John blushed a little, but drew his chair 
 up again to the table and waited for the 
 questions. Patience proceeded very seriously 
 and slowly to put them. The answers for 
 some time, though very deliberately given, 
 were correct. But when his wife began to 
 skip about, and select random questions, 
 John plead a bad memory, and declared he 
 would read nothing but the Bible and Cate- 
 chism until he could answer every one. 
 
 Carver and Miles, at their table, on the 
 other side of the room, were listening to this 
 Catechism recitation. They laughed a little 
 slyly when father stumbled at the answers, 
 and Carver whispered in his brother's ear that 
 mother was "too wide-awake" for father. 
 
 "Maybe she catches him now," answered 
 Miles, in an undertone, "but I reckon father 
 will answer all the questions like a book, 
 after about two evenings."
 
 22 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 The storm increased at a fearful rate. Mr. 
 Alden lit the lamp in the lantern and went 
 to the barn to see if "all was right." The 
 thought that a barn door might have been 
 accidently left open, or the bedding of some 
 of the animals neglected, urged this special 
 care. Mrs. Alden had more precious sub- 
 jects of interest on her mind. She took the 
 candle from the old mantle-piece and went 
 up stairs to see if the sleepers in the trun- 
 dle-bed, Euth and Eachel, were "warm and 
 comfortable." She tucked them up anew, 
 laid an additional blanket over their feet, 
 paused a moment to look at the cozy nest- 
 lers and say, " God bless them," and then 
 to examine carefully everything through the 
 chambers that the cold could injure. 
 
 While the parents were absent on these 
 errands of kindness and love, the sons dis- 
 cussed in their way the parental study of 
 the Catechism. 
 
 " Mother did answer the questions splen- 
 didly," remarked Carver.
 
 SUNSHINE. 23 
 
 "Yes," said Miles, "but father didn't do 
 bad. I reckon though women can always 
 beat the men in answering smart and lively. 
 How the girls do beat us, Carver, at school !" 
 
 Carver was taken by surprise at this allu- 
 sion, and blushed a little, for Squire Treen's 
 daughter had gone above him that day in 
 the class, by answering a question he had 
 missed. He defended himself and his sex 
 by answering more sharply than the occasion 
 required, " They don't understand the lessons 
 though half as well as the boys ! " 
 
 The return of the parents suppressed the 
 reply of Miles, but not his merry laugh at 
 his brother's expense. 
 
 The family of John Alden were astir long 
 before the daylight appeared. Ruth and 
 Rachel had been "lively as crickets," long 
 before a light was brought for them to dress ; 
 while Miles had pestered out of his brother 
 a disposition to take another doze, by plying 
 him with all the Catechism questions he could
 
 24 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 think of. "I'll pay you, Miles, for this," 
 he yawned, "by putting you through the 
 whole book when I get up." 
 
 "It won't be fair," retorted Miles, "to 
 put me through any thing but the lesson 
 we are to say to the minister on Saturday 
 afternoon." 
 
 "Yes, the whole book," persisted his 
 brother. "When I was twelve years old 
 I could answer every question as quick as 
 a hen can pick up a kernel of corn." 
 
 Miles received this brag with a chuckle. 
 "If he did it at twelve, he ought to do it 
 at fourteen years old," he mused. " Some- 
 time, when he gets deep into his study, 
 I'll come down upon him, with questions in 
 
 the Catechism, thick and fast as hail stones. 
 i 
 Carver will be up with me though if I don't 
 
 know every answer in the book ; I did 
 almost, once." 
 
 "Feeling his spirit stirred by these mus- 
 ings, Miles exclaimed, aloud, "Here's the
 
 SUNSHINE. 25 
 
 boy " he was about to say, "Here's the 
 boy that can conquer it ! " but seeing his 
 brother start up with wonder at his earn- 
 estness, he stopped suddenly and settled 
 down calmly upon his knees to offer his 
 morning prayer. He then went down stairs, 
 followed soon by his brother, and both im- 
 mediately engaged cheerfully in assisting their 
 parents ; the older one in the barn with the 
 father, and the younger in the kitchen. 
 
 At Alden Farm, before there were daugh- 
 ters old enough to be efficient in domestic 
 work, the sons in turn, "helped mother." 
 She often had for them "a tale of other 
 days," which had descended through .the 
 household circles, from the early Pioneer 
 settlers, or a song which equally well made 
 cheerful hearts and willing hands. So Car- 
 ver and Miles often prepared the vegetables 
 for the meals, sat the table, or washed the 
 dishes, with such pleasant beguilement of 
 the time, that they almost reluctantly left
 
 26 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 the kitchen for the more appropriate boys' 
 work of the barn. There was no degrada- 
 tion felt or thought of. Their mother's 
 presence made honorable the hour, and the 
 work. 
 
 On the morning of which we were speak- 
 ing, Miles, with his eight year old sister, 
 Ruth, did much of the morning work of 
 the kitchen. Rachel, six years old, was 
 full of glee, and the three summers Jere- 
 miah, was ready at every turn, with his 
 childish pranks, while the baby, Winslow, 
 did all the scolding for the family. He 
 was hungry, wanted his breakfast, and would 
 have it, whether anybody else was served or 
 not. In vain Jeremiah chided. "Naughty, 
 naughty baby ! " he said, solemnly ; " don't 
 you know mother is werry busy? Itty boys 
 should wait." 
 
 But baby only kicked the sides of the 
 cradle more spitefully, and, if louder screams 
 meant anything, exclaimed, "I won't wait!"
 
 SUNSHINE. 27 
 
 "Itty ki-baby," said Jeremiah, putting his 
 lips as near the enraged animal in the cradle 
 as he dared to. 
 
 "You little Sancho," said Euth, shaking 
 her fist at him. 
 
 Baby's mother came to the rescue at last, 
 the family were permitted by his cradle 
 majesty to eat their breakfast and attend to 
 family devotions in peace, and Miles soon 
 after was told by his mother, with one of 
 her sweetest smiles, that he might go. 
 
 "You may go, my son," was all that was 
 said. But to Miles, when he looked into 
 her loving eyes, it meant, You have 'done 
 your work well ; helped me a great deal ; 
 God bless you ! 
 
 There was nobody to chide Miles for sit- 
 ting cosily beside the stove with his book. 
 It was his school book which was first 
 studied, and kept in his lap. But he slyly 
 drew out his Catechism once in a while, and 
 gave its pages close attention. He was de-
 
 28 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 termined to surprise not only his brother 
 Carver, but his parents', by his ability to 
 answer every question. 
 
 Monday evening before the Saturday chil- 
 drens' meeting at the parsonage, the Alden 
 family were around their evening lamps. 
 It was very early, the twilight still linger- 
 ing outside. As the breakfast at the farm- 
 house was eaten long before daybreak, the 
 dinner hour came at twelve, or even earlier, 
 and the supper at five, or, not unfrequently, 
 as on this evening, at half past four. The 
 solemn stillness of dream-land pervaded the 
 house at nine, unless the baby Winslow for- 
 bade it. 
 
 On this occasion, Ruth and Eachel had not 
 yet gone to their trundle-bed. There was 
 little study, but much merriment, with the 
 boys while they were present. 
 
 "Look here, Miles!" said Carver, sud- 
 denly, as if a bright thought had just oc- 
 curred to him, " next Saturday is the Gate-
 
 SUNSHINE. 29 
 
 chisra day at the parsonage. I must see 
 that you know all your Catechism. Stand 
 up now, hold up your head, and speak so 
 as to be heard." 
 
 Miles reached out his hand and seized the 
 Catechism, with which Carver was about to 
 proceed, and said, in a most solemn tone, 
 while he quoted the words of his father, "It 
 don't stand to reason that we should require 
 of others what we don't know ourselves. I 
 will see how well you can answer the ques- 
 tions." 
 
 Carver was fairly caught, and submitted, 
 in imitation of his father's example, to be 
 examined, and came out of the trial remark- 
 ably well, stumbling on a few answers only. 
 
 " T-o-l-e-r-a-b-l-y well, my boy," drawled 
 out Miles, in imitation of the old gentleman 
 who taught the district school. "You may 
 sit down and study one hour, and you will 
 know it perfectly." 
 
 Carver had good sense and kind feeling
 
 30 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 enough to enjoy the pleasantry he had him- 
 self commenced, and he sat down to his 
 hour's task, indulging the thought that his 
 turn would come for fun, at the end of the 
 hour, when he would come down on Miles 
 " like night," with questions from the Cate- 
 chism. 
 
 In the meantime, Miles turned to Ruth, 
 and proposed to examine her. 
 
 "It don't stand to reason that you should 
 hear me until I "hear you," said Ruth, pertly, 
 catching up the Catechism and beginning to 
 ask him the questions. Carver enjoyed this 
 hugely, but Miles answered every question. 
 He won't get along so well when / examine 
 him, thought Carver. I'll be thorough. 
 
 Ruth went through her assigned lesson 
 promptly, and turned to Rachel, who re- 
 peated what she had learned from her 
 mother's lips. 
 
 "Now, Jerry," said Rachel, turning to her 
 little brother, "I must hear you!"
 
 SUNSHINE. 31 
 
 "No ! " said Jerry, thi'owing back his shoul- 
 ders, and putting on a lordly air as he 
 lisped, "'Oo shan't! It don't stand weesou." 
 
 The children shouted applause, clapped 
 their hands, and told Jerry to put Rachel 
 through his Primer lesson. But he was 
 content with having shaken his sister off, 
 and ran away to the cradle, where baby 
 Winslow lay, bestowing his sweetest smiles 
 upon all who came near. 
 
 "Hurrah!" shouted Ruth, "he is going 
 to examine the baby ! " 
 
 All the children started at once for the 
 cradle. 
 
 " Ask baby who made him ! " said Miles, 
 patting Jerry coaxingly on his shoulder. 
 
 Jerry put his lips close to Winnie's face 
 and lisped, "Who made 'oo, Winnie? .Don't 
 'oo know? God made 'oo." 
 
 " Ask him more ! " shouted Rachel, " see 
 how knowing he looks ! " 
 
 "What did he '' proceeded Rachel, prompt- 
 ing Jerry.
 
 32 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "What did he make 'oo for, Minnie?" 
 said Jerry, reaching still further into the 
 cradle. "Don't 'oo know? He didn't make 
 'oo to ki and be a naughty baby. He made 
 'oo to be good." 
 
 "That will do, children," said Mrs. Alden, 
 waving the children away with her hand. 
 "That is as much as "VVinslow's little brain 
 can bear to-night." 
 
 Ruth and Rachel were, in a few moments, 
 tucked away in their cozy bed ; Winnie, ex- 
 hausted by his great mental efforts in his 
 first lesson concerning God and his duty to 
 him, followed his equally tired teacher to 
 the blessed sleep-land. Miles answered Car- 
 ver's thorough questioning so perfectly, that 
 the latter, much to his disappointment, did 
 not find occasion to require him to review 
 the Catechism. Quiet reigned for a while in 
 the great kitchen, except as the old clock 
 in the corner audibly announced the depar- 
 ture of each precious moment as it flitted 
 past.
 
 SUNSHINE. 33 
 
 "Patience!" said John Aldeii, breaking the 
 silence by addressing his wife in an under- 
 tone of great tenderness and solemnity, "what 
 wonderful truths the Catechism does teach. 
 I never felt their importance as I do now. 
 I think I begin to have a better understand- 
 ing of them." 
 
 Mrs. Alden laid down her work and looked 
 at him serious!} 7 , but with a joyful expres- 
 sion, while her husband was uttering these 
 words. They were the language of her own 
 heart. "Yes, John," she replied. "I am 
 glad there is so much of Christ in the Cate- 
 chism ; there is so much in the Bible 1 " 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Alden then dropped into 
 a quiet conversation about these wonderful 
 truths. The more they talked about them 
 the more their hearts glowed with the in- 
 ward experience of their wonderful power. 
 " Isn't it wonderful ! " "How precious ! " were 
 frequent exclamations from Mr. Alden, to 
 which his wife would add, "It .is just as I 
 
 3
 
 34 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 read it, John, in the Word of God. It is 
 Christ from the beginning to the end. He 
 is a divine Saviour ! " 
 
 The boys were attracted by this earnest, 
 melting talk. The parents scarcely noticed 
 the fact that they had left their end of the 
 room, and taken seats, as deeply interested 
 listeners. 
 
 "Miles!" said Carver, as they retired, "I 
 begin to like the Catechism. I used to think 
 it was as dry as a chip." 
 
 "I think I ought to love it," said Miles, 
 seriously. "How happy father and mother 
 did get over it ! Their talk has helped me 
 to understand many hard questions. I have 
 been afraid the minister would ask me what 
 they meant. Now if lie docs, I can answer." 
 
 The visit to the parsonage was anticipated 
 by the children of Alden Farm with much 
 pleasure.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 SHADOWS. 
 
 "Now, Mr. Ezekiel Crone, I desire you 
 would listen to me for once," said Mr. 
 Crone's wife, Jcrusha., He knew this mode 
 of address meant business, so he stood in the 
 middle of the great kitchen, in his farmer's 
 frock, and hat in hand, and listened. Mrs. 
 Crone took her hands out of the pumpkin 
 she was pressing through a "cullender" for 
 her pies, and turned her resolute face toward 
 her meek looking husband. 
 
 "Ezekiel, you heard Parson Curtis say that 
 on Saturday, three weeks, the children of the 
 parish are required to be present at the par- 
 sonage to be examined in the Catechism?" 
 
 Ezekiel nodded assent. He certainly had 
 heard the notice. 
 
 35
 
 36 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "Well," proceeded Mrs. Crone, "our Zeke 
 aud Tom ought and shall go." 
 
 Mr. Crone was passive under this decla- 
 ration, but his wife added a spur to his in- 
 decision. "It's a shame, Ezekiel, that our 
 children, members as we are of the church, 
 know nothing about that important little 
 book ! Mercy knows it's not my fault, for 
 I have scolded enough about it." 
 
 Ezekiel gave a slight nod of assent to 
 this, and his wife thus encouraged, contin- 
 ued, "When I was a girl I could repeat the 
 answers to more'n half the questions, right 
 off." After this self-satisfying remark, Mrs. 
 Crone dropped her voice into a softened tone 
 and asked, "Ezekiel, could you ever do as 
 well as that?" 
 
 Her husband had an indistinct recollection 
 of having tried once to get a lesson in the 
 Catechism, but he thought it quite unreason- 
 able for any one to expect him to know 
 anything about it now. To this his wife
 
 . SHADOWS. 37 
 
 assented, saying, "It don't stand to reason 
 that we should know the Catechism. The 
 parson won't examine us neither. But the 
 boys shall learn it." 
 
 Ezekiel nodded assent, and his wife turned 
 to her pumpkin pie making. She hustled 
 the small children, Jane and Betsey, a little 
 more roughly than ever, and sharply prompted 
 the boys in their chore business. 
 
 "Don't you think, Tom," said Zeke, "that 
 there's a storm brewing?" 
 
 Tom turned his eye up to the stars which 
 sparkled with unusual brilliancy in the clear, 
 cold atmosphere, and replied, "No, Zeke, 
 there's not a cloud to be seen." 
 
 "I jnean in the kitchen," said his brother, 
 smiling softly. 
 
 "I hope not," said Tom, "for if it comes, 
 it will be sure to blow my school lesson 
 away. I am most up to the head of my 
 class for once, and I am determined to show 
 the boys that a Crone can do something.
 
 38 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Bill Short did vex me awfully this afternoon 
 at recess. He saw I was getting ahead a 
 little, and he shouted, '"We shall see white 
 black-birds after you get to the head.'" 
 
 "That's it," said Zeke. "There's always 
 something at school or at home to trip us 
 up, when we try to do anything. I do wish 
 I could live one winter at Alden Farm. I 
 kind of feel I should learn the secret of good 
 luck." 
 
 " "Well," replied Tom, a sudden and un- 
 usual inspiration coming over him, "Here's 
 study this evening. I'll make luck at Crone's 
 Corner." 
 
 The boys went w r ith these feelings and took 
 their usual place on blocks in one corner of 
 the kitchen fire-place. Their sisters were 
 seated in the other corner. The parents sat 
 near the middle of the room, at the large 
 stand, on which blazed the tallow caudles. 
 The girls were playing "puzzle" with a slate, 
 and for once, peace and happiness reigned 
 supreme in the household.
 
 SHADOWS. 39 
 
 "How Zeke and Tom do study," whispered 
 Jane to her sister. "What is a-going to 
 happen ? " 
 
 "I'll tell you," replied Betsey, "they are 
 a-going to be somebody in school. That's 
 what's the matter ! " 
 
 Just at this state of affairs, Mrs. Crone 
 suddenly thought of the Catechism. 
 
 " Jane ! " she said, sharply, " did you get 
 the Catechisms I sent you for to the par- 
 son's? Not one could I find in this house. 
 There's never anything here when you want 
 it." 
 
 Jane went to her satchel and brought the 
 desired books. 
 
 "Come here, Zeke and Tom," she said, in 
 a. tone which implied either a duty neglected, 
 or one to be required against which she ex- 
 pected a rebellion that she was prepared to 
 put down by the force of arms, if necessary. 
 The boys came forward like dogs to the 
 master's lash, and the mother opened the
 
 40 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 books, gave one to each, saying, "There, 
 boys, get sixteen pages of these answers ; 
 and don't you let me see any other book 
 in your hands until you can say every word. 
 Do you hear ? " 
 
 Tom timidly suggested that he should lose 
 his place at school if he did not get the 
 lesson to be recited in the morning, and that 
 he would get the Catechism afterwards. 
 
 "There, now," shouted the mother, "don't 
 talk to me about losing your place ; you're 
 at the foot now, I'll warrant, where my chil- 
 dren always are." 
 
 Jane started to her feet when she saw 
 Tom's disappointed looks, and was about to 
 say, "Tom is most to the head!" when her 
 mother's foot came down with emphasis, as 
 she said, in a harsh, commanding tone, "Not 
 another word from any of you ! Do as I 
 bid you ! " 
 
 The children obeyed doggedly. The mother 
 resumed her work, muttering, "Strange that
 
 SHADOWS. 41 
 
 my children always will compel me to scold 
 before they do as I bid them. They never 
 do miud the first time they are spoken to." 
 
 While Mrs. Crone was thus attending to 
 the religious instruction of the children, Mr. 
 Crone was humming a time and dividing his 
 attention between the Farmer's Almanac and 
 the milk score of some poor neighbors. 
 
 "I do wish you'd be still your buzzing, 
 Mr. Crone ; seems as if, between the chil- 
 dren's fussing and your everlasting hum, I 
 should go distracted." 
 
 Mr. Crone laid down his Almanac, folded 
 his hands in moody silence. His clouded 
 brow gave intimations that he might not con- 
 tinue perfectly amiable. The boys, thinking 
 the storm was diverted from them, began to 
 whisper together. Tom looked up the chim- 
 ney to the bright stars, which seemed to 
 look lovingly down upon him as if they 
 would soothe his wounded spirits. 
 
 "I wish," he said to Zeke, in an under-
 
 42 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 tone, "I wish I was up among the stars. 
 It must be warm up there, for our fire 
 alwaj'S sends its heat that way ! " 
 
 "Xobody from this house will ever get 
 so high," responded Zeke, bitterly. 
 
 " There, now, take tliat^ and attend to your 
 Catechism," exclaimed Mrs. Crone, coming 
 suddenly upon the boys, as they were off 
 their guard, and giving each a rousing box 
 on the ear. "You think to whine round, 
 by and by, and say you c-a-n-t g-e-t i-t ! 
 I'll teach you that I'm to be obeyed ! " 
 
 The boys broke into an uncontrolable sob- 
 bing from mingled grief and vexation, and 
 the girls began to cry from sympathy with 
 their brothers. 
 
 "Jane," said Mrs. Crone, "take the can- 
 dle, and do you and Betsey go to bed this 
 minute, and let me hear no more from you 
 to-night." 
 
 The girls went crying to bed, without any 
 of the "Good night, mother, good night,
 
 SHADOWS. 43 
 
 all," or other sweet farewells, which make 
 the departure of children to their slumbers 
 like a pleasant song. Zeke and Tom con- 
 tinued a nervous sobbing, which their mother 
 endeavored in vain to suppress. Worried 
 out at last she drove them both to bed. No 
 prayers were offered at their bed-side that 
 night, but many muttered complaints, which 
 gave evidence that they had been provoked 
 to wrath, and were discouraged. 
 
 When the parents were alone, Mr. Crone 
 remarked, with firmness, " Jerusha, you are 
 too harsh with the children. You do them 
 more hurt than good ! " 
 
 "There, Ezekiel, that's just the way, if 
 ever I try to do my duty to the children ! " 
 said Mrs. Crone, bursting into tears. Her 
 loud sobbing prevented any further remark, 
 except as she sobbed in broken sentences, * 
 "I never will try to do anything for them" 
 "I'm always blamed" "I'll let it all go" 
 "I don't care if they never know a word
 
 44 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 of the Catechism" "I'll tell everybody I 
 have done my duty ! " 
 
 So the parents followed the children to 
 bed, under the same dark cloud which had 
 made the night hideous to the whole house- 
 hold. 
 
 A sullen silence reigned in the family 
 during the morning hours. The dog, as he 
 looked in the faces of its members, skulked 
 away under the settle, with drooping ears 
 and tail, desiring but not daring to ask for 
 his morning meal. The breakfast was swal- 
 lowed, but not eaten. The family prayers 
 were said, but not offered with the "heart's 
 adoration." The old kitchen was like the 
 deck of a vessel, which had been struck by 
 the first gust of a tempest of drenching rain 
 and terrific thunder, whose sailors waited in 
 silence another shock. The boys went mop- 
 ing and crest-fallen to school, to fail in their 
 lessons, go to the foot of their classes, and 
 be taunted with belonging to "Crone's Cor-
 
 SHADOWS. 45 
 
 ner." Mrs. Crone tossed the Catechisms into 
 a dusty corner of the book-case, and for a 
 week no reference was made to them by 
 either parents or children. The boys were 
 permitted to spend their evenings as they 
 pleased, and, as their ambition for the school 
 lessons was very low, time hung heavily on 
 their hands. At the end of the week, under 
 the promptings of Mr. Crone, the Catechisms 
 were taken from the shelf and sleepily 
 studied for a few evenings, when the old 
 kitchen witnessed another gale. The wind 
 blew this time from another quarter, but the 
 desolate track which it left was equally 
 marked. 
 
 " Mr. Crone ! " said his wife, one evening, 
 breaking the painful silence which reigned in 
 the family circle, by an equally painful tone 
 
 
 
 of voice. 
 
 Mr. Crone raised his eyes from his score- 
 book with an expression of indifference to 
 whatever might be said.
 
 46 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "Mr. Crone," continued the wife, "do you 
 know that I am working myself almost to 
 death, while these lazy boys are hanging 
 about the house, doing nothing half of the 
 time?" 
 
 " You get some help from Jane," sug- 
 gested Mr. Crone. 
 
 "Jane!" replied Mrs. Crone, with an ex- 
 pressive sneer; "a child "but nine years old, 
 and feeble thing too, as you know. There's 
 Alden's boys, they do all his wife's work, 
 I'm told, while she plays the lady. My 
 boys are none too good to help their mother, 
 and they shall do it." 
 
 Mrs. Crone now "pitched in" to the boys, 
 assigning to Zeke, the older son, certain days 
 in which he was to scrub the floor, and to 
 Tom his time and turn in helping Jane wash 
 the dishes. 
 
 The spirit of this requirement, more than 
 the work^ to be done, came in contact with 
 what little religious benefit the boys were
 
 SHADOWS. 47 
 
 getting from the Catechism. They obeyed 
 the distasteful command, for, as they said, 
 "While mother's temper is up, it won't an- 
 swer not to mind." But there is an obe- 
 dience by children, which, in its spirit and 
 manner, is the most sinful kind of dis- 
 obedience. So it was in this case. Tom's 
 hands, in washing the dishes, so sympa- 
 thized with his unwilling heart, that he often 
 dropped and broke them. His eyes too 
 came in for a part in the plot against the 
 right performance of the task, and refused 
 to see the dirt upon the plates which should 
 have been washed off. 
 
 Zeke declared that when he would do 
 right, blunders were present with him. He 
 upset pails of water most unfortunately for 
 the advancement of the cleaning. There 
 were no songs in this night of the chil- 
 dren's trouble, and no stories to beguile the 
 slowly moving time. The spirit of bitter 
 words were not applied to the tedious mo-
 
 48 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 ments, but to the burdens of the heart, and 
 increased them. 
 
 The boys who came to invite the young 
 Crones to play with them, learned how they 
 were employed, and taunted them, by call- 
 ing them "girl-boys," and "old grannies." 
 Some boys are like, wolves; if one of their 
 companions is faint or lame, they full upon 
 and devour him. This was adding insult 
 to injury, and Zeke and Tom, "pitched in," 
 as boys now-a-days say, and a fight was 
 the consequence, which, of course, resulted 
 in an increase of the bad reputation of the 
 boys of Crone's Corner. 
 
 There soon came an evening when the 
 wayward working of the children was too 
 much for the endurance of the mother. She 
 drove them both from the room, saying, 
 " There, go ! and don't you ever let me 
 see you put your finger to anything in the 
 kitchen again." 
 
 She returned to her work, muttering de-
 
 SHADOWS. 49 
 
 spending words about her bad luck. "I 
 might have known," she said, "that /should 
 have got no help. There's Alden's wife ! 
 Oh, yes, she need only lift her finger and 
 there's a plenty to serve ; but I must drudge 
 forever ! " Mrs. Crone found relief to her 
 wounded feelings in tears.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MEETING. 
 
 IT was a clear, cold, -winter day, on which 
 the children of the parish of the Rev. Charles 
 Curtis were to repair to the parsonage to re- 
 cite the lessons of the Catechism, and to 
 receive his promptings in understanding the 
 way of salvation. The icy pearls on the 
 trees and shrubs sparkled in the rays of the 
 unclouded sun, and the sleigh runners creaked 
 over the frosty snow. The girls, in their 
 homespun dresses, with work-bags on their 
 arms, and mittens on their hands of the 
 grandmother pattern, whose ruddy faces were 
 nearly hid in their warm hoods, looked as 
 lovely, we doubt not, in the eyes of affec- 
 tionate parents, and as bewitching in the es- 
 
 50
 
 THE CIIILDKEN'S MEETING. 51 
 
 timation of the boys, as any modern-dressed 
 misses. As to the boys, a farmer's frock, 
 clean and warm, heavy cowhide boots, a 
 strong arm, an honest and intelligent face, 
 and hearts ever ready to dare and to do in 
 the path of duty, made up the features of 
 manly beauty which only fools despise. 
 
 Alden Farm was represented by five chil- 
 dren, Ruth, who was prompt in the assur- 
 ance of ten pages of the Catechism ; and 
 Rachel, who could answer the questions of 
 six pages ; and little Jeremiah, who hugged 
 his Primer as he trudged bravely behind his 
 sisters, his heart swelling with an honest 
 pride at the thought of what he could do ; 
 and, leading these three, Carver and Miles, 
 who felt that they could "run through a 
 troop or leap over a wall." A stranger, 
 looking into the faces of this group of chil- 
 dren, would see at a glance, an expression 
 of real satisfaction in the expected meeting. 
 
 " Hurrah, Miles ! " shouted Carver, as they
 
 52 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 approached the parsonage, "there's Squire 
 True's sleigh in the yard ! yes, and Deacon 
 Turner's too ! Won't it be a good time ! " 
 
 "I wonder, now," replied Miles, dryly, "if 
 the Squire and the deacon know the Cate- 
 chism ! Let's examine them, Carver ! I 
 guess father and mother can beat both of 
 them." 
 
 The children laughed at 'their brother's 
 pleasantry. Jeremiah pulled Miles' coat, and 
 looking innocently into his face, asked, "Will 
 'oo ask 'em real hard questions?" 
 
 Rachel said that they were real good men, 
 and she was glad they were at the children's 
 meeting. 
 
 The children of Alden Farm walked into 
 the ample kitchen of the parsonage, with a 
 quiet self-possession which wreathed their 
 faces with smiles, and made the faces of all 
 about them look pleasant. Jerry immediately 
 made the acquaintance of the dog, which was 
 watching with curious eyes the unusual stir,
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MEETING. 53 
 
 from his position under his masters great 
 arm-chair. He was decidedly pleased to be 
 noticed, and the two were soon very "thick." 
 
 "In good season, children," said the pas- 
 tor, as he passed hastily through the kitchen, 
 to usher in other company. "In good sea- 
 son, just as the Alden Farm people are at 
 church." 
 
 Let us leave this happy company, and look 
 down the road toward Crone's Corner. Two 
 boys are creeping along at a snail's pace. 
 They stop once in a while, as if in debate 
 whether to come on or to return. There is 
 no particular fault in their personal appear- 
 ance. Their mother, Mrs. Crone, is, as we 
 have seen, a hard working woman, and has 
 both energy and good sense in providing 
 her childen's clothes. So Zeke and Tom, 
 who arc the boys whom we sec down the 
 road, are not feeling "put down" by not 
 being dressed as well as most others. Their 
 mother has driven them out to the parson-
 
 54 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 age gathering, to show that she has done her 
 duty, even if they do, when there, "make 
 fools of themselves." "We have seen the train- 
 ing for the occasion which they have had, so 
 they drag themselves reluctantly towards the 
 parsonage, as a sick and over-burdened la- 
 borer, goaded by the necessities of a starv- 
 ing family, returns to his daily task. 
 
 As they approached the yard, Zeke ex- 
 claimed with a rueful couutenace, "Tom, 
 Squire True and Deacon Turner are there ! 
 See, there's their sleigh ! " 
 
 "I won't go!" exclaimed Tom, bursting 
 into tears. "I guess I won't make a fool 
 of myself before all the parish, if mother 
 don't care!" 
 
 Both boys paused again, to renew their 
 courage, as a panting horse does his strength, 
 by "stopping to blow." Slowly they entered 
 the yard, and stood partly hid by a wood- 
 pile, watching the happy troop of children 
 as they filed in. Tom kicked the snow with
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MEETING. 55 
 
 his boot, mostly eyeing, in a listless man- 
 ner, the chips and dirt which he turned up 
 from beneath. 
 
 " See ! " said Parson Curtis, looking from 
 the window, "there stand the Crone children. 
 Why don't they come in?" 
 
 "Poor fellows!" said Deacon Turner, seiz- 
 ing his hat and going to the door. 
 
 "Boys," said the deacon, in a kind tone, 
 "we are glad to see you. You are a little 
 bashful, I see. No bad sign either, in these 
 days when so many young folks are older 
 and bolder than their parents. Come, your 
 pastor will be glad to see you." 
 
 The boys followed him into the house with 
 a confidence which surprised themselves. 
 
 "This way, Ezekiel and Thomas," said the 
 pastor, pointing to two chairs which he had 
 set for them in a corner, where they would 
 least feel the presence of the company. " A 
 little timid, I see," he whispered, smiling as 
 they sat down. "But that is a fault which 
 the children lose in my great kitchen."
 
 56 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "It's a fact, Tom," said Zeke, in a low 
 tone. "I'm losing my scare!" 
 
 Zeke fairly straightened up in his chair, 
 as he said this, and even Tom looked square- 
 ly into his pastor's face as he began to speak 
 a word of welcome to all ; seeing only kind- 
 ness expressed there, he ventured to turn his 
 eyes to the faces of Squire True and Dea- 
 con Turner. The light of Christian love 
 which beamed from them, fell upon the dis- 
 heartened boy as sunbeams fall on the droop- 
 ing flower. His own countenance began to 
 reflect the good feeling which pervaded the 
 company. 
 
 After a prayer by Parson Curtis, and a 
 song by all, the recitations commenced, the 
 entire knowledge of the Catechism of each 
 one being thoroughly but kindly drawn out. 
 Whether by accident or design, no one knew; 
 but the Alden Farm children were the first 
 who were called out. Seeing that they an- 
 swered the questions so promptly, the pastor
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MEETING. 57 
 
 proposed a few questions concerning the 
 meaning of the great truths taught. 
 
 "It's wonderful that those children under- 
 stand such things so well ! " whispered the 
 deacon to Squire True. 
 
 "Not at all wonderful, deacon," replied 
 the squire. "Don't you see John and Pa- 
 tience Alden in the eyes of their children 
 I mean the religious spirit of the parents 
 beaming in their children's countenances ? " 
 
 The deacon nodded assent. 
 
 "What a stupid show we shall make, 
 Tom," whispered Zeke, the old discourage- 
 ment coming over him. 
 
 "Let's creep out," replied Tom. 
 
 But the sober, second thought, held them 
 in their seats. The examination went on, 
 and the Crones began to breathe more freely. 
 
 "Zeke," said Tom, looking several inches 
 taller than he had done since the reciting 
 commenced, "I can do as well as that!" 
 
 A boy of Tom's age had just sat down.
 
 58 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Partly from a neglect of his lesson, and 
 partly through bashfuluess, he blundered 
 badly. But somehow, none of the children 
 knew exactly how, their minister made every 
 blunderer feel ashamed of present deficiency, 
 and a- secret resolution to do better next 
 time, without exciting discouragement or ill- 
 feeling. When he came to the Crones, this 
 wisdom and tact seemed to be in its fullest 
 exercise. They both saw and felt their great 
 deficiency, but there was no bitterness at- 
 tending the feeling. 
 
 " What surprising success our minister has 
 on these occasions ! " said Squire True, in an 
 under-tone. "What can be the secret of it, 
 deacon ? " 
 
 "It's the Christ-spirit in him," said the dea- 
 con warmly i "He does so love the children!" 
 
 When the examination was over, and the 
 deacon and squire had added words in full 
 sympathy with those of their pastor, and 
 God's blessing had been asked, to rest upon
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MEETING. 59 
 
 all the lambs of the flock, an hour of social 
 interview was spent. Apples were .passed 
 round among the children, and restraint and 
 stiffness disappeared. The pastor's wife, and 
 his daughter, Miss Jane Curtis, about fifteen 
 years old, were in every part of the com- 
 pany, in turn, carrying good words to all. 
 The deacon and the squire were young in 
 heart. For the time every child seemed as 
 one of their own family. They proved, 
 as the inner life of thousands of our Puritan 
 fathers has proved, that the sourness of 
 spirit sometimes attributed to them, is sim- 
 ply a slander. These two Puritans were like 
 most others, stern and exacting in what they 
 deemed great principles, but genial and lov- 
 ing in their social relations. 
 
 Ezekiel and Thomas Crone came out of 
 their corner, early in the social interview. 
 They ate their share of the apples, did a 
 full part in the talking, and more than their 
 part in the laughing. They were, in fact, 
 happy beyond any former experience.
 
 60 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "Tom," exclaimed Zeke, as soon as they 
 were on the way home, "we have had a 
 good time ! " 
 
 "Young man ! Mr. Ezekiel Crone, I mean," 
 replied Tom, stopping and drawing himself 
 up to his full height, "we have had a splen- 
 did time." 
 
 "I'll bet," replied Zeke, "that I'll know 
 every word in that big little book, next 
 time!" 
 
 Tom did not hear this last declaration, 
 but it expressed his own purpose ; he had 
 .started for home .in a full run. The boys 
 reached Crone's Corner, out of breath with 
 running, and in fine spirits. They spoke 
 of the visit to the parsonage in glowing lan- 
 guage, "Why," said Zeke, "Deacon Turner 
 and Squire True talked more with us than 
 they did with any of the boys ; they were 
 most as good as our minister ; and Miss 
 Jane told us that her father and all her 
 folks would have been real disappointed if 
 we had not come."
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MEETING. 61 
 
 Sunshine prevailed for a while even in the 
 kitchen of the Crones. Kind words and 
 deeds at the parsonage had given them an 
 almost unexperienced inspiration towards good 
 luck. The boys once more pored over their 
 school books, and studied slyly, but diligent- 
 ly, their Catechisms. When their mother 
 saw the favorable change, she remarked to 
 her husband, complacently, "Ezekiel, I am 
 glad I persevered and did my duty to the 
 children about the Catechism. You see what 
 the result is." 
 
 Her husband looked provokingly stupid, 
 as' if he did not quite see the point, while 
 Mrs. Crone proceeded, "If our minister knew 
 how hard I worked to bring about the in- 
 terest in religious things he must see in our 
 boys, and he knew too, how little help I 
 had from anybody, he would give me more 
 credit than he does now." 
 
 Mr. Crone remained an unappreciative 
 listener to these delicate claims, and she
 
 62 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 dropped the subject by remarking, quite as 
 much to herself as to her husband, "It would 
 be entirely too much good luck for me to 
 have any good done in my family, and to 
 get the credit of it too."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE RAISING. 
 
 WE must pass in silence other important 
 events of "the Farm," and of "the Corner," 
 which occurred during the winter of which 
 we have been speaking. 
 
 An event of interest took place at Crone's 
 Corner in the early part of the following 
 summer. The crops were well started. The 
 mowing had not commenced. Ezckiel Crone 
 had been hard at work during the winter. 
 He was, it must be remembered, a hard- 
 working, honest man ; and his wife, let it 
 not be forgotten, was a woman of industry 
 and management. Well, Ezekiel had at- 
 tended, during the winter, with such help 
 as ho received from his boys, to all the 
 
 63
 
 C4 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 barn work ; cut and brought to the door 
 a large supply of wood for the summer ; 
 carried out manure upon his grass land ; 
 and had cut, hewn and framed the material 
 for an addition to his barn. During the 
 spring, as other work allowed, he had drawn 
 to the saw-mill logs to be sawed into boards 
 for the floors and covering. " A raising ! " 
 was already whispered among the young peo- 
 ple of the town, while the logs lay waiting 
 their turn at the saw-mill. George Parsons, 
 the kind-hearted man who tended the saw, 
 spoke a good word for Ezekiel to all comers. 
 
 " Neighbors," he would say, "Ezekiel isn't 
 as thrifty as some, but he has got together, 
 by hard work, a fairish kind of addition for 
 his barn. Come to the raising and give him 
 a lift." 
 
 "We must go to Zeke's raising," said the 
 loungers about the tavern and grocery store. 
 "He's not one of your mean fellows. He 
 will have plenty of good liquors."
 
 THE RAISING. 65 
 
 " We must help Brother Crone," remarked 
 Deacon Turner, as he passed the Corner 
 one day, and observed the increasing piles 
 of lumber. "He does seem to have a large 
 number of head flaws in life. Some men 
 seem to be born to it. I must be at the 
 raising." 
 
 "Now, Ezekiel," said Mrs. Crone, the day 
 before the raising was to come off, "the 
 men who came to our last raising made a 
 great noise about my premises, and made 
 me a great deal of trouble. I do believe 
 I worked harder in getting them lunches, 
 than any man at the building. You know 
 that I am willing to work just as hard again 
 as you do, but as to doing all the treating, 
 I shan't do it." 
 
 "I have engaged a good supply of rum," 
 said Ezekiel, quietly. 
 
 "Well, I do desire yo'u wouldn't be mean 
 with it, for the Crones must supply double 
 to what rich folks would, in order to satisfy 
 
 5
 
 66 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 people. The mercy knows I hope nobody 
 will take too much, but our building will 
 never go up without a good supply." 
 
 "That's what I think," said Mr. Crone. 
 
 "And you can sweep a clean place in the 
 barn, make a table of some of yonr new, 
 clean boards, and put the drink and bread 
 and cheese upon it. It will be handy, and 
 everybody shall have all they want, and 
 not plague me in my kitchen. If the men 
 do come bothering round they'll learn that 
 Jerusha Crone knows how to teach 'em man- 
 ners." 
 
 "You will have a pot of coffee ready for 
 those who prefer it," suggested Ezekiel. 
 
 "Not I!" replied Mrs. Crone, decidedly. 
 "Nobody but an old Betty wants coffee on 
 such an occasion. The men will have plenty 
 of rum, and that's enough. You are always 
 planning to make work for me." 
 
 Ezekiel said no more. The clean place in 
 the barn was prepared. The table was spread
 
 THE EAISING. 67 
 
 with an abundance of fresh bread and "good 
 old cheese." To the credit of Mrs. Crone, 
 it ought to be said, that her bread was ex- 
 celled by that of no wife in town ; and to 
 the discredit of the age, it may be stated 
 that the liquor, which, as Mr. Crone had 
 
 ^ 
 
 promised, was also abundant, was the vilest 
 of drinks, though in this respect, it is no 
 doubt far excelled by the poisonous com- 
 pounds of our present liquor shops* 
 
 The day of raising came. Neighbors and 
 towns-people were not backward in the cus- 
 tomary good will offering of their services. 
 The Crones had no reason to complain that 
 the people turned their backs on their ne- 
 cessities.. It being Saturday, the children 
 were also present in great numbers. 
 
 "We'll have to wet a little before this hard 
 work begins," said a stout young man of 28 
 years. 
 
 "Zeke's none of your mean fellows," said 
 another, as a generous glass of rum went to 
 his mouth.
 
 68 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 The barn table, at least the end support- 
 ing the drink, was thus well visited before 
 the work commenced. 
 
 "Men," said Squire True, as he held up 
 an exceedingly moderate glass of liquor in 
 the sight of the crowd, "I hope no man will 
 take too much to-day. It is a shame to 
 do so. Yes, I do not hesitate to say it is 
 a great sin. The good things of God should 
 not be nbused." 
 
 Having delivered this temperance speech, 
 the squire swallowed his moderate glass of 
 rum. 
 
 The deacon Deacon Turner then gave 
 his solemn warning against drunkenness, and 
 wound up by taking a very moderate glass. 
 Neither the squire nor the deacon touched 
 another drop while at the Corner. They had 
 come mainly to give the occasion the moral 
 benefit of their example, and to show their 
 good will towards Mr. Crone. They were 
 ready also to see that the carpenter's orders 
 were carried out by the men.
 
 THE RAISING. 69 
 
 Frames in these days were substantial af- 
 fairs. They did not consist, as now, in 
 pieces of lumber which two men may take 
 up easily, and with the assistance of^, third 
 one, put into almost any part of a first class 
 house. Mechanical aid was almost unknown. 
 Heavy timbers went into their places by the 
 power of muscles. But this was not the 
 worst of the bad management of the build- 
 ers. It was thought necessary to put a sec- 
 tion of a frame together, and thus to lift it 
 into its place. Long and heavy poles were 
 used with an iron point. When the frame 
 was lifted from the floor, these, handled by 
 as many men as could get hold, were braced 
 against it, and with vociferous . shouting, the 
 side of the building was lifted into its place. 
 Strong men stood at the mortises with iron 
 bars, to keep the tenons from slipping, and 
 to send them into their places. 
 
 With as much bustle as would occur to 
 launch a modern ship of twelve hundred tons,
 
 70 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 the men laid hold of the first section of the 
 frame. It was started from the floor by 
 main strength, the "proppers" keeping what 
 was gained until the "spike poles" were 
 struck into it, and by a strong push alto- 
 gether, the tenons settled into the mortises, 
 and so much of the work was done. 
 
 That part of the company which had the 
 weakness of taking a "leetle" too much, 
 visited the table at the barn for a bit of 
 bread and cheese, and something to wash it 
 down. Thus the work went on, until the 
 frame which supported the scaffold floor was 
 in its place. 
 
 " Well done, men," said Squire True ; 
 "steady, now, and drink very moderately, 
 and neighbor Crone's x barn is all right." 
 
 "It's all owing to plenty of good liquor," 
 said a tavern lounger. "Zeke Crone's cor- 
 dials make us as strong as giants." 
 
 The scaffold floor was laid, and the first 
 heavy section of the frame which bore the
 
 THE RAISING. 71 
 
 plates upon which the rafters were to be 
 adjusted, was lifted upon the props. The 
 "spike poles" were thrust against it, and 
 it was raised about half way to its place, 
 when a recruit of four men coming late 
 from the barn table, strong as giants from 
 liberal potations of the "cordial," seized a 
 pole and made a desperate and sudden push 
 upon the frame. Their jerk loosened the 
 hold of full half of the other poles, and 
 they fell to the floor. This left the whole 
 weight of the frame upon those who were 
 straining at the few remaining poles. 
 
 " Stand from under ! " shouted Squire True, 
 as he seized one of the drunken men, and 
 thrust him out of harm's way. Before the 
 fallen poles could come to the rescue, the 
 strength of the men holding the others was 
 gone. 
 
 " Stand from under ! " was again shouted, 
 as the frame came to the floor with a crash. 
 The tenons and braces were broken, making
 
 72 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 work for the carpenters, before any further 
 raising could be done. But this was a 
 small part of the accident. Mr. Crone's foot 
 slipped as he let go, and he fell backwards. 
 One end of the pole fell upon his leg, as 
 the other end came under the full weight 
 of the descending timber. He was imme- 
 diately extricated, but his piteous groaning, 
 too well assured the men even before the" 
 doctor declared the fact, that his leg w r as 
 broken. 
 
 Mrs. Crone's energy and efficient help rose 
 superior, for the time, to all complaining. 
 No person of the whole company showed 
 more coolness. The sufferer was soon in a 
 quiet chamber, his leg set and "splintered," 
 and his mind left to its reflection, and his 
 family to a conviction of the "summer's task" 
 which was before them. 
 
 The raisers scattered, each with his re- 
 marks, and all with a sincere regret for 
 the accident, and sympathy for the suffering 
 family.
 
 THE RAISING. 73 
 
 " The fools must give out and let their 
 spike poles drop, when smart men gave the 
 frame a touch," said the drunkards, some- 
 what sobered now and feeling conscious that 
 they had caused the accident. " If all had 
 taken a bumber of Crone's cordial, and not 
 the stingy bit which Deacon Turner preached 
 up, we'd pushed the plaguy thing into the 
 middle of next week, and Zeke's leg wouldn't 
 have been broke. It's all owing to the dea- 
 con's and the squire's temp'rance nonsense." 
 
 There was, that evening, an earnest talk 
 at the parsonage. Deacon Turner and the 
 squire, made their pastor an early call to 
 talk over the serious event of the day. 
 While these three were in the midst of their 
 discussion, Doctor Burt came in. The doc- 
 tor was the wisest man of the age in . his 
 own estimation ; and this claim was disputed 
 by the people in favor of their minister 
 only. To blister, bleed, give "blue pills, 
 salts and senna," with ardent spirit, " quan-
 
 74 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 turn sufficit? was the chief en'd of the phy- 
 sician's calling, in his estimation ; and to 
 submit to his treatment, the chief end of 
 man. 
 
 "This whole trouble has come," the squire 
 and deacon affirmed with one voice, "be- 
 cause the men did not heed our solemn 
 warning, and our faithful example, concern- 
 ing the use of ardent spirit. They took too 
 much, and God's judgment came upon their 
 sin." 
 
 The doctor gave a complacent nod. If 
 the people, he said, would only take his 
 advice, all would be well. He had, through 
 his long, as he trusted, not altogether un- 
 successful practice, commanded all men every- 
 where not to exceed three drams a day, 
 except by his special permission. 
 
 Mr. Curtis, the pastor, made but few re- 
 marks. His distinguished callers were sur- 
 prised at his unusual silence. The doctor 
 was slightly offended that he did not express
 
 THE EAISING. 75 
 
 admiration at his modest claims, and pro- 
 found suggestions. The more discerning 
 deacon perceived that his pastor's spirits 
 were stirred within him, and that his mus- 
 ings were foreshadowing some new course of 
 thought and duty. This the deacon thought 
 he perceived, and even the doctor, before 
 retiring, indulged suspicions, and shook his 
 head the next time he met the squire, say- 
 ing, "I fear our good pastor is going to 
 take some unwise measure in reference to 
 the little indiscretions of the men at the late 
 raising." He always, patronizingly called Mr. 
 Curtis "our good pastor," when he wished to 
 show his own superior wisdom. 
 
 Whether the doctor and the deacon rightly 
 discerned the thoughts of their pastor, we 
 shall see.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MORE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM. 
 
 EZEKIEL CRONE had been sleeping uneasily, 
 when he turned his face towards the chair in 
 which his wife, for the last twenty-four hours, 
 had been almost constantly sitting. He was 
 about to say, "Jerusha, you had better lie 
 down and get a little sleep. You'll be sick, 
 then what will become of us?" But his eyes 
 met those of Patience Alden, who had, dur- 
 ing his sleep, come in, sent his wife to bed, 
 and taken her place as a watcher. Hope and 
 courage came to the suffering man, from the 
 expression of her face. A few days later, 
 he learned that John Alden and his boys, 
 with a company of townsmen of his select- 
 ing, had been at the Corner, repaired dam- 
 
 76
 
 MORE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM. 77 
 
 ages, finished raising the barn, and put other 
 friends in the way of its completion. This 
 was not all. When Ezekiel was able to sit 
 up, |fu} look out upon his mowing land, a 
 
 surprise was planned for him. He expected 
 
 
 to see his grass "lodged" and spoiled, his 
 
 crops overrun 1 with weeds, and a dismal 
 look all about, for the next winter. But the 
 last of his hay, all well made, was just en- 
 tering his barn. His boys, instead of loung- 
 ing, seemed full of work. His garden never 
 looked finer. His corn and potatoes sent 
 pleasant greetings by the passing breeze, to 
 their owner at the window, assuring him of 
 their most excellent health. 
 
 The invalid buried his face in his hands, 
 and bowed his head upon the window sill, 
 weeping freely, as he murmured softly, "I 
 see how it is. John Aldeu and his boys have 
 been round." 
 
 The harvest weeks were just setting in, 
 when Mr. Crone, with nearly his usual
 
 78 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 strength, returned to his labor. His grana- 
 ries promised to be quite as full as usual. 
 His sous, Zeke and Tom, appeared to him 
 "a head taller and a deal smarter" than in 
 the spring. 
 
 The case of the Crones was in discussion 
 at this time, during the intermission on Sun- 
 day, by a company of men who were eating 
 their lunch in the horse-sheds. They were 
 not of the baser sort, but substantial heads 
 of families. 
 
 The hour between the morning and after- 
 noon service, and the horse-sheds and the en- 
 virons of the church, were to our fathers in 
 the rural districts in olden times, and down 
 to the formation of Sunday Schools, institu- 
 tions of no small educating power. Then 
 and there the passing events and current 
 questions in state and church were discussed, 
 neighborhood matters talked over, while fru- 
 gal lunches were eaten. 
 
 At the time of which we are speaking,
 
 MORE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM. 79 
 
 George Parsons, of the saw-mill, introduced 
 the subject. "It is surprising, certainly, 
 friends," he remarked, as a generous piece 
 of rye bread waited between his fingers to 
 stop his mouth by going in, "it is surpris- 
 ing how John Alden accomplishes so much. 
 He and his boys have, this past summer, 
 done most of the work of two farms. Yes, 
 friends, and let me tell you that the old 
 farm at the Corners never smiled so upon 
 its owner as now." 
 
 "It don't signify," said a gray headed old 
 man, giving his clean Sunday frock a vigor- 
 ous twitch, "John Alden is jest a leetle too 
 zealous. I'm told, but I'm not sartin though 
 that it's true, that Zeke Crone had taken a 
 bit too much when he broke his ieg. If so, 
 he was sarved right. I hold that every man's 
 got enough to do to take care of his own 
 farm, and nobody's called to work for them 
 who don't know how to stop drinking when 
 they've got enough."
 
 80 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 The horse-shed circle agreed with the old 
 man, for they held that gray hairs did teach 
 wisdom that is, when they uttered words 
 which they approved. 
 
 But Alden Farm gave the town another 
 theme over which there was much wonder 
 and talk. "A raising" had come off there. 
 It was not generally known that any was in 
 preparation. But the preparations had been 
 so quietly made, and when the frame was 
 ready, the building had been so quietly and 
 quickly put up, that some fairy seemed to 
 have come to the place, smiled upon John 
 and Patience, spoken kindly to the children, 
 and then, to show the approval of all fairies 
 of the good deeds of the summer, waved 
 her wand, and brought up the building. 
 But the locality of our story is in plain, 
 matter-of-fact New England, where there arc 
 no fairies. So we must explain what the 
 new building was, and how it came into 
 existence.
 
 MORE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM. 81 
 
 It was not a great affair, but simply a 
 long, wide shed, connecting the house with 
 the barn. Its posts were of a good height, 
 and, by all precedent, it was fairly entitled 
 to a raising. The lumber required was 
 nearly equal in its number of square feet, 
 to the new barn at Crone's Corner. Its 
 material was the result of odd hours of 
 work for several winters, and had been 
 "sticked up," in the old shed, out of sight. 
 The framing had been done there. When 
 John Alden saw the results of the raising 
 at Crone's, he and Patience took the whole 
 subject of raisings and their attending "treat- 
 ing" into serious discussion. Long and earn- 
 estly did they look at the subject, and as 
 they turned it over, and sharply examined 
 it, it grew in breadth and importance. One 
 fact in connection with dram drinking ap- 
 peared to them as it never had done before. 
 It was the effect of it upon the boys and 
 young men. This was impressed upon them 
 
 6
 
 82 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 by an incident at the late raising, which but 
 few had noticed. It was this, Crone's boys 
 were drunk on the evening of. the accident. 
 They had, in common with other boys, sipped 
 the rum and sugar vfroin the bottom of the 
 tumblers used by the 'raisers. On the sud- 
 den leaving of the men, "more than was 
 good for them" was left to their share. In 
 the confusion from the broken leg, little 
 notice was taken of them, and only sharp 
 observers like John Alden had noticed their 
 condition. 
 
 "Think of my boys drunk!" said John, 
 during one of the kitchen evening discus- 
 sions with Patience. And he arose from the 
 stand, and walked the floor in an excitement 
 quite rare with him. 
 
 " Think of my husband a drunkard ! " re- 
 sponded Patience, without raising her eyes 
 from the little frock of one of the girls, 
 which she was patching. 
 
 This was another nail in a sure place.
 
 MOKE LUCK AT ALDEN FAEM. 83 
 
 % 
 
 John paused, looked earnestly into Patience's 
 serious, calm face, and, after a few moments' 
 silence, said, slowly, " Why not John Alden 
 a drunkard? Many better men have been 
 conquered by the demon Alcohol. I will 
 never taste the ruinous stuff again ! " 
 
 "Nor provide it for others," said Patience, 
 in the same calm, quiet tone, with a shade 
 more of emphasis than before. 
 
 K Patience," said John, sitting down, and 
 Testing his elbow upon the stand, and reach- 
 ing forward until his face came almost in 
 contact with that of his wife's. A looker-on 
 might have supposed he was about to kiss 
 her, nor are we quite sure that he did not. 
 "Patience, you are always a little ahead of 
 me in every right path. But how shall we 
 get along in haying time when I have to 
 call upon my neighbors to give me a good 
 turn, as some dark cloud threatens to pour 
 its contents upon my well made hay? how, 
 when I want men to go logging with me in
 
 84 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 
 
 the winter, how at the expected raising?" 
 These were questions like many others, 
 which are old now, but were then just oc- 
 cupying the minds of a few only the few 
 whose hearts and minds God had touched. 
 Patience lifted her eyes from her work 
 and set them full upon John. Her cheeks 
 were slightly flushed with the blush he had 
 just excited. Never, not even when she 
 blushingly said, "I will," in the marriage 
 vow, had she seemed so loveable in his eyes. 
 "What shall we do, John? do right, and 
 trust in God !" 
 
 All discussion on the subject was ended 
 from that time. A sweet peace settled down 
 upon John Alden, unknown before even to 
 
 
 
 him, in his moments of greatest nearness to 
 God. He was now, in heart and practice, 
 a "teetotaler." "Do right, and trust in 
 God ! " They were words which involved an 
 old, not a new obligation. But they fell 
 upon John Aldeu like words in prophetic
 
 MOKE LUCK AT ALDEN FAKM. 85 
 
 vision, upon the old seers. The candles upon 
 the stand seemed to blaze with a brighter, 
 purer flame, as if appointed of God to sym- 
 bolize the increased spiritual light granted to 
 his servants. Such illuminations of the spirit 
 as John and Patience Alden now experienced, 
 does God give to those who seek, as they 
 did, in persistent faith and -prayer, to know 
 and do his whole will. 
 
 These statements explain why Johh Alden's 
 raising went up so quietly and privately. He 
 went to a number sufficient for his purpose, 
 of friends most likely to respond to his re- 
 markable request. "Come, neighbors," he 
 said, in his outspoken way, "I have a bit 
 of a frame which I want to put up. I 
 shan't wet it with a drop of liquor. If you 
 can trust John Aldeii for a good turn in the 
 same way, come on. If not, don't come." 
 Every man who was invited came, came 
 early, all worked with a will and without 
 bluster, and the work was done, and nobody
 
 86 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 drank anything stronger than Patience Al- 
 deu's coffee. All returned home when the 
 work was done, profoundly respecting John 
 Aldeu, although some criticised sharply his 
 new notions. 
 
 When Jerusha Crone heard of this affair, 
 she burst into tears. She "couldn't help it," 
 she said. Not that she envied such "a dear 
 good man" as John Aldeu. "But there it 
 is," she said. "John Alden can have help 
 without its costing him a cent. He needn't 
 give them a drop of anything, when our 
 liquor cost us dollars and dollars, and then 
 I don't like to complain of my Maker, and I 
 won't," and she broke out afresh in sobs and 
 tears, as she added, "but my dear, honest 
 husband must have a leg broke, and we get 
 nothing but failure and blame." 
 
 So it was, there was no "luck" at Crone's 
 Corner, except what the kindness of its 
 friends carried there ! How strange ! thought 
 its suffering victims. But perhaps our secret 
 may be known sometime, to even them.
 
 MORE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM. 87 
 
 Though John Alden's shed had gone up 
 quietly, its manner of raising produced a de- 
 cided breeze. Dr. Burt learned with indig- 
 nation, the stand which ~ Alden Farm folks 
 had taken. He resolved himself at once into 
 a committee to wait upon them. He consid- 
 ered his wisdom called in question by a 
 plain, unlearned farmer. It would never do, 
 for he had maintained all his life that mod- 
 erate drinking was a virtue, and excess was 
 a great crime. 
 
 "I have called, sir," said the doctor, ad- 
 dressing John Alden, "to give you my pro- 
 fessional opinion in the matter of the use 
 and abuse of alcoholic drinks." 
 
 While delivering this message, the doctor 
 assumed his most imposing air. The know- 
 ing nod of his head at its close, said, "7, 
 wisdom, teach knowledge." He had come, 
 after a slight knock, which he did not wait 
 to have answered, into the kitchen. John 
 stood in the middle of the floor, in his far-
 
 88 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAKM. 
 
 mer's frock, milk-pail in hand. His heavy 
 cowhide boots gave him a firm footing upon 
 the floor. The well-developed muscles of his 
 arm, and the labor-worn hardness of his fist, 
 might well have intimidated an ordinary man, 
 if there had been any occasion to fear their 
 violent use. As the doctor ended the abrupt 
 announcement of his business, a close ob- 
 server might have seen a slight and furtive 
 contraction of Alden's brow, indicating defi- 
 ance and angry words. But even an indiffer- 
 ent by-stander could see the straightening 
 up of his manly form, and the unconscious 
 moving forward of his right foot. In a 
 deep, steady voice, in which there was the 
 steady force of a sea captain on the quarter- 
 deck in a storm, who is conscious that he 
 is .master of the situation, John Alden said, 
 "Doctor, when we are sick in body, and 
 can't get along with Patience's remedies and 
 good nursing, we call the doctor ; when we 
 are sick in heart, or perplexed concerning
 
 Patience, flat-iron in hand, calmly surveyed the doctor. Page 89.
 
 MOKE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM. 89 
 
 duty, we go to another source altogether" 
 The last sentence was uttered with an em- 
 phasis to which John's cowhide boot gave 
 force, by a slight rise and sudden descent 
 upon the kitchen floor. The man of pre- 
 tentious learning wilted before the honest 
 yeoman of common sense. To add to his 
 confusion, Patience, who had continued at 
 her ironing till just at this crisis, turned 
 round, flat-iron in hand, and calmly surveyed 
 the doctor. John had set his milk-pail down, 
 folded his arms across his < breast, and was 
 awaiting, like a giant clad in mail, his op- 
 ponent's assault. 
 
 The doctor fluttered from his boots to his 
 hair, like a ship's sails out of which the 
 wind had been suddenly taken, and stam- 
 mered out, "But, well, you'll argue this 
 matter it's a great question." 
 
 "Patience and I have argued and settled 
 it," said John, waving his hand triumphant- 
 ly towards his wife, as a victorious general
 
 90 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 would turn to his chief of staff by whom 
 he had conquered. 
 
 " Settled it, without consulting your pas- 
 tor or" 
 
 "Yes," interposed Alden, in a voice which 
 began to assume a tone of authority, " settled 
 it, sir, without consulting the minister or 
 doctor!" Then, dropping his voice into a 
 tender, solemn utterance, as he stepped for- 
 ward and put his mouth almost to the doc- 
 tor's ear, he saicl, " Yes, Patience and I 
 settled it, after consulting, on our knees iu 
 secret, and at the family altar, the All- 
 Wise. And, doctor, it is settled ! I will 
 never, never touch alcoholic drink again. * I 
 will never again put the cup to my neigh- 
 bor's lips ! " 
 
 The doctor stooped and took up his hat 
 which had dropped upon the floor, and turned 
 to leave. 
 
 "Doctor," said Patience, with one of her 
 sweetest smiles, "stop and take tea with us.
 
 MORE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM. 91 
 
 You do not often favor us with a friendly 
 call." 
 
 "Do," added John, "and take a farmer's 
 fare and a farmer's welcome. There are none 
 better ! " 
 
 But the doctor beat a retreat with an awk- 
 ward apology, after having shown a decided 
 inclination to tarry any length of time to 
 "argue." He continued to denounce the 
 Alden Farm "ultraism," but he was never 
 known to allude to the fact that he had 
 made John Alden a call on the subject. 
 
 Soon after, John and Patience received 
 visitors of a different spirit. They were 
 Deacon Turner and Squire True. They 
 came in no blustering spirit, but as brethren 
 of the same church communion. They said 
 they had heard of the decided stand Mr. 
 Alden had taken for the elevation of the 
 moral standard in the town, with much pleas- 
 ure. But they were afraid he w r as going too 
 far. They feared hurt might be done to the
 
 92 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 holy cause of temperance by so strenuous a 
 demand as that of denying the moderate use 
 of liquor on suitable occasions. 
 
 John's vigorous common sense drove 
 through their objections to his position, like 
 a fifty horse power engine through a snow 
 bank. He left, too, a straight and clean track 
 behind him, to show what he had done. 
 
 After a friendly chat of an hour, the 
 deacon turned to his companion, and re- 
 marked pleasantly, " Squire, you see these 
 people have fully made up their mind con- 
 cerning this matter. I think we have no 
 further duty here." 
 
 "Yes," replied the squire, "but perhaps 
 brother Alden has a further duty in reference 
 to us. Speak on, neighbor Alden, I can 
 hear more." 
 
 John then closed the talk with an account 
 of his remarkable experience when his final 
 decision was made. 
 
 "We came to reprove and convict of er-
 
 MORE LUCK AT ALDEN FARM. 93 
 
 ror," remarked the squire, as they slowly 
 walked away. "But I think, Brother Tur- 
 ner, we return almost persuaded of the wis- 
 dom of John's way." 
 
 "You speak my mind," said the deacon. 
 
 The quiet of Alden Farm was undisturbed 
 by the commotion it had caused in the town. 
 It fact, its unpretending family were uncon- 
 scious of having caused any commotion. 
 They builded better than they knew. They 
 seriously had asked God to show them the 
 right way, and, having learned it, walked 
 unflinchingly in it. 
 
 "John Alden," said Mrs. Crone, "cares 
 for nobody, and does as he's a mind to. I'll 
 warrant our great folks the deacon and the 
 squire, and maybe the parson, will praise 
 him for it yet. If 1 do as I'm a mind to, 
 I'm a stubborn, wicked women, folks say, 
 at once, and some judgment, like a broken 
 leg, lights upon me right off.- It does seem 
 strange ! But I never did have any good 
 luck."
 
 94 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAHM. 
 
 "John Alden is stingy," said the tavern 
 loafers. "He won't treat at -a raising. I'll 
 wager that his shed will tumble down. No 
 building can stand that goes up without 
 liquor." 
 
 "Alden's a mean nobody," responded the 
 bar-keeper. 
 
 "He makes a plaguy fuss in this heer 
 town for a nobody," hiccoughed a half tipsy 
 customer. "It's my opinion, gentlemen, that 
 John Alden's a pretty tolerable, decent sort 
 of a man, and that he could buy and keep 
 on hand the whole of ye." 
 
 The pastor, Mr. Curtis, watched and stud- 
 ied the .turn things were taking. He was 
 a cautious, decided, honest man. He was 
 slow to act in new movements, but unselfish 
 and unshrinking when the path of duty was 
 plain. Somehow, though both stood in in- 
 dependent positions, the lights of Aldeu 
 Farm and the parsonage seemed ever blend- 
 ing together.
 
 . CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE HUSKING. 
 
 IT happened with John Alden's townpeople 
 that one theme of gossip lasted until another 
 occurred. His "raising" was talked about 
 until his "husking" came off. So generous 
 had he been with his time in the interest of 
 others, that his unusually large crop of corn 
 remained in the field until the November 
 snow began to fall. Other work would soon 
 
 crowd upon him, while the barn floor con- 
 I 
 
 tained a most discouraging heap which waited 
 for the buskers. 
 
 "Father," said Carver, "Miles and I think 
 our winter school will begin before that corn 
 is out of the barn floor. Can't we have a 
 busking?" 
 
 S5
 
 96 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 The boy's mother had been asking, "Can't 
 we have a husking?" and all the children 
 took up the question. The huskings, up to 
 that time, had been, as almost every special 
 occasion for the people to gather together 
 had been, a time of "treating." With many, 
 the drinking had been the principal attrac- 
 tion. Could there be a husking without 
 strong drink? was John Alden's query. He 
 had squarely decided that if there could not, 
 he would husk his own corn, though it lay 
 in the barn embarrassing his other work until 
 spring. He had proved that a small build- 
 ing, at least, could be raised without it. 
 But a husking was in a marked degree, a 
 social gathering, and it would, he thought, 
 be considered very unsocial without strong 
 drink. 
 
 As was his custom in every perplexity, he 
 talked the matter over with Patience. 
 
 "Had we not, Patience," he suggested, "in 
 view of the opposition to our stand against
 
 THE HUSKING. 97 
 
 strong drink, try to get along alone with 
 the husking?" 
 
 " The children's school begins next week," 
 said Patience. " Their time for study must 
 not be embarrassed. The chores will be all 
 the boys can do. Your work in the woods 
 begins soon. Besides, John, there is good 
 to be done just now by a husking." 
 
 "Will you explain," said John, "how that 
 can be?" 
 
 "Why, look here, John," replied Patience, 
 with a glance of surprise, "it will give us 
 a chance to declare more publicly our prin- 
 ciples. If they are right, we should publish 
 them abroad. / feel just Wee doing it." 
 
 John smiled at his wife's zeal, and gave 
 his vote for a husking. 
 
 "I guess it will be a good time," said 
 Miles. To this the younger children gave 
 assent by their overflow of good spirits. 
 Even baby Winslow was informed that a 
 great amount of fun was in store for him, 
 
 7
 
 98 THE LUCK OP ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 and Rachel gravely imforined him that he 
 could not have " one drop of toddy " to which 
 little Jerry added the wise and important 
 explanation that "it is not good for 'oo." 
 ! The Crones heard of the husking to come 
 off at the Alden Farm, with their usual 
 feeling of mingled wonder, doubt and envy, 
 at the proposals from that quarter. 
 
 "John will be lucky," said Mr. Crone, 
 "if he gets that big heap of corn husked 
 without paying for or using any liquor." 
 
 "Of course he will," said Mrs. Crone. 
 "Folks'll run to John's. He has a knack of 
 making 'em do so." 
 
 The Crone children discussed the matter 
 in their way. 
 
 > "Zeke," said Tom, "it will be a dry old 
 time at Alden Farm next Wednesday night ; 
 a big heap of corn to husk, and no rum 
 and sugar in the bottoms of the tumblers." 
 
 " That is so ; a dry, mean old time," re- 
 sponded Zeke.
 
 THE HUSKING. 99 
 
 A pause of a moment followed, which Tom 
 broke with an exclamation of great energy 
 for him. "Zeke, let's go!" 
 
 " Agreed ! " shouted Zeke, jumping up and 
 striking his cowhide boots together as he 
 
 ! 
 
 came down upon the barn floor. Tom at- 
 tested his joy at the anticipated "dry old 
 time," by tossing his fur cap into the air, 
 and kicking it as it came down, with such 
 vigor, that it lodged on the hay mow. 
 
 There was, somehow, an attraction about 
 all that was going on at Aid en Farm, which 
 made the children of the parish want to go, 
 though their "notions" were sneered at by 
 both old and young. Some of the old folks 
 went so far as to say that if Patience Alden 
 should send out word to the young folks 
 to come to Alden Farm to be whipped all 
 round, they would go, for they would say, 
 "Aunt Patience's love will more'n pay for 
 the rods." 
 
 We cannot say whether this was so or
 
 100 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 not, but we know that "young America" of 
 those times, "loved dearly" to go to all 
 gatherings at John Alden's. 
 
 The husking afternoon arrived. At an 
 early hour the people came in large num- 
 bers. The young people were largely rep- 
 resented. Even Mr. and Mrs. Crone could 
 not see their children go without accompany- 
 ing them. The hard drinking loungers of 
 the tavern and stores, came late and styly. 
 They had first secured a stiff glass of rum 
 and molasses, in view of John Alden's ex- 
 pected stinginess in this direction. William 
 Treat and Moses Pond were representative 
 
 men of this class. They passed on ahead of 
 
 % 
 their companions " to explore the coast," as 
 
 they said, while their companions sat down 
 in a turn of the road, a few rods from the 
 premises. 
 
 "Look here, Mose," said Treat, in a whis- 
 per, as he pushed open the door of the new 
 shed, and peered at its contents, "look here, 
 I say, Mose."
 
 THE HUSKING. 101 
 
 
 
 Moses Pond crept softly to the shed door, 
 took a deliberate survey of its contents. 
 
 "Whew!" said Mose, in an undertone, 
 "let's go to the husking!" 
 
 Moses slipped into the barn among the 
 buskers, while Treat returned to his com- 
 panions to report concerning the appearance 
 of things. 
 
 "Men I" he exclaimed, like one amazed, 
 "Aunt Patience has set a table clear'n the 
 whole length of the new shed. Her table 
 cloths are as "white as old maid Crone's, 
 who's been known to chase a fly a half 
 a day in summer, rather'ern to have one in 
 her kitchen. Then you ought to see what 
 she's got on it ! Such punk'in pies ! and 
 such poodens ! I smelled the tea and coffee 
 too, and they set me right up. They's got 
 the real Java, and no mistake ; and I shouldn't 
 wonder if the tea was the real 'old hisin.' 
 Men, let's go to John Alden's buskin'." 
 
 To this all agreed, but several of them
 
 K)2 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 slyly peered into the new shed to assure 
 themselves that there could be an attractive 
 looking table without alcohol. 
 
 The half drunken men pushed open the 
 barn door and stepped in. At the first 
 sight of the buskers, they involuntarily 
 paused and stood confused. A profusion of 
 light blazed upon the company from lanterns 
 suspended over their heads. Parson Curtis, 
 and the leading members of his flock, were 
 there. The young people the girls and 
 the boys were present in great numbers. 
 John Alden was in his happiest mood, taking 
 away the rapidly filled baskets of yellow 
 corn, and watching to secure for all comfor- 
 table positions near the diminishing heap. 
 
 The face of Patience Alden glowed with 
 animation. She seemed free from care, as 
 if the successful conducting of this enterprise, 
 in which a great moral reform was concerned, 
 was no responsibility of hers. Like a skillful 
 general, she provided before the forces came
 
 THE HUSKING. 103 
 
 into the field, for all the necessities of a 
 victory, so that now the conflict was going 
 on, she calmly surveyed its progress. It 
 was noticed by the observing ones that the 
 most of her time was spent helping to fill 
 the baskets of certain shy, ragged boys, 
 who had crept timidly into the busy circle. 
 
 Patience, seeing "Mose" and "Bill" hesi- 
 tate at the door, invited them forward, and 
 seated them in a quiet corner, where they 
 could see but not be very generally seen. 
 
 "Mose ! " whispered Bill, " them's nice look- 
 ing folks tho' that's huskin' round that heap ! " 
 
 "Yes, Bill, they be, but I feel dry a'ready. 
 Don't you think John will have any liquor 
 here on the sly?" 
 
 No, Mose. You'll need to turn into a 
 pillar of salt and keep forever, if you think 
 to sit here until John Alden does anything 
 on the sly ! " 
 
 One of the pleasant entertainments of the 
 occasion, was a rivalry in filling the baskets
 
 104 TELE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 with the husked ears. Clubs of three or 
 more strove against each other for the palm. 
 All, young and old, engaged in the exciting 
 strife, and men full of years and honors, 
 were for the time, young again, and joined 
 in the happy shouts of the young over the 
 victories. 
 
 "Mose, let's jine in that sport and beat 
 them gals. 'T would be something to brag 
 on," said William Treat, becoming quite ex- 
 cited by the contest. 
 
 "I'm awful dry, I tell you, Bill. I think 
 if John would bring on his cordial I might 
 give 'em all a sweat; shouldn't wonder in 
 that case, if I beat the parson and the 
 squire ! " 
 
 Moses Pond went out to "wet up," and 
 became too drunk to return. William Treat 
 joined the husking circle, and soon felt John 
 Alden's great, warm hand upon his head, 
 and his greater, warmer heart beating in 
 sympathy with his. It was the beginning
 
 THE HUSKING. 105 
 
 of a new life, which gave promise of eternal 
 life, to William Treat. On such seeming 
 slender threads hang everlasting things ! 
 
 The Crone boys, Ezekiel and Thomas, had 
 had several trials with boys of their age. 
 But somehow, the luck of Crone's Corner 
 would follow them even to John Alden's 
 husking. They were beaten every time, either 
 because their unthrifty habits adhered to them, 
 or because the presence of so many "great 
 folks," abashed them to the disadvantage of 
 their hands. Just as that expression the 
 great destroyer of true moral courage "I 
 don't care, I won't try any more" was 
 about to seal their failure, Jane Curtis drew 
 her stool in between Ezekiel and Thomas 
 Crone, much to the disgust of the small 
 aristocracy, and the delight of the true no- 
 bility such as John and Patience Alden. 
 Miss Priscilla Codliu sneered at the act. 
 "Do see," she whispered to a companion of 
 like airs. "If there aii't our minister's daugh-
 
 106 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 ter gone to join in a trial with the dirty 
 Crone children! I wouldn't be seen doing so 
 if I was she ! " Miss Codlin's grandfather 
 was "a tithing man," and her father was 
 captain of the town militia. The family was 
 rising, so she stood on her dignity. 
 
 "Now, boys," said Miss Jane, "we will 
 try. Come, Martha Turner, you get two 
 more, and husk against us three. See you 
 get two real smar.t ones or you will have 
 no chance at all." 
 
 Martha was Deacon Turner's daughter 
 one of the nobility of the town in unpre- 
 tending intelligence and goodness. Martha 
 sought two associates for the trial. She soon 
 brought along a little hunchback girl, by the 
 name of Martha Vose, but everybody called 
 her Patty. Patty had a little body, but a 
 great heart. Her hand was as tiny as a 
 child's, and her voice squeaked and broke, in 
 ordinary conversation even, like an invalid 
 old woman's, though Patty was only twenty-
 
 THE HUSKING. 107 
 
 two. But Patty Vose had a large brain, and 
 she kept it well exercised in acquiring knowl- 
 edge, and with thoughts of truth which per- 
 tained to this world, and that which is to 
 come. 
 
 Martha next approached Miss Priscilla Cod- 
 lin, daughter of Captain John Codlin. She 
 was always very fastidious about being rec- 
 ognized as "the captain's daughter," seeming 
 to think the "Captain" belonged to the fam- 
 ily, and to herself in particular. The wits 
 called her "Captain Priscilla." 
 
 "Come, Pris," said Mattie, in her innocent, 
 hearty way, "You be one with me and Patty, 
 to- beat the Crone boys." 
 
 "Indeed, I won't!" exclaimed Pris, turning 
 up her little nose which was likely to be 
 larger from its frequent exercise that way 
 and giving her head a toss. As to the toss- 
 ing of the head, that was easy, there being 
 so little in it. 
 
 "You won't, Pris ! Well, then, I'll have"
 
 108 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 and Martha cast her eye over the busy busk- 
 ers for a companion. "I'll have our minis- 
 ter's wife." 
 
 Away Martha went, crowding through the 
 company, and stumbling over the baskets, 
 now jostling this one, and then pitching 
 against another, as full of merriment the 
 while, as a child on Christmas eve. 
 
 She stated her case to Mrs. Curtis, and in 
 her simplicity told who were the parties, and 
 who had refused. 
 
 Mrs. Curtis saw how the case stood. Her 
 husband, who stood by, looked a significant 
 "go." These good people saw in this pass- 
 ing incident the workings of a true moral 
 greatness in conflict with pretentious little- 
 ness. 
 
 So it turned out that the Rev. Mrs. Cur- 
 tis, Martha Turner, and Patty, the pigmy 
 hunchback, had a "set to" at husking with 
 Jane Curtis and the two Crone boys, of 
 Crone's Corner. Expectation stood on tip-
 
 THE HUSKING. 109 
 
 toe. "Long time in even scales the victory 
 hung." It was evident both parties were 
 doing their best, and that there was to be 
 no " giving in " to please somebody. Patty's 
 little hands tore off the husks with evident 
 exertion, if not pain, so, though she had the 
 will, she counted but little in the contest. 
 It was not brain work, or Patty would have 
 counted a host. 
 
 "Tom," whispered Zeke, without abating 
 a jot of his hot haste, "put in for dear life. 
 The Crones will be somebody if we beat." 
 
 Tom did "put in." A new fnspiration 
 came over the usually crest-fallen boys. It 
 might be a " silly " contest on the part of 
 a cultured lady and the genteel young la- 
 dies, in the estimation of the Priscillas whose 
 grandfathers were tithing men. But the true 
 nobility said it was a sermon from the fa- 
 vored ones of the upper social circle, to the 
 lowly and discouraged, on self-reliance. And 
 the sermon bore fruit. The Crone side beat,
 
 110 TELE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 and Zeke and Tom felt that they could look 
 in the face every person at the husking. 
 Though Priscillas may laugh at the assertion, 
 a weight of no mean value had been thrown 
 into the scale, which should lift the life of 
 these burdened boys into a purer and higher 
 sphere. 
 
 The husking had been going on from early 
 in the afternoon. At an early hour in the 
 evening John Aldeu's great "heap" of corn 
 was in the corn house. The husks were 
 pitched upon the scaffolding prepared for 
 them. William Treat aided the latter work, 
 much to the surprise of all except the Alden 
 Farm folks. John had his eye upon just 
 this class of people, and for them he con- 
 stantly prayed, and for them, on every suit- 
 able occasion, he labored. More than in the 
 yellow grain of his corn bins, he rejoiced in 
 the God-given fruit of his moral sowing. 
 ' Zeke and Tom were now out of their cor- 
 ner and among folks. They volunteered to
 
 THE HUSKING. Ill 
 
 sweep up the barn floor, even hanging be- 
 hind while other boys rushed to the new 
 shed where the supper table was spread. 
 John's eye was upon the Crone boys. He 
 gave its true value to their every movement. 
 He seemed to read their thoughts. 
 
 When all seemed to be ready, and the 
 company stood about the well laden table, 
 with keen appetites, not only whetted by 
 long and earnest work, but by the enticing 
 manner in which Aunt Patience had put her 
 good things before them, the minister whis- 
 pered to John, "Are you ready, brother Al- 
 den, to have the blessing asked?" 
 
 "Wait a minute, sir," said John, in an un- 
 dertone, glancing along the whole line. He 
 disappeared, while all stood waiting in solemn 
 silence. He soon re-appeared with Zeke and 
 Tom, pushed them in ahead of some of the 
 boys who had come early to get the first 
 grab at the food. He then nodded to the 
 parson, and the blessing was asked.
 
 112 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Miss Priscilla's nose was turned up again 
 when she saw this movement. George 
 Hawes, who found capital for much fun in 
 Priscilla's nose, said its condition was alarm- 
 ing, for it was certainly getting "out of 
 joint." But William Treat declared that it 
 was not alarming at all, for he was certain 
 her nose had been " out of joint " with all 
 her neighbors from the time her father was 
 commissioned captain of the militia company." 
 
 William Treat ate a hearty supper without 
 liquor. He looked round upon the happy 
 company, not one of whom was drunk, and 
 contrasted it with all other huskings he>had 
 ever seen. He put his hand upon his head. 
 It did not ache as it had usually done on 
 such occasions. He laid his hand solemnly 
 upon his heart. It throbbed quietly, for he 
 had peace within. Since he was a boy, he 
 had not been home from any social or pub- 
 lic gathering perfectly sober. He drew back 
 from the gaze of the company and solemnly
 
 THE HUSKING. 113 
 
 resolved, "God being my helper, I will 
 never touch the accursed thing again ; " and 
 the Holy Spirit in his heart whispered, 
 "I will be your helper." 
 ! The minister addressed the company a few 
 moments. He said his time for retiring had 
 come. Others might remain for social pleas- 
 ure. He rejoiced in the happiness which 
 beamed in every face, for all were 'sober. 
 He thought his friends of Aldeu Farm were 
 
 p 
 
 right, and that such occasions were better 
 without strong drink. Pausing a little, he 
 raised his voice and added with a clear, 
 solemn tone, "I will go further, friends, and 
 say that new light upon this subject rests 
 upon my mind and heart. I believe that 
 God will be honored and all the people ben- 
 efited, if its use is wholly discontinued, 
 except for a medicine." 
 
 The parson and the deacons retired. The 
 young folks returned to the barn floor to 
 play blind man's buff. Patty took her place 
 
 6
 
 114 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 on a stool in a little cuddy made for her 
 in the hay mow by Mr. Alden. She shouted 
 at the joy of others and none were happier 
 than she ! 
 
 The young folks, remembering that John 
 Alden and Aunt Patience were looking on, 
 gave the Crones a full share of the sport.
 
 CHAPTER VIH. 
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 
 
 THE Aldeii Farm husking had cost its 
 owner something. Patience and the children 
 had worked hard to get ready the feast. 
 The extra bill at the grocery was not small. 
 The work of the next day in " righting up 
 things," was considerable. Yet none con- 
 cerned felt or thought that there had been 
 any work. Love lightens burdens as to 
 huskings as well as more important matters, 
 and all had engaged in it with hearty good 
 will. 
 
 " Now," shouted Carver, " hurrah for school ! 
 That heap of corn lay in our track ! I guess 
 we'll give the boys a sweat at school this 
 winter. Do you know though we are to 
 
 115
 
 116 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 have a new teacher this winter, a real smart 
 one they say, who knows as much as a min- 
 ister, and not the old Granny we had last 
 winter." 
 
 "Well, Carve," replied Miles, "I'm glad 
 if our new master is smart, but you needn't 
 call our good Master Paul a granny. It's 
 kind of mean to kick a worn out horse be- 
 cause he don't draw as much as a young 
 one. Father says that all he knows about 
 ciphering he owes to Master Paul, and I'll 
 bet father can cipher better than some young 
 schoolmasters ! " 
 
 Carver blushed at this deserved reproof, 
 and like all manly, right-minded boys, took 
 the correction kindly. "You're right, Miles!" 
 he said mildly. " Master Paul is good, and 
 knows lots." 
 
 The younger children had to run to the 
 corn house to take a look at the great bin 
 full of corn, and then to the barn floor to 
 assure themselves that the "big heap" had
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 117 
 
 gone. When they had fully assured their 
 wondering minds of these important facts, 
 which they knew well enough the night be- 
 fore, they all shouted "hurrah!" Jeremiah 
 stood in the middle of the barn floor, and 
 took his best position and put on his most 
 important air, and exclaimed, "Look here, 
 cows ! " All the cows looked of course 
 twenty of them, all having just eaten their 
 breakfast, and so they had nothing else to 
 do but look at Master Jerry, and listen. 
 "Look a-here, cows, 'oo may have all 'em 
 corn 'usks up there, and nobody else shan't 
 have any ! " 
 
 " Old Briudle " threw up her head, which 
 was her way of saying " thank you ! " and 
 "Spot," a hearty young miss who didn't 
 know when she had eaten enough, turned 
 her eye up to the husks, as much as to 
 say, " Give us some now, Master Jerry." 
 But Jeremiah darted out of the barn, like 
 a summer bird which had flown in to twitter
 
 118 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 for a moment, and then fly off to its mate 
 in the tree top. 
 
 If the children of Alden Farm were happy 
 so were the older folks. When John and 
 Patience drew about the evening lamp, they 
 talked over the incidents and results of the 
 husking. Not a word was said of the work 
 which had been done in transferring the corn 
 from the barn floor to the corn house. That 
 they appreciated, but there were other mat- 
 ters more on their minds. 
 
 "I do hope," said Patience, "that the 
 Crone boys will fall in love with husking 
 without liquor, and never get drunk again. 
 Oh, if they could be taught courage to do 
 right !" 
 
 "They went home with new resolutions 
 to be somebody, or I cannot read human 
 nature. But, Patience, did you see William 
 Treat? yes, Treat remained to the last, drank 
 the coffee and went home sober and with 
 his wife ? "
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 119 
 
 This was spoken with so unusual warmth 
 for Mr. Alden, that his wife looked up calm- 
 ly from her work, and remarked slowly aud 
 seriously, "How often are the resolutions of 
 the drunkard like the early dew, soon gone ! 
 God grant that William may become a sober 
 man. He only knows how much his family 
 have suffered I " 
 
 " Didn't Parson Curtis speak out ! " said 
 John, starting from his chair with joyful 
 excitement, and beginning to walk the room. 
 
 "I see," said Patience, smiling at her hus- 
 band's warmth, "nothing but good to come 
 of our minister's remarks. Let us thank 
 God, John." 
 
 The great family Bible was taken from 
 the stand earlier than usual. The children 
 drew about their parents with fixed and lov- 
 ing eyes. It seemed to them that the pre- 
 cious Word never sounded so pleasantly from 
 their father's lips. When they were all bowed 
 in prayer, there was a sweet tenderness in
 
 120 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 the petition for the family of Ezekiel Crone, 
 and for the complete and permanent refor- 
 mation of William Treat. 
 
 "I mean to help Zeke Crone in his les- 
 sons this winter," whispered Carver to his 
 brother, as they rose to their feet. 
 
 "I'll choose Tom on my side when we are 
 playing," replied Miles, in a subdued voice. 
 
 Such was the spirit which prevailed at the 
 Alden Farm after the husking. Let us look 
 in upon some others who were there. 
 
 " Mr. Crone," said Jerusha Crone to her 
 husband, as they drew up to their great 
 back-log, which sent out its cheerful light 
 and heat over the large kitchen. Ezekiel 
 Crone looked at his wife lovingly and lis- 
 tened. He felt in a pleasant frame of mind, 
 and there was a cheerful expression about 
 the face of his wife, though tinged by a 
 slight shade of sadness. "Mr. Crone, didu't 
 John Aldeu have good luck as usual, to- 
 night?"
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 121 
 
 "He certainly did," said Ezekicl. There 
 was now a pause, and both looked into the 
 fire. They neither knew why, but somehow 
 both felt an embarrassment in speaking freely 
 of the afternoon and evening. Zeke and 
 Tom tarried unnecessarily long at the barn 
 where they had been to put up the horse 
 and to see if all was right. When they 
 came into the long woodshed which opened 
 into the kitchen, they lingered, but their 
 cheerful chat, and occasional suppressed but 
 hearty laugh were plainly heard, and declared 
 their state of mind. The neighbor who had 
 come to stay with the little ones, give them 
 their supper and put them to bed, had re- 
 turned home. "When the boys reached the 
 kitchen, their happy spirit still sparkled and 
 run over, and for once, they met with no 
 reproof for it. The family prayers were 
 briefly offered, and soon after the whole 
 family had retired, and the midnight still- 
 ness had stolen upon the sleeping household.
 
 122 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAKM. 
 
 For many days there was with the parents 
 an absorbing, and in some respects, a pain- 
 ful thinking. With Zeke and Tom there 
 was an incessant happy talking. "Tom," said 
 Zeke, as they trudged along to school on 
 the Monday morning of its opening, "do you 
 think we are to have a new teacher ! A real 
 smart one, they say, that's got more learn- 
 ing in his head than would split 3 r ourn and 
 mine open ! " 
 
 "Yes," replied Tom. "There will be one 
 new scholar, too ! " 
 
 "Wuo's that, Tom?" said Zeke, stopping 
 and putting his hand on his brother's shoul- 
 der. 
 
 "It's this boy," replied Tom, straightening 
 up as if able to look down upon his older 
 brother. "Wan't we somebody at the husk- 
 ing, Zeke? didn't we help Jane Curtis beat 
 the minister's wife, and didn't all the folks 
 allow we were smart boys? I never knew it 
 though, before, Zeke, for mother always said
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 123 
 
 we were lazy louts, that never could be any- 
 body ; but John Alden told us just to do 
 right, and hold our heads up with the very 
 best." 
 
 "You're right, Tom," said Zeke, "only 
 there's to be two new scholars. I believe 
 
 that it's their father's and mother's talk at 
 
 
 
 home, that's about all of it in making Car- 
 ver and Miles Alden so smart at school. 
 And," added Zeke, putting his mouth close 
 to his brother's ear, and whispering, with 
 deep emotion, "seems to me Crone's Corner 
 has been more like Alden Farm since the 
 husking." 
 
 Tom did not stop to reply, for he saw 
 the Alden boys coming up the lane from 
 their home, with their satchels in one hand, 
 and each leading a sister with the other. 
 When they saw the Crone boys they let 
 go their sisters' hands and run, so that the 
 boys went racing towards each other. Zeke 
 and Tom looked the new scholars, as they
 
 124 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAIiM. 
 
 walked with their Alden friends towards the 
 school-house. 
 
 We will leave the boys for a while. It 
 will take a little time a few weeks at least, 
 for those of each family to work out, and 
 test by experiments their new formed reso- 
 lutions, the one to be helpers of the feeble, 
 and the others to learn the hard lessons of 
 
 self-reliance in doing^ right. 
 
 ***** 
 
 "How good it seems, William," said Hul- 
 dah, the wife of William Treat, on the night 
 in which they retired from the husking to- 
 gether "How good it seems to have you 
 come home with us, and" Huldah stopped 
 suddenly and looked her husband in the face, 
 as if fearing to add "and not drunk as 
 usual." The tear stood on her face as she 
 missed the angry flash of a demoniac eye, 
 and looked into, instead, the calm, affection- 
 ate countenance of her once loving, devoted 
 husband.
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 125 
 
 "Say it, wife," he Padded "not drunk! 
 Fool that I have been ! No rum at the 
 husking to-night ! No swearing nor fighting 
 when it broke up ! Huldah, didn't John 
 Alden's lanterns light up the old barn glori- 
 ously ! Wasn't everybody brimming over 
 with good feeling ! Why, Huldah, John Al- 
 den's folks, and the parson's folks, and the 
 deacon's folks, treated Bill Treat as if he 
 was worth saving and Huldah do you 
 think," and the penitent seeker of divine 
 strength to lead a new life, buried his face 
 in his hands and cried aloud. 
 
 "I think, my dear husband I know, that 
 by God's help, you can be a new man ! " 
 
 After a few moments, in which a measure 
 of composure came to both, Huldah took 
 from a side table the family Bible. On the 
 little stand, drawn towards the fire, she laid 
 it, where, in other days, before the Rum 
 Fiend had entered their family, it had been 
 laid, morning and evening, and read at the
 
 126 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 hours of family devotion. "You did not 
 mean, Huldah, for me to read and pray, 
 to-night, wicked as I am ! " 
 
 "Yes, dear," said Huldah, in a tone and 
 with a countenance of tender entreaty. ""What 
 better can you do than to look into God's 
 Word to learn the way back to him, and 
 to pray to him to forgive and heal you?" 
 
 Whether by accident or design, William 
 did not know, but when Huldah laid the 
 Bible upon the stand it opened at the fifty- 
 first Psalm. The prodigal read on with a 
 melted and broken heart. When he came 
 to the verse, "Hide thy face from my sins, 
 and blot out all mine iniquities," he dropped 
 his face upon the open Bible, and cried, 
 sobbing, "Do, Lord!" 
 
 Huldah kneeled at the stand, reached up 
 her hands and put them upon her husband's 
 head and whispered the promises in his ear : 
 "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall 
 be as wool, though they be red like crimson,
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 127 
 
 they shall be white as snow." "Blessed be 
 God who forgiveth our iniquities and healeth 
 all our diseases." "But when the prodigal 
 was yet a great way off, his father saw him, 
 and had compassion, and ran, and fell on 
 his neck and kissed him." The spirit of 
 enduring, wifely, Christian affection, gave a 
 wonderful sweetness to her utterance of these 
 divine words, and the spirit of the forgiving 
 Saviour gave them power to heal. 
 
 While the angels were rejoicing over the 
 repentance of William Treat, there were 
 those indulging towards the gathering in 
 John Alden's barn, a very different feeling. 
 Dr. Burt was not present, but when he 
 heard what sentiments his pastor had there 
 uttered, he hurried away to Deacon Prime's. 
 The deacon was the senior official bearing 
 that title. He was an old man, and was 
 seldom now seen in the gatherings of God's 
 people. He had been very jealous in his 
 day, for the iutregrity of the church over
 
 128 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 which he was set as an under-shepherd. His 
 jealously had been mainly exhibited in hunt- 
 ing for heresy through the sermons, on the 
 Sabbath, and for flaws in the government 
 of their children on the part of the parents 
 among the church members. He had studied 
 theology under an old divine, six weeks, in 
 his early manhood, aiming to be a preacher. 
 This admirably qualified him to hunt heresy. 
 He never had children of his own, which 
 was an equally admirable qualification for 
 him, and his amiable wife, to tell Christian 
 parents how to bring up their households. 
 To the good deacon Dr. Burt went with his 
 heavy heart. 
 
 "Deacon," said the doctor, seating himself 
 at a little stand on which the never failing 
 mug of hard cider was sitting "deacon, I 
 feel our church is getting into a bad way ! " 
 
 "I fear so too," said the deacon. "The 
 doctrines an't preached as they used to be. 
 The members are sadly remiss in correcting
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 129 
 
 their children ; ' Spare the rod and spoil the 
 child,' is the text I've tried for forty years 
 to impress upon the fathers and mothers of 
 the parish. I've even offered, in some cases, 
 to do the whipping of the youngsters for 
 their parents, and they were ungrateful 
 enough to tell me to mind my own .business. 
 I agree with you, doctor, that our church 
 is in a bad way." 
 
 "Yes," said the doctor, solemnly, and our 
 pastor has been to John Alden's husking, 
 and " 
 
 "There it is," interposed the deacon. 
 "John's a good kind of a man, but he's 
 been and got one of them ere stoves, and 
 bricked up the fire-place of his father and 
 grandsir ! I do think it's wicked, doctor, 
 to do so. Children should have more re- 
 spect for them that's gone." 
 
 "I was saying," continued the doctor, "that 
 our good minister for I do believe he means 
 to be good, went to John Alden's husking,
 
 130 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 where John had set a table without- liquor. 
 John in so doing had reflected upon my 
 professional judgment, which is, as is quite 
 generally known, that liquor is one of God's 
 good creatures, to be used lawfully. Now 
 I hold that Mr. Curtis should not have 
 countenanced him in so doing." 
 
 "You're right," said the deacon, taking 
 up the mug of cider and drinking heartily. 
 
 "What's to become of the doctor's author- 
 ity over young people in leading them into 
 right habits concerning their health and 
 morals, if farmers are to be encouraged in 
 opposing them?" 
 
 "And what's to become of deacons too?" 
 said the old gentleman, pushing the mug of 
 cider towards the doctor, who nodded his 
 thanks and drank lustily. 
 
 "But that's not all, deacon," continued the 
 doctor, " nor the worst of it. Mr. Curtis 
 made a speech, in which he commended John 
 Alden's ultra notions, and declared that no-
 
 AFTEK THE HUSKING. 131 
 
 body ought to touch a bit of liquor of any 
 kind who is not sick ! and that's the gospel 
 we are to have preached to us ! " 
 
 " Dreadful ! " said the deacon ; " we must 
 have a parish meeting called right off." 
 
 While the deacon and the doctor were 
 maturing plans to stop the alarming devel- 
 opments of the temperance fanaticism of 
 Alden Farm, Moses Pond came in. He came 
 rather unceremoniously, having knocked and 
 answered ^ his own call most promptly. Mose 
 was decidedly drunk, that is, in the lan- 
 guage of the conservatives, had been drink- 
 ing "somewhat indiscreetly." "Sit down, 
 Moses," said the deacon, " the doctor and I 
 are considering important parish affairs." 
 
 "Yes," hiccoughed Mose, "and that's what 
 I come for. Things are getting alarming 
 down there to John Alden's house. Not 
 that I believe in taking too much, though 
 the best of us yes, deacon you know, 
 I say deacon the best of us will err some- 
 times, and be a little indiscreet. "
 
 132 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "Be silent, Moses," interposed the doctor, 
 " my professional duties require me to be 
 in haste. I must finish without interruption, 
 my business with the deacon." 
 
 This was spoken in a majesterial manner, 
 and Mose subsided into quiet. 
 
 "I leave you, deacon, whose office it is, 
 with your colleague, to direct in stopping this 
 growing evil. Our good friend Alden, will, 
 I trust, by proper church labor, be made to 
 see .the wrong of his well intended course, 
 and " 
 
 "There, now, doctor!" exclaimed Mose, 
 rising and approaching him with extended 
 hand, "I know'd you'n the deacon was on 
 our side, and I told the tavern folks so " 
 
 "/Sit dotvn, sir," shouted the doctor, bring- 
 ing his foot down on the kitchen floor so 
 violently, that the dishes rattled in the old 
 cupboard in the corner. 
 
 " You're leetlc hard, doctor, on your 
 friends, what thinks as you do," muttered
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 133 
 
 Mose, sidling away to the cider, of which 
 he took a large potation. "Deacon," he said 
 patronizingly, patting him on the shoulder, 
 and whispering in his ear, "your cider's the 
 best in town. It's got the real grit to it ! 
 It's eeny most as good as the tavern rum." 
 
 The doctor left, and the deacon gave his 
 attention to Moses. "It is plain," said the 
 deacon, "that you have been taking too 
 much. I'm agin that, as much as anybody. 
 I say, Moses, to your face, that it is 
 ivicked." The last word was uttered with 
 such emphasis, that it brought Moses to his 
 feet. 
 
 "Now don't be too hard on a fellow that's 
 on your side in the fight agin the Alden 
 folks. I have I confess it I will, dea- 
 con confess I'm I'm no hypocrite I've 
 taken a leeile too much, and I won't no, 
 deacon, I won't take too much, agin. I'll 
 be very prudent. So, if you please, I'll 
 take a drop of your cider, and be going.
 
 134 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 There now, deacon, I prououce that yes 
 
 it's in my opinion the best cider in town 
 
 it's as good, any time, yes, as good as 
 the tavern rum. That, you know, between 
 you and I, that's jest a leetle watered." 
 
 Moses Pond left, greatly to the relief of 
 the deacon. The good man kept repeating 
 to his wife, what, he said, he had always 
 preached, both by precept and practice, that 
 such drinkers as Moses Pond were wicked 
 men, and their example was very bad. Every 
 time the deacon repeated this, he said it 
 with more emphasis. He felt that he must 
 repel the sermon preached to him against 
 his principles and practice on the temper- 
 ance question, by the presence and agree- 
 ment of Moses Pond. The ghost of his 
 reproof would not down ! 
 
 "Have you had a satisfactory call on the 
 good deacon, Prime?" said Dr. Burt's wife 
 to him, as he rather peevishly threw aside 
 his coat and gloves.
 
 AFTER THE HUSKING. 135 
 
 Very," was the reply, "only Moses Pond 
 came in, beastly drunk, to interrupt our con- 
 sultation. Such fellows do annoy me greatly." 
 "Oh, pooh!" said his wife, "Moses is no- 
 body."
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTER. 
 
 WINTER was reigning over New England. 
 He had dropped his robe of white over fields 
 and forests. He had frozen up the mead- 
 ows, and made a solid foundation over which 
 the farmer might drive his team. He had 
 sealed over the pond, for the boys to skate 
 and the girls to slide. He had spread his 
 level covering over the brush and smaller 
 obstacles in the woods, to the farmer's sled. 
 The wood choppers were busy, in their 
 frocks and heavy boots, loading the teams, 
 before furious winds should pile up the snow 
 and lay bare the ground. While the chop- 
 pers scattered the chips with the vigorous 
 blows of the axe, or thrashed their brawny 
 
 136
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTEK. 137 
 
 hands, and stamped their feet, shouting joy- 
 ously to the echoing woods, the wood-peck- 
 ers answered with a busy, peck ! peck ! and 
 the crow with an insolent, caw ! caw ! The 
 squirrels for the most of the time, kept 
 house, nibbling frugally at their winter store 
 of fruit, and wondering what the use was 
 of having snow to bury up the nuts. The 
 rabbits left their clumsy tracks on the yield- 
 ing snow, as they hopped from place to 
 place, nipping at whatever the frosty winter 
 had left eatable, listening the while with 
 their great ears. The fox roused up in his 
 den, and wondered at the din of men, birds 
 and beasts, and said, in his foxy way, 
 "When you are all still, and welcome night 
 has come, I'll be round!" But none were 
 happier than John Alden. The* breeze which 
 his raising and husking had stirred up in 
 the parish, did not excite his resentment, nor 
 annoy him. No drunken neighbor came to 
 his house to claim affiliation with his prin-
 
 138 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 ciples or practice. No accusing ghost of 
 conscience had to be talked down. John 
 Alden's joyous feeling run over even, at 
 times, and in one of these moods he de- 
 clared to Patience that she had, during the 
 last year, grown younger, smarter and hand- 
 somer than ever ! Patience did not return 
 the compliment, as her husband declared 
 afterwards, he desired she should, but said 
 in her quiet way, "John, you always was a 
 boy, and you always will " be a boy ! " 
 
 We left the boys of Alden Farm and 
 Crone's Corner going into school. Several 
 weeks' experience has given them some ac- 
 quaintance with the new master, and the 
 kind of stuff their own good purposes were 
 made of. 
 
 George Everett, the teacher, was a young 
 man about twenty-one years of age. He 
 was quiet and self-relying in school, never 
 seeming disturbed, however suddenly any 
 annoying conduct was sprung upon him, and
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTER. 139 
 
 never appearing at loss what % to do in an 
 emergency. His education was superior for 
 his years and for those times, and to his 
 scholars, his knowledge, seemed immense. 
 His calm, unyielding purpose in enforcing 
 discipline, made him a terror to the insub- 
 ordinate, and his sincere interest, expressed 
 by self-sacrificing labor for the improvement 
 of his scholars, made him the idol of those 
 ambitious to learn. 
 
 Among the parents of the town, a differ- 
 ence of opinion prevailed in reference to the 
 success of the young teacher. The friends 
 of master Paul thought that it was a pity 
 that venerable man had been set aside for 
 an inexperienced stripling. Besides, Mr. 
 Everett had brought with him some new no- 
 tions about teaching, and had introduced some 
 new text books. " Colburn's First Lessons 
 in Arithmetic" came now into the school. 
 Some laughed at it. "How many fingers 
 have you got on one hand? How many on
 
 140 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 both?" "Pooh!" they said, "who couldn't 
 tell that? We don't pay our money to a 
 teacher to be spent in larnin' our children 
 how many fingers .they have got." Others, 
 who dipped into it a little, said, "It's got 
 no rules nor ciphering. Who ever heard of 
 a 'Rithmetic without ciphering ! It hasn't 
 got no 'rule of three.'" It was as foolish 
 as John Alden's stove, and as radical as his 
 temperance notions. 
 
 The first evening that Carver and Miles 
 brought home their "Colburn," they were 
 full of glee about it. 
 
 "Carver," said Miles, "there is some hitch 
 about this Arithmetic, I do believe." 
 
 "What makes you think so, Miles?" 
 
 "Why, when the master heard the boys 
 'at recess, laughing at it, he looked real 
 funny ; and when school was dismissed he 
 heard Zeke Crone say he was going to go 
 through it, and learn it all by heart, he 
 laughed right out, and said that Ezekiel had
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTER. 141 
 
 not studied, he guessed, more than two pages 
 of it." 
 
 "Well, Miles, here's a boy that means to 
 examine Mr. Colburn's book, and see whether 
 he knows as much about Arithmetic as your 
 Ezekiel Crone, of that noted place, Crone's 
 Corner." 
 
 "And here's a young man," said Miles, 
 slipping his barn frock over his head, 
 "bother this frock," he suddenly exclaimed, 
 pulling it back again, and fumbling about 
 for the sleeve, forgetting at the same time 
 the funny thing he was going to say in 
 reply to his brother. " Bother this frock ! " 
 he again exclaimed, setting his milk pail 
 down, and going to work more deliberately 
 to see why the frock would not go on. 
 
 "You mean, Miles," said his mother, ap- 
 proaching him in her calm and quiet way, 
 "that the frock 'bothers' you. There, my 
 son, it's all right now. You had turned 
 one sleeve inside out, when you took it off
 
 142 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 to put on your school frock. I suppose you 
 was in the same hot haste then that you 
 are now. Run now, or Carver will beat 
 you in milking, and don't say 'bother it.' 
 It may lead to a worse word." 
 
 "Thank you, mother," said Miles, catching 
 up his milk pail and darting out of the 
 kitchen door. He found his brother with 
 one cow about half milked. 
 
 "I'll beat you to-night, Miles," said Carver. 
 
 "Bother no, this old frock bothered me 
 so," said Miles, a little vexed. 
 
 "Yes, and I saw you bother the frock this 
 morning when you stripped it off in such a 
 hurry to beat me in getting ready for school," 
 said Carver, laughing. 
 
 Miles seated himself on his "milking- 
 block," subsided into a calm frame of mind, 
 and began to philosophize a little. "It's no 
 use, I see, to be in such a hurry," he said, 
 in a low tone, as if talking to the cow he 
 was milking. "It only puts a fellow into
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTER. 143 
 
 a fret. I'll be as cool as my mother, and 
 by" he was about to say "by jingo, 
 I'll be as smart," but his mother's chiding 
 about "idle words," checked him, and he 
 simply but emphatically added "I wish I 
 could be as smart." 
 
 When the "chores" were all done, the 
 supper eaten, and the family prayers, which 
 immediately followed, were offered, Carver 
 and Miles soon became absorbed in Colburu. 
 The lesson was a long one, carrying the boys 
 through the simple questions of the multi- 
 plication table, into the deeper mysteries of 
 that wonderful little book. 
 
 "Mr. Colburn is somebody," whispered 
 Miles, when he considered his lesson learned. 
 
 "His book isn't such very great things 
 yet," said Carver, rather grandly, as he laid 
 Colburn aside for " Murray's First Lessons " 
 in grammar. 
 
 When the boys had returned from school, 
 their father took up one of the Colburns.
 
 144 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 He read quietly, on and on, looking for a 
 while rather skeptical about this new way 
 of learning Arithmetic. He was considered 
 one of the best "cipherers" among his towns- 
 men. He had mastered the "Rule of three," 
 the second and 'last winter he ever attended 
 school. "Reckoning" was his hobby, .and 
 in this he was almost- equal to the minister, 
 about as smart as the squire, and "the beat, 
 any day," of the doctor. The more Mr. 
 Alden studied the more he became inter- 
 ested. Weeks of the school term passed 
 away, and the Alden boys had settled down 
 into hard study over their Colburn. 
 
 "John," said Patience, one evening, laying 
 down little Rachel's frock, on which she had 
 been busily sewing, " what is there about 
 that child's Arithmetic that interests you so? 
 Are you getting ready to teach the 'ma'am's 
 school ' next summer ? " 
 
 . "Patience," said John, with one of his 
 very quizzical looks, " let's hear you do this
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTER. 145 
 
 sum right off now, iii your mind, and no 
 ciphering " and then he gave out, " Six 
 
 eights of ninety-six are how many sixths of 
 
 
 
 twenty-four ? " 
 
 "Pooh! John," said Patience, dryly, "that's 
 nothing for anybody that's been studying it 
 two weeks, every night except Saturday and 
 Sunday night." 
 
 John acknowledged the justice of his wife's 
 answer, and proceeded to enlighted her in 
 the process of solving this puzzling question. 
 Patience, who when a girl had "hated frac- 
 tions," began to see a little daylight shining 
 through them. Her husband was delighted 
 with the interest manifested by his scholar. 
 It became a new stimulus in his study, and 
 he plunged deeper into the mysteries of the 
 sensational book. At first he studied slyly, 
 after the boys had laid the book aside. He 
 now had them arrange their lessons the first 
 hours of the long winter evenings, so that 
 he might get his lesson. 
 
 10
 
 146 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "Carve," whispered Miles, one evening, 
 "father ought to recite his lesson. Who 
 knows whether he gets the answer to these 
 crooked questions?" 
 
 "Maybe," said Carver, with a knowing look 
 at his brother, "you'd better ask him to re- 
 cite to you." 
 
 "Guess I'll study awhile first," replied 
 Miles. 
 
 Two weeks more passed away, and Miles 
 had become quite confident in his knowledge 
 of Colburn. 
 
 "Father," he said one evening, in that 
 playful manner which the children of Alden 
 Farm learned of their parents, "you don't 
 have to recite. I tell you, Master Everett 
 puts us through I " 
 
 "Well," said his father, in an easy kind 
 of way, "put me through, Miles, only don't 
 go quite through the book." 
 
 "Oh," said Miles, beginning already to 
 back down, "we haven't been half way 
 through yet!"
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTEE. 147 
 
 "He'll put you through before the play's 
 over," whispered Carver. But Miles was not 
 to be put down without a trial. He plied 
 his father with questions which he had just 
 conquered, with some promptings from his 
 teacher. His father went through them to 
 the children's astonishment, and the delight 
 of Patience, who began to catch some of her 
 husband's enthusiasm. The younger children 
 listened wonderingly, and queried if they 
 would ever know so much. Miles soon gave 
 up trying to teach his father, and excused 
 himself when asked by him to answer ques- 
 tions he did not know, by saying, "We 
 haven't got to such questions yet." 
 
 But John Alden soon got beyond his depth. 
 Yes, the little book, at which the boys had 
 laughed, and the "knowing ones" had sneered, 
 had defied, as he advanced, his patient thought 
 and persistent puzzling. It was in vain that 
 he scratched his head, tipped back in his 
 great arm-chair, gazed at the ceiling, as if
 
 148 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 there was some wonderful thing up there, 
 and thought. John Alden was a great think- 
 er, but Colburn had drowned his deepest 
 thoughts, even in his First Lessons. 
 
 Carver and Miles enjoyed their father's per- 
 plexity. It was fun to them, because he was 
 always running over with good nature in 
 such perplexities. They enjoyed it too, be- 
 cause their father generally found a way out 
 of such corners, after a while. 
 
 "It seems to me, John," said his wife 
 one evening, when he had spent much time 
 puzzling over Colburn, "that a good deal 
 of precious time goes with that Arithmetic. 
 You haven't read much of any to me this 
 winter, in "Watts on the Mind, nor more 
 than half through The Pilgrim's Progress. 
 You have read them both through every 
 winter before, since we have been married." 
 
 John took the reproof kindly, went to the 
 book case, took down Watt's on the Mind, 
 and read aloud for a full hour. For a
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTER. 149 
 
 whole week his wife did not see the little 
 school book in his hand. Yet the puzzling 
 questions were in his head, and he was con- 
 tinually seeking their solution. One Satur- 
 day he had an errand in town, but was 
 gone much longer than usual. He had 
 called at his friend's, Squire True's, where 
 the schoolmaster boarded. Whether he had 
 any speciar*business at the squire's we do 
 not know, but we are sure it was very grat- 
 ifying to Mr. Aldeu to make the acquaint- 
 ance of the new schoolmaster, and that it 
 was easy for him to get into a talk about 
 the new lesson book. The teacher was sur- 
 prised to find in the farmer so much appre- 
 ciation of the much talked of innovation in 
 his method of presenting Arithmetic, and 
 still more surprised when he learned that he 
 had solved correctly most of its questions. 
 By a little prompting, John's difficulties van- 
 ished, and he returned home, like a captain 
 who had taken great spoils. That evening,
 
 150 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 a little while after the evening study hours 
 had commenced, he took up Colburn for a 
 short time, then slapped it together, laid it 
 upon the stand and walked the floor with an 
 air of triumph ! 
 
 "Father's conquered Colburn," said Carver 
 to his brother, in a low tone. 
 
 "Yes, every bit of it," replied Miles, with- 
 out taking his eyes from his book. 
 
 The two boys felt as soldiers feel when 
 they see their commanding officer rushing 
 into the thickest of the fight. They were 
 inspired to follow. Many were their stum- 
 blings, and many times they were sore vexed. 
 But "I can't," "It's no use trying," "I mean 
 to ask father if I may give it up and study 
 something else," were expressions which never 
 escaped their lips. To be sure they did get 
 a little vexed sometimes, and their heads 
 ached with trying. But their father's long 
 puzzling, his patient, perplexed, but good- 
 natured trying, and his final air of triumph,
 
 THE NEW SCHOOLMASTER. 151 
 
 were to them like battles just won by their 
 comrades to soldiers now fighting. There 
 was victory in every sound, and success was 
 breathed from the very atmosphere which 
 surrounded them. John Alden had been 
 lucky again, and his boys were declared by 
 all the boys, "the lucky fellows who always 
 come out ahead."
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A BEEEZE AT CKONE'S CORNER. 
 
 "I DO think, Jerusha," said Ezekiel Croiie, 
 "that our boys are getting along nicely at 
 school this winter. I hope they'll have good 
 luck until it closes." 
 
 "Yes," replied Mrs. Crone, "remarkably 
 for them, and I do think, and always shall, 
 though I suppose you'll give one of your 
 provoking smiles when I say it, that it was 
 my perseverance in teaching them the Cat- 
 echism that gave them a good start." 
 
 "The husking at John Alden's," timidly 
 sii2frested Mr. Crone. 
 
 oc? 
 
 "There it is," replied his wife. "You are 
 so afraid that I shall have a little credit. 
 Alden's folks must always be dragged in. 
 
 152
 
 A BREEZE AT CKONE's CORNER. 153 
 
 But if anything goes wrong with the chil- 
 dren you are ready enough with your blame ! 
 Then it's, 'Jerusha, you was too hasty!' or, 
 'Jerusha, you needn't have spoken so!' but 
 I'm determined the boys shall get along in 
 school. If they don't, they mustn't think I'm 
 going to put up with it." 
 
 Mr. Crone sighed when his wife began 
 this strain, like a man who had just heard 
 bad news concerning an absent friend. He 
 soon after looked very thoughtful and anx- 
 ious. But he soon began to drum with his 
 fingers on the table. He then had resort to 
 his ever present score book, in which he 
 soon seemed absorbed. 
 
 Silence reigned awhile in the kitchen of 
 Ezekiel Crone. The children were all in 
 bed. The fire was burning low on the 
 hearth, while the smouldering back-log oc- 
 casionally sent out a flickering flame. The 
 old clock in the corner seemed to tick louder 
 than common, as if to warn its master and
 
 154 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 mistress of the lateness of the hour. The 
 cat curled up in the end of the settle, sent 
 out her low, dreamy purr. 
 
 "I'm going to bed, Ezekiel Crone," said 
 Jerusha, suddenly starting up, and seizing a 
 candle. "You may set and poke over that 
 old score book as long as you please." 
 
 The Crone boys, Zeke and Tom, were 
 astir early the next morning. They had 
 planned to get a little time in the kitchen 
 for study before the rest of the family were 
 up. They were creeping softly down stairs 
 by the door of the sleeping room of their 
 parents. But their mother's ear was like 
 that of a watch-dog, always open. She 
 bounded from the bed, and opened the door. 
 "What mischief are you up to now, you 
 young rogues?" she exclaimed. "Where are 
 you going this time of night?" 
 
 "We are going down into the kitchen to 
 study," stammered Zeke. "The master says 
 the Crones can learn as much as anybody, 
 if they will. And we are going to try."
 
 A BREEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER. 155 
 
 " Going down to study ! " replied Mrs. 
 Crone, with a sneer, which she could express 
 like a practiced stage player. "Going to 
 study ! " she repeated with a withering look 
 of incredulity. "Your father might believe 
 such stories, but you can't cheat me. My 
 closets have been turned upside down too 
 many times by having you round before I'm 
 up. Besides, you'll be setting the house on 
 fire. No, go back to bed this minute, and 
 don't you stir till your father calls you. 
 Then do you get up instantly." 
 
 The old clock just at this moment struck 
 four. Five o'clock was the customary hour 
 of winter rising at the Crones'. The boys 
 went -back, put off their clothes, re-adjusted 
 their bed, and lay down. For a moment or 
 two no word was spoken. Strong emotions 
 of anger and grief were struggling in their 
 hearts for mastery, and as usual, anger soon 
 held sway. 
 
 "It's no use, I'm not agoing to try to 
 study," muttered Zeke, breaking the silence.
 
 156 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "Xor I either," replied Tom. "It's always 
 the way in this house. If we are going to 
 try to do anything right, nobody will be- 
 lieve us, and we are accused of lying and 
 planning mischief." 
 
 There was silence for a while, when Tom 
 said, pensively, "Zeke, them Aldeii boys have 
 been real kind this term." 
 
 "Yes," replied Zeke. 
 
 Silence followed this remark, and the 
 thoughts of the boys troubled them. The 
 Alden boys had indeed been good friends, 
 prompting them when necessary in their 
 lessons, seeking their company in play, de- 
 feuding them against those annoyances which 
 low minds delight to inflict upon the -weak 
 and the obscure, and especially, speaking 
 those kind words of encouragement, which 
 are often better to the halting, than great 
 riches. The} r had promised to call at Crone's 
 011 their way to school, on the morning of 
 which we are speaking. It was a full half
 
 A BEEEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER. 157 
 
 mile out of their way. The Crones, de- 
 lighted with the attention promised, had 
 agreed to be ready in good season, and 
 Zeke had added, "With good lessons all 
 learned." 
 
 But their case was that of the soldier who 
 fights after his army is defeated. Every 
 sight and sound is depressing. The air is 
 tainted with failure. 
 
 "Hurrah, boys!" shouted the Aldens, rush- 
 ing into the great kitchen of the Crones, 
 carrying an influence like the sudden over- 
 flow of a spring freshet upon a frozen 
 meadow, driving the frost before it, and 
 leaving springing grass and flowers behind 
 it. "All ready, boys?" inquired Carver, in 
 a quick, stirring tone. 
 
 "Most, wait a minute, Carver," replied 
 Zeke, almost ready to burst into tears. "Got 
 those splendid lessons you promised?" said 
 Miles, and without waiting for an answer, 
 rattled on "Carve and I shot ahead this
 
 158 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 morning with our lessons like a rocket. We 
 got up real early, and got more than an 
 hour before chore time. We planned to 
 steal a march on mother, so we got the 
 wood and kindlings all ready the night be- 
 fore hand. We awoke about four o'clock, 
 and crept down stairs as softly as mice, but 
 I thought I heard mother laugh as we passed 
 the door of her room, just as she does when 
 she thinks she has got ahead of us. When 
 we reached the kitchen, I'll bet there was 
 a jolly fire ! Mother had been down, made 
 the fire, and gone back to bed again." 
 
 "That's just like mother," interposed Car- 
 ver, "she was afraid we would lose a few 
 minutes in getting the room warm." 
 
 Zeke and Tom were ready before this 
 unwelcome talk was done, and their mother 
 had hurried them off, hoping that Miles 
 would cut his story short; but he lingered 
 behind to finish it, and then followed the 
 other boys like a race horse.
 
 A BREEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER. 159 
 
 "Them'Alden boys is real kind," said little 
 Betsey Crone, looking innocently into her 
 mother's face ; " and their mother," she con- 
 tinued, "is real kind too." 
 
 "Your mother an't, I suppose!" said Mrs. 
 Crone, sharply ; " she never does anything 
 for her children ! " 
 
 The child slunk timidly away unable to 
 see how she had offended, though she felt 
 her mother's harsh rebuff. 
 
 Zeke and Tom did not respond cheerfully 
 to the out-gushing good feeling of their gen- 
 erous young friends. Their very steps, as 
 they loitered behind, seemed to say, It's no 
 use ; we can't, and that's the whole of it. 
 
 Carver, seeing this depression, so evidently 
 different from the spirit with which they had 
 parted the evening before, lingered behind, 
 drew Zeke out and learned the history of 
 the morning. Zeke could not refrain from 
 tears, and, while he was telling his story, 
 Carver wiped his eyes with the back of his 
 hand.
 
 160 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 Zeke and Tom Crone were detairred at the 
 close of the school in the afternoon of that 
 day. All the other scholars had been dis- 
 missed. Their lessons had gone badly, and 
 it seemed to the kind yet firm young teacher, 
 that there had been no effort on their part 
 to do better. He was a good deal puzzled 
 and some vexed. He had spoken many kind, 
 encouraging words to them, and given special 
 assistance. His hope of their improvement 
 had been raised, but the history of to-day 
 had nearly destroyed it. 
 
 "It seems to me, boys," he said, in a tone 
 of miugled grief and anger, "that you are 
 bent on stupidity and idleness." 
 
 Just then a boy who had been crouching 
 down under the window outside, in malicious 
 curiosity, to learn the punishment which the 
 master inflicted upon the delinquents, shouted 
 out, as he ran away, 
 
 "The boys of Crone's Corner, 
 Will be drones forever."
 
 A BEEEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER. 161 
 
 "I fear so," said the teacher, indorsing the 
 bitter fling from the outside. Zeke involun- 
 tarily clinched his fist and scuffed his heavy 
 boots on the floor. Mr. Everett understood 
 this as a defiance of his authority, and an 
 expressed contempt of his kind entreaties. 
 He took a rattan from his desk, coiled at 
 one end, and flexible at the other, being 
 well suited to inflict stinging pain, without 
 breaking the flesh or bones. He seized Zeke 
 by the collar, and, with a sudden and violent 
 jerk, laid him, with his face down, across 
 the top of the desk. Tom started up, tossed 
 his books into the middle of the floor, 
 straightened himself up to his full height, 
 and looked at the humiliating position of his 
 brother, with lips quivering with excitement, 
 and a face flushed with uncontrolled anger, 
 bitterness and grief. The first blow' of the 
 rattan would be the signal for him to fly, 
 reckless of consequences, to the rescue of 
 his brother. 
 
 11
 
 162 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 Just at this moment the door opened and 
 Carver Alden rushed into the room. 
 
 " Don't strike him, sir ! please, Mr. Ever- 
 ett, don't strike Zeke ! He isn't to blame, 
 nor Tom, neither." 
 
 The teacher paused. His first impulse was 
 to strike Carver to the floor for his imper- 
 tinent interference. But the boy's tender, 
 beseeching face, down which the big, manly 
 tears were rapidly chasing each other, and, 
 most of all the profound respect and warm 
 affection which he felt for the interferer, 
 caused him to let go of Zeke and drop the 
 rattan upon the floor. Zeke and Tom set- 
 tled back into their seats. Their unger was 
 gone at the first sight of Carver, and both 
 buried their faces in their hands and wept 
 bitterly. Carver laid his hand on the teacher's 
 shoulder, looked up into his now placid face 
 and whispered, "Please, sir, let the boys go, 
 and I will explain all." 
 
 The tears of the Crone boys came to the
 
 A BREEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER. 1)3 
 
 aid of their advocate, and the teacher said, 
 with a faltering voice, and a bewildered look, 
 "Go, boys." 
 
 Carver remained alone with the teacher. 
 His self-imposed task was a delicate one. 
 His sense of justice due to his young friends, 
 whose case he was sure was not understood, 
 and the explanation due to the teacher, com- 
 pelled him to speak. But he was reluctant 
 to criminate older persons than himself, and 
 those who were the parents too, of his 
 friends. What business was their manage- 
 ment of their children to him? expressed a 
 thought which troubled him. Then, he was 
 not sure his parents would approve of his 
 course. Under these oppressing and con- 
 flicting emotions, he was for a few moments 
 silent. He saw in his teacher's gathering 
 frown at his silence, a demand for an ex- 
 planation. Carver instantly became calm 
 under a sense of duty. He told simply and 
 truthfully the incidents of the preceding
 
 164 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 evening, his promise to call for the Crones, 
 their expressed ambition to be ready with 
 good lessons, and then stated, delicately, 
 Zeke's account of what had occurred at home 
 in the morning. 
 
 The story of Carver fell upon the teacher 
 like a revelation. It was, to his penetrating 
 mind, a key which unlocked the secret con- 
 cerning the Crone boys' character, which Imd 
 so perplexed him. " It explains all ! " he 
 exclaimed, grasping Carver's hand cordially. 
 "My noble boy!" he continued, "you ha^e 
 saved me from wronging the oppressed and 
 doing what I never should have forgiven 
 myself for, after learning what you have 
 told me. Go, and God bless you." 
 
 Carver bounded towards the door. "Tell 
 nobody of this affair but your parents ! " 
 said Mr. Everett, as the bo} f passed out. 
 
 "No, sir," just reached his ear, and he 
 stepped to the window and caught a glimpse 
 of Carver as he disappeared in the now guth-
 
 A BKEEZE AT CEONE'S COENEE. 165 
 
 ering twilight, running with most surprising 
 fleetness. 
 
 The Crone boys walked slowly homeward. 
 The thought that "everybody is against us," 
 would have been the burden of their minds 
 but for Carver's timely interference in their 
 behalf. They felt also that he was even 
 then making a generous plea in their behalf. 
 < But discouragement weighed heavily upon 
 them, and they sauntered homeward with a 
 snail's pace. It was dark when they reached 
 the kitchen, where they expected no word to 
 comfort or inspire them. The barn chores 
 were behind ; the wood box was empty ; the 
 preparations for supper were not half com- 
 pleted, though the time had fully come ; and 
 the younger children were impatient and 
 fretful. 
 
 "Well, you lazy fellows!" exclaimed Mrs. 
 Crone, in an excited, harsh tone, "you've 
 arrived at last. I suppose you'll claim you 
 stopped to study, and try to cheat me at
 
 166 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 both ends of the day. I've heard how you 
 
 / 
 have blundered through the day, and so had 
 
 to stop and settle with your teacher. I hope 
 he's flogged you both well." 
 
 Zeke was about to defend himself as he 
 walked up to his mother with what little 
 resolution the disasters of the day had left 
 him. But Mrs. Crone seemed to anticipate 
 the ground of his defense, and she prevented 
 the utterance of a word of excuse, by ex- 
 claiming, in a boisterous tone, "There, be 
 still ! none of your sniveling excuses ; you've 
 had time enough, you know you have. I've 
 done my best, mercy knows, to make some- 
 thing of you. Do you go, Zeke, and help 
 your father in the barn ; and do you, Tom, 
 bring in some wood, and then help me set 
 the table. There's nobody in this house to 
 do a thing without I make a fuss about it." 
 
 Zeke's temper, which had not recovered 
 from the strain imposed upon it at the 
 school room, was not just now very amiable.
 
 A BREEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER. 167 
 
 He muttered inaudibly as he was leaving his 
 mother's presence. This was peculiarly un- 
 fortunate, as the mother's irritability was in- 
 tense. Springing towards him, she gave him 
 a rousing box on the ear. Zeke turned 
 round and shouted spitefully, "Let me alone ! 
 Everybody blames or beats me. I wish I 
 was dead ! " 
 
 The unusual earnestness with which this 
 was said, and the sudden uproar of the 
 younger children, who began to cry violent- 
 ly, brought Mrs. Crone to a sudden pause. 
 Zeke hurried away sobbing to the barn. In 
 the meantime his mother hushed up the chil- 
 dren, prepared the supper, and the whole 
 family were soon gathered about the table. 
 The countenance of every member looked as 
 if they had suddenly been smitten by a pes- 
 tilence. There was plenty of food, and it 
 was served up in no mean style. Mrs. 
 Crone's table cloth was snowy white. Her 
 bread was of the best quality, and her pies
 
 168 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 the delight of all visitors to her house. The 
 supper this evening was equal to her best. 
 But it was eaten by the children as a fright- 
 ened horse eats his oats hesitating and half 
 choked. 
 
 When the girls, Jane and Betsey, had 
 gone to bed, and the evening caudles were 
 ablaze on the stand, Zeke and Tom took 
 their place mopiugly in the chimney corner. 
 Silence reigned for a while. Mrs. Crone 
 suddenly started up, and exclaimed, "There, 
 Mr. Crone, do you see how those two great 
 lazy boys waste their time? To-day both 
 of them were detained after school, because 
 th^y played the dunce all day, and disgraced 
 themselves and us. Besides, Zeke was im- 
 pudent to me to-night. They want the rod, 
 that's what they want, and if you don't give 
 it to them both you won't do your duty ! " 
 
 Mr. Crone compromised between the re- 
 quirement of his wife and his own inclina- 
 tion, which was to let the boys do about as
 
 A BREEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER. 169 
 
 they pleased, and began to scold them. Mr. 
 Crone could scold. He was, in this respect, 
 the superior of his wife ; but carrying heav- 
 ier shot, he did not fire so often, nor move 
 to the attack so quickly. This evening every 
 one of his words were like barbed arrows. 
 They tore their way through the tender sen- 
 sibilities of the boys, as a Minnie rifle ball 
 tears up the flesh. Zeke's face indicated at 
 one moment a disposition to stand up and 
 fight, and at another an inclination to sit 
 down and cry. Suddenly, as if his whole 
 soul was in the purpose he had formed, he 
 strode out of the room. * * * * 
 
 The old clock had struck nine, and *all 
 the family but Mr. Crone had gone to bed. 
 No Ezekiel had returned. Somehow the 
 father felt that some serious injury had been 
 done by his cutting words, and that the 
 consequences would not be seemingl} 7 harm- 
 less, as at other times. He had never con- 
 sidered that every word which had "pro-
 
 170 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 yoked to anger," leaving "discouragement,'* 
 had done his child a -wrong, and that the 
 accumulated effects overflow at last in deso- 
 lating desperation. 
 
 Ten o'clock, and no Ezekiel ! Mr. Crone 
 took the lantern, and went out to the barn. 
 "Ezekiel! Ezekiel!" he shouted, in a sub- 
 dued and tender tone. The cattle yawned 
 and looked amazed that their quiet should 
 be disturbed at such an hour. He looked 
 into the wood-shed, the corn-barn, and re- 
 turned to the kitchen, set down the light, 
 and took his seat on the settle, and looked 
 into the fire. "I was a fool," he mused, 
 "to indulge in such harsh language. The 
 boys are not so much to blame, after all. 
 They have, no encouragement in this house 
 to try to be anybody. It's all their mother's 
 fault ! It wau't my way to scold them, but 
 wife made such a clamor about whipping, that 
 I was driven to scolding. I wont do it again 
 for any woman ! "
 
 A BREEZE AT CKONE'S CORNER. 171 
 
 Eleven o'clock, and no Ezekiel ! Mr. Crone 
 took the lamp, and went to his sleeping-room. 
 He found his wife tossing in bed, in feverish 
 excitement. "Has Ezekiel come?" she in- 
 quired, in a sharp, quick tone. 
 
 " No ! " was the equally sharp and quick 
 reply. 
 
 " Well, Mr. Crone, you needn't be so cross 
 about it. If you'd whipped the boys, as I 
 advised you to do, and been done with it, 
 they would have been asleep this very min- 
 ute, and my life wouldn't have been plagued 
 out of me, as I believe it will be." 
 
 "And they'd been a world better off if I 
 hadn't heard to you, and taken my own way, 
 and let them alone," retorted Mr. Crone. 
 
 "I didn't advise yon to scold them so, and 
 you know it," exclaimed Mrs. Crone. "But 
 then you must blame me, of course, or you'd 
 never live through any trouble." 
 
 Mrs. Crone burst into one of her violent 
 fits of crying, and Mr. Crone returned, with
 
 172 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 the lighted candle, to the kitchen. As he 
 stood a moment and listened upon the stairs, 
 as he passed down, he heard the suppressed 
 sighs of Tom, whose eyes had not closed in 
 sleep. He sat down by the kitchen fire, put 
 on a fresh stick or two, which blazed up 
 cheerfully, but it was only a mockery of his 
 feelings. He crept up to Tom's bed-room, 
 and whispered, tenderly, "Thomas, do you 
 know where your brother has gone?" 
 
 "No, sir," was the reply; and Tom buried 
 his face in the bed-clothes, and sobbed vio- 
 lently. 
 
 Mr. Crone's feelings were almost insuffer- 
 able, and he watched out the weary hours 
 of the night by the kitchen fire. 
 
 With heavy hearts, the Crone family pub- 
 lished among their neighbors the loss of 
 their boy. None had seen or heard from 
 him. As day after day passed, it became 
 the common talk. There were no railroads 
 or telegrams, to spread the alarm, nor to
 
 A BREEZE AT CRONE'S CORNER. 173 
 
 bring in other exciting topics to displace the 
 unpleasant one concerning the missing boy. 
 Tom grieved, as did the other children, but 
 kindly refrained from speaking of Zeke's prov- 
 ocation for running away. Some blamed the 
 boy. "He was a stubborn, willful fellow," 
 said they, "and his departure is no loss to 
 the town. We pity the parents, but hope 
 Zeke will find the world rough enough to 
 bring him to his bearings." 
 
 w I don't blame the poor fellow ! " exclaimed 
 another. "He's been abused from his child- 
 hood. I hope he'll find a good place, and 
 peace, somewhere, for he never had any at 
 home. I hope now the Crones will treat the 
 children which remain decently." 
 
 While people thus flippantly talked, there 
 was real anguish of heart at Crone's Corner. 
 The parents there loved their children, not- 
 withstanding their unwise treatment. The 
 daily petulance had given way to deep-seated 
 grief. They were not understood, and few
 
 174 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 approached them with Christian words suited 
 to their peculiar case. They had sinned. 
 That they knew and felt; and that was what 
 people most remembered when thinking or 
 speaking of them. But they sorrowed deeply 
 for their sin. That was what most of the 
 people did not know, nor appreciate, if it 
 were told them. But One knew. To Him 
 they unburdened their hearts. The family 
 altar became a place of penitent confession 
 and tender entreaty. Little Betsey nestled 
 affectionately up to her mother at such times, 
 and was lovingly caressed. Peace, sweet 
 peace, the "My peace," of the Prince of 
 Peace, came to the family circle, as never 
 before. How strange that the night of their 
 sorrow had brought the noon-day light of 
 Him who came a Light into the world !
 
 CHAPTEE XI. 
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 
 
 CARVER ALDEN was late in reaching home, 
 the afternoon of his interference in behalf 
 of Zeke. Such an occurrence was very un- 
 usual, and as he had not intimated, even to 
 his brother, the occasion of his lingering 
 behind, there was some uneasiness felt con- 
 cerning him. Beside, there was extra work 
 at the barn awaiting him. Where's Carver? 
 had been more than once repeated when he 
 came bounding into the kitchen. 
 
 "Will tell you all about being late home 
 this evening, when the chores are done," 
 he exclaimed to his mother, catching up the 
 milk pail and hurrying to the barn. 
 
 "Very well," said his mother, quietly. She 
 
 176
 
 176 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 had not asked for an explanation, but ex- 
 pected one. Her son knew one was needed, 
 and did not wait to be asked. He did not 
 hesitate to explain, because he knew his 
 explanation would be listened to, and kindly 
 and candidly considered. 
 
 "Carve, did you stop to take Zeke's flog- 
 ging for him ! " said Miles, when they were 
 left alone in the barn. "Hold the lantern 
 so I can see if your eyes are not- red. May- 
 be though, you stayed to take a flogging on 
 your own account, against the blunders you 
 are agoing to make ! Now, Carve, if you 
 did, just have the whipping transferred to 
 my account. I'll do the blundering, and you 
 take the floggings ! Now that's a good fel- 
 low ! " 
 
 "No, I won't!" exclaimed Carver, bringing 
 his foot down with emphasis. "If Mr. Ev- 
 erett settled for all your shortcomings on my 
 back, he would use it up in a week ! But, 
 Miles, you needn't try to be funny. I tell
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 177 
 
 you what, I do pity Zeke and Tom. I should 
 not matter one flogging if they could have 
 a fair chance to go ahead in school for a 
 whole winter. You ought to have seen how 
 desperate Zeke looked to-night ! " 
 
 "Did Mr. Everett flog him though?" in- 
 terposed Miles, with serious concern. 
 
 "No," said Carver, dropping the conversa- 
 tion and starting for the house. 
 
 "I'll bet I see through it all," said Miles 
 to himself; "Carve stopped to beg Zeke off. 
 The Crones did blunder awfully to-day ; and 
 they looked so kind of stupid and discour- 
 aged. I wonder if they ever mean to be 
 anybody ! " 
 
 Miles did not know the history of the 
 morning at Crone's Corner, as related to 
 Carver. His musings were therefore a little 
 hard on those he had tried so much to en- 
 courage. 
 
 John and Patience Alden heard Carver's 
 straight-forward explanation without a word 
 
 12
 
 178 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 of comment. Patience wiped her eyes once 
 with one corner of her checked apron when 
 Zeke's trials were related. When Carver had 
 finished, his father simply said, "Very well, 
 my son," and resumed his reading. The 
 boy saw approval in his parents' faces, and 
 he settled down to his evening studies with 
 a will . 
 
 When the children were all in bed, John 
 Alden said to his wife, musingly, "Patience, 
 I think I must reason with sister Crone. 
 Yes, I must reprove her ! She'll have to 
 answer for the ruin of the boys ! " 
 
 "Perhaps," said Patience, "she is not 
 rightly reported by the boy." 
 
 "That's a wise thought," said her husband. 
 "S'pose they would not thank me for in- 
 terfering. Things do go askew though, there 
 at the Corner." A silence, of some mo- 
 ments followed this remark, which Patience 
 broke by saying in a solemn, feeling tone, 
 "Who hath made us to differ?"
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 179 
 
 When the news of Zeke's departure was 
 fully confirmed, the sorrow at Alden Farm 
 was scarcely less than at Crone's Corner. 
 
 "I'll bet they flogged Zeke for getting 
 home late last night ! " said Carver, with a 
 flush of anger quite unusual with him. The 
 thought that Zeke was flogged after all, was 
 too much for his good temper. 
 
 "I'd like to" he was about to say 
 "flog old Crone, and I'll bet I could do 
 it." But his eye at the moment met that 
 of his mother's, expressing a calm reproof 
 at his heat, and he brought a smile upon 
 her face by saying with a sly twinkle of 
 roguery, "I'd like to yes, convince Mr. 
 and Mrs. Crone that my father and mother's 
 way of managing bad boys is a great sight 
 better than their's." 
 
 It was a week after Zeke left before Tom 
 came to school. It had been a week of 
 weeping at home, but of such kindly words, 
 and loving quiet, as the place had never
 
 180 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 before known. The work had been done 
 with wonderful promptness. The hours about 
 the evening lamp had been productive, not- 
 withstanding heaviness of heart, of more work 
 of the fingers and improvement of mind than 
 at former times. Affliction proved a better 
 condition for both, than the excitement of 
 ill tempers. So Tom showed a preparation 
 for his recitations which surprised the whole 
 school. The Alden boys were watchful for 
 opportunities to soothe his spirits and stim- 
 ulate his zeal. The evident special attention 
 towards him of the teacher, excited no jeal- 
 ousy. The taunts of the scholars directed 
 against Crone's Corner, had ceased, with the 
 exception of those of one boy. His persis- 
 tent bitterness against the Crones requires 
 a passing notice, especially in view of its 
 cause and results. 
 
 His name was Fred Organ. He lived three 
 miles from the town, on an out-of-the-way 
 farm. His mother was a cousin to Mrs.
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 181 
 
 Ezekiel Crone. But somehow, as will un- 
 accountably occur at times, among relatives, 
 there had existed for many years a most 
 bitter feud between the Organs and the 
 Crones. They had watched for each others' 
 haltings. They exchanged no friendly family 
 visits. If any of the members met, it was 
 in the most cold and formal manner. The 
 Organs were not professed Christians, and 
 they made the Crones the occasion of many 
 a pharisaical sneer at the church. Now that 
 Zeke had gone, nobody seemed to know 
 where, they were afforded what was to them 
 a rich topic of discourse. "I told you so," 
 said Mrs. Organ. "God always punishes 
 such bad family government, and such cruel- 
 ty to their children, as there have always 
 been at the Crone's. For my part, I'm no 
 member of the church, but I do try to have 
 my children behave decently. As to Zeke, 
 I'm glad he's gone. He never did have any 
 peace, poor fellow, and I hope he'll fall into
 
 182 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 good bauds. I shouldn't wonder though if 
 he had gone to sea ! If so, he will catch 
 a rope's end pretty often I'll be bound, and 
 it "will be a long time, if ever, before the 
 Crones will hear from him. But it's good 
 enough for them." 
 
 The Crones heard of the reproaches which 
 their relatives cast upon them. But their 
 hearts were humbled. They could forgive 
 no\v. They even made advances towards a 
 restoration of fellowship, but it was scorned. 
 
 So it naturally occurred that Fred Organ 
 stood out, among his school fellows, in his 
 persecution of Thomas Crone. 
 
 The weeks passed on. The winter had 
 assumed its sternest force. The cold was at 
 times intense. Yet Tom was always at 
 school, and in season. One morning, the 
 children awoke, and peered as well as they 
 could out of the frost covered windows, and 
 saw the drifted snow higher than the tops 
 of the fences. The storm had been in a
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 183 
 
 merry mood. Here it filled a door yard, 
 blocking up the door, with a towering heap 
 
 * 
 
 which reached nearly to the eaves of the 
 house. Then it swept a clean path, laying 
 bare the frozen sods and graveled walks. 
 Now it shut the cattle up in the barns, as 
 much as to say, It will not be for your 
 health to leave your stalls. Then it just 
 shook a barn door, to let the inmates know 
 it was round, and passed by with its freight 
 of snow, as if to say, You, cattle and horses, 
 you had better walk out and see what's 
 agoing on. There's no snow in your way. 
 Mr. Everett, the teacher, looked out, and 
 remarked, " A small number at school to- 
 day ! A few living near will be there, and 
 two boys from a distance those of Aldeu 
 Farm. Well, I must make it pay them 
 well to come." Mr. Everett was like a sen- 
 sible . preacher who said he tried to preach 
 his best sermons to the stormy day hearers. 
 He went to his trunk, took out some blocks,
 
 184 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 then novel articles to explain some of the 
 rules in Arithmetic. He took down a choice 
 map which hung against the room wall, 
 rolled it up, and put it under his arm. He 
 also took along a rare Work detailing some 
 of the incidents of the American revolution, 
 which every family could not get access to, 
 as all can now. Thus armed he waded 
 through the snow to the school-house. The 
 faithful fire-builder of that week for the 
 larger boys took turns in building the fire 
 and sweeping the school-room had made 
 the fire early, and the school-room fire-place 
 glowed with its blazing sticks, and slowly 
 burning back-log. The two Alden boys were 
 already there when the teacher arrived. 
 Soon, Thomas Crone came stamping into the 
 entry. His face was ruddy with the ex- 
 ertion of wading through the drifts, and 
 facing the still blustering wind. 
 
 "Well done, Thomas!" exclaimed the 
 teacher, greeting him at the door. The few
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 185 
 
 scholars gathered round him, one pulliug off 
 his frozen mittens, another taking his snowy 
 cap which had been pulled down over his 
 ears, and a third brushing the snow from 
 his frock. The teacher invited the boys 
 about a dozen of them to take a bench and 
 draw up round the fire, placing his chair, at 
 the same time, in one corner so as to face 
 them all. After the devotional exercises, 
 which seemed to the boys, more solemn 
 than usual, the teacher proposed, much to 
 the satisfaction of his scholars, to have what 
 he called an "explaining session." He com- 
 menced with some of the most difficult por- 
 tions which had been gone over by the first 
 class of Colburu. He encouraged familiar 
 conversation concerning the questions. The 
 eyes of the boys fairly snapped with delight. 
 They looked at each other with knowing 
 nods, as if to say, Don't you see that? It's 
 as clear as a whistle ! 
 
 The blocks came next. They were inclined
 
 186 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 to laugh at them. They had seen the babies 
 play with blocks, and they could not see 
 any other use for them. But when those 
 who had been blindly following the rule in 
 "Daboll's Arithmetic," on the square and 
 cube root, saw the teacher's arrangement of 
 his prettily finished pieces of wood, they 
 jumped from their old backless, hard seats, 
 and gathered about the teacher in an unre- 
 strained expression of pleasure. 
 
 Next came the reading of "Incidents of 
 the Revolutionary War." First, Mr. Ever- 
 ett read, and then passed the book to the 
 best reader among the boys. The story was 
 freely discussed, and the teacher, at the same 
 time, made suggestions to improve the man- 
 ner of reading. So the book went round. 
 The boys were getting a stimulus to their 
 taste for historical reading, and were learn- 
 ing too some important facts concerning the 
 struggle of our fathers in throwing off a 
 foreign government. But most of all, they
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 187 
 
 were getting a healthful inspiration to study, 
 the mainspring of all good scholarship. 
 
 "Boys," said the teacher, taking out his 
 watch, and looking at it with surprise, "it 
 is one o'clock, and you have had no recess, 
 and no intermission for dinner." 
 
 "Why, Mr. Everett," exclaimed several 
 voices at once, " you must be mistaken ! It 
 don't seem ten o'clock." 
 
 A half hour was spent in eating their 
 lunch, while the boys, at the same time dis- 
 cussed the experience of the day thus far. 
 
 "It was pretty tough, boys, wading the 
 snow this morning," said Carver, "and, 
 whew ! how it comes against the window ! 
 it will be tougher, I reckon, going home." 
 
 "Yes," said Thomas Crone, "it was tough. 
 But I'm glad I came." 
 
 ""NVau't Mr. Everett splendid?" whispered 
 Miles. "I'll bet I can beat father in Col- 
 burn now ! " 
 
 "I'm going to be a soldier, when I grow
 
 188 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 up, and fight the British ! " said the young- 
 est boy of the group, Willie True, whose 
 home was within a few moments' walk of 
 the school house. 
 
 The fine spirits of the boys grew more 
 intense as the teacher piled on the wood, 
 and the storm without sung more and more 
 uproarously its warning to those away from 
 their own snug homes. 
 
 "We will have a spelling match, and go 
 home," said the teacher, endeavoring to 
 scratch the frost upon the window-pane, to 
 look out upon the tempestuous scene. 
 
 " It will be too soon to go ! " exclaimed 
 Miles. 
 
 "I guess not," said the teacher, as a heavy 
 gust of wind shook the very foundation of 
 the school-house. 
 
 The trial of spelling was an exciting fea- 
 ture in most of New England schools of a 
 former generation. There were no girls 
 present at this trial, so the interest was less
 
 THE WINTEK SCHOOL. 189 
 
 exciting. It is reported, in the accounts of 
 these merry but profitable contests, that the 
 girls beat the boys, "out of sight in a pair 
 of minutes." If so our present champions 
 were saved the mortification of such humil- 
 iating defeat. It may have seemed strange 
 to the teacher on this occasion, but it turned, 
 out that the little William True carried off 
 the greenest laurels ; while the representa- 
 tive present of the Crones of Crone's Corner, 
 came in next in the race, and quite near 
 the victor. Spelling was the weak point 
 in the scholarship of the Aldens. When 
 hard study was required, or close and clear 
 thinking, they were the leaders. In matters 
 of memory they faltered. 
 
 " Good on Willie True, Esq. ! " exclaimed 
 Miles, when the school was dismissed ; " he's 
 a smasher at spelling. I am glad the girls 
 wan't here to beat him ! " 
 
 "Hurrah for Crone's Corner, which has 
 beat Alden Farm ! " generously shouted Car-
 
 190 THE LUCK OF ALUEN FAKM. 
 
 ver. "Guess Miles and I will have to study 
 up on the speller. But a plague take it, 
 I'd rather study two Colburns and a Daboll, 
 with Murray's Grammar thrown it ! " 
 
 The countenance of Thomas Crone, which 
 had worn for weeks a sad cast, lighted up 
 with a momentary flush of joy. But it set- 
 tled down into its customary shade of de- 
 spondency as he buttoned up his coat, tied 
 his comforter about his neck, pulled his cap 
 down over his ears, and thought how Zeke 
 and he had waded together, at other times, 
 through such drifting snow. He was just 
 about to say, "Good bye, boys," and "here 
 goes ! " when his father appeared in the 
 school yard. "I was afraid, my son," he 
 said, approaching Tom with a smile, "that 
 you would get stuck in the snow. It's aw- 
 ful deep, and the wind cuts like a knife. 
 Your mother would have me come. I would 
 have harnessed up, only old AVhite Hoofs 
 never could have got through these drifts."
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 191 
 
 He then took Tom's hand and turned a res- 
 olute face to the storm. 
 
 "Was that old Zeke Crone?" said Carver, 
 in a quiet tone. "That's not the way he 
 used to meet the boys ! " 
 
 Mrs. Crone had gone herself to the barn, 
 and finished the chores which her husband 
 was at work upon when she suggested that 
 he go to meet Tom. "My boy," she most 
 always called him "my boy" now "shall 
 have nothing to do," she said, musingly, "but 
 to eat his supper and set down to his les- 
 sons." Her table was spread in her best 
 style. The fire in the huge old fire-place 
 fairly roared defiance to the storm king out- 
 side, and smiled warmly to his patrons with- 
 in. Jane put her spelliug book under her 
 arm, to be ready to show Tom what won- 
 derful progress she had made during the day, 
 and little Betsey stowed herself away under 
 the table to "scare him," when he approached 
 the fire. There were no chidings now for
 
 192 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 these childish airs. The mother having as- 
 sured herself that everything was upon the 
 table, or "at the fire warming," for the sup- 
 per, went frequently to the window, to 
 endeavor to peer through the wintry at- 
 mosphere to get a sight of Tom and his 
 father. But twilight had set in, and night 
 was hastening on, although, as she said, 
 it seemed only the middle of the after- 
 noon. 
 
 Soon a cheerful shout from Tom announced 
 their coming. The mother and the sisters 
 flew to the door. "It's a glorious old 
 storm ! " he shouted, stamping vigorously, 
 and throwing off his hat. His mother un- 
 loosed his comforter, helped him off with 
 his coat, uttering, at the same time, hearty 
 words of welcome. But a tear at the -same 
 time fell from her face. There was but one 
 boy, she remembered, to welcome home. 
 
 "I'll finish the chores," said Mr. Crone, 
 "and soon be in to supper."
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 193 
 
 "And I will help you, father," said Tom. 
 "I haven't taken off my boots." 
 
 "I wouldn't go, either of you, out into this 
 storm again," said Mrs. Crone. 
 
 "Why," replied Mr. Crone, "I shouldn't 
 sleep to-night if old Brindle wan't milked, 
 and the young stock hadn't the rest of their 
 supper pushed up to them." 
 
 "Nor I either," replied his wife, archly. 
 
 Ezekiel at once read the explanation in 
 his wife's pleasant face. "It was kind in 
 you, Jerusha," he said, as they all drew 
 around the inviting table. "It is pleasanter 
 to sit down here than to go into the barn 
 through the storm." 
 
 The supper being finished, the usual family 
 prayer was offered. When the father re- 
 quested of Him to watch over their lost one, 
 his voice trembled more than usual, and the 
 suppressed sobs were heard from every kneel- 
 ing member of the family ; and when he 
 added, "Give him repentance unto life, and 
 
 13
 
 194 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 forgive us all our parental errors towards 
 him," there came from the mother a scarcely 
 audible, but deeply felt " amen ! " 
 
 Tom had related at the table, with great 
 animation, his success in the spelling class. 
 "Why, mother!" he exclaimed, exultingly, "I 
 beat both the Alden boys ! " 
 
 "And so, of course, you beat all the schol- 
 ars who were present," said his mother, with 
 evident satisfaction. 
 
 "No," replied Tom, frankly, "Willie True 
 beat me ! " 
 
 All laughed at this, and agreed it would 
 do very well for Willie to beat Tom if he 
 could beat all others. 
 
 Jane and Betsey had kissed father and 
 mother and brother, and said their "good 
 night," and their prayers, and were fast 
 asleep. Tom lifted up his eyes from his 
 lesson, in which he had been quite absorbed, 
 and observed the pleasant light which the 
 fire and the candles threw over the room,
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 195 
 
 and the quiet and loving, though sad coun- 
 tenances of his parents. 
 
 "If Zeke were here, how we could study 
 now ! " he thought, and in the depth of his 
 emotion, almost said aloud. But he sadly 
 reflected that it was not so when his brother 
 was at home, and the Spirit of God whis- 
 pered in his heart that this separation and 
 its consequent sorrow was a part of the "all 
 things " which " work together for good " to 
 the trusting heart. He turned again to his 
 lessons with a freer spirit. 
 
 The school term was fast drawing to a 
 close. The spring, as its inspiring breath 
 toned down the chilly atmosphere of winter, 
 called upon all the young men of those days 
 to exchange the school-room for the barn, 
 and books for the plough and the hoe. The 
 committee were expected to visit the school, 
 to show their learning, and incidentally to 
 ascertain how much, or rather how little, the 
 children and young people knew by com-
 
 196 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 parisou. Those scholars who were conscious 
 of having well spent the winter's privileges, 
 looked forward to their coming with pleasure. 
 The drones were already planning to find an 
 excuse for staying away. The recitations 
 were becoming exciting, for they were re- 
 views, and Mr. Everett was evidently drill- 
 ing his little army for the inspection of the 
 review officers. In these daily general ex- 
 aminations, Fred Organ, the relative and 
 persecutor of Thomas Crone, was dropping 
 down towards the foot of his class. His 
 temper, never amiable, was becoming heated 
 with shame and envy. Just at this point 
 of his school trials, Thomas spelt a word 
 which he had missed, and passed above him. 
 This was not all. The hated Crone was 
 becoming the respected boy and scholar, 
 gradually advancing in all his classes, and 
 gaining daily upon the confidence of his 
 teacher and schoolmates. More than once, 
 Mr. Everett had said to himself, "I'm glad
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 197 
 
 I did not flog Zekc thanks to Carver." 
 Fred saw and felt all this, and it was as a 
 thorn in his flesh. He wanted to "spite" 
 Tom some way, though if asked for the rea- 
 son, he probably could have given none better 
 than that given by children often for their 
 acts, "because I wanted to." Fred wanted 
 to spite Tom, so when Tom was running 
 swiftly in play at recess around the corner 
 of the school-house, Fred put out his foot 
 and tripped him up. The fall was a heavy 
 one, and as the boy struck the frozen ground, 
 a serious gash was cut in his head, his hands 
 were torn by his effort to break the fall, and 
 his knees were badly bruised. He was taken 
 up bleeding and groaning, and carried into 
 the school-house, the object of the sympathy 
 of all, while a cloud of angry countenances 
 lowered over Fred. 
 
 "I didn't go to do it," whimpered Fred, 
 beginning to be alarmed at what he had 
 done.
 
 198 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 " You did ! You did it a-purpose. I saw 
 you ! " exclaimed Willie True. 
 
 " I wish the law required me to whip 
 Fred ; because I would discharge my duty 
 so faithfully ! " said Miles Alden, as the boys 
 were rushing into the school room at the call 
 of the bell. 
 
 "The law of God, Miles?" inquired Car- 
 ver. "But it don't: now straighten out your 
 
 V 
 
 fist, and don't go to acting the bully ! Fred 
 will catch something worse than your mos- 
 quito bites." 
 
 Miles nodded assent, as he blushed and 
 fell back upon his mother's saying, t; Hot 
 tempers make bitter repentance." 
 
 The incident broke up the remaining hour 
 of the session, and the children were dis- 
 missed early, carrying, as they scattered 
 through the district, a fresh and eagerly im- 
 proved topic of gossip. Thomas was carried 
 home, and was found more frightened than 
 seriously injured. The flesh wound in the
 
 THE WINTER SCHOOL. 199 
 
 head, and the bruises upon his hands and 
 knees were soon healed by good care on the 
 part of his mother. There was no blaming 
 now the bad luck of Crone's Corner. The 
 unusual sympathy on the part of the neigh- 
 bors surprised the Crone family. The inci- 
 dent soon grew, in their estimation, into a 
 cause of gratitude a cloud tinged with a 
 golden sunrising, as it brought out a grow- 
 ing respect for them and their boy.
 
 CHAPTER XH. 
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 
 
 EXAMINATION DAY came at last. Mr. Cur- 
 tis, the minister, was there, the most deeply 
 interested of all the committee, because the 
 most appreciative of what had been done by 
 the faithful teacher. Deacon Turner sat near 
 to, and leaned upon the judgment of his 
 pastor in matters of learning. Squire True 
 was more independent, and was only a little 
 jealous of any departure from the old paths. 
 Dr. Burt looked through and over his spec-, 
 tacles with awful gravity. His wisdom was 
 that of an owl in an ivy bush. Old Deacon 
 Prime was there, in a seat of honor due his 
 age and sacred office. He was not of the 
 committee, but with them that is, if they 
 200
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 201 
 
 scolded the boys, solemnly lectured the girls, 
 commended what was old, and scouted that 
 which was new. He was called upon to 
 make a prayer at the opening of the exer- 
 cises, and he did so, under a solemn sense 
 of the responsibility of giving thereby the 
 true key-note to them. He remembered to 
 implore pardon for the great waywardness of 
 all children at the present time. He told 
 God, with great emphasis, that Eli's sin was 
 never so prevalent as now. He asked that 
 the committee might have moral courage to 
 do all their duty, and rise above a slavish 
 and sinful fear of man; by which he was 
 uncharitably understood to mean that the 
 committee should condemn everybody in gen- 
 eral, and all young people in particular, ex- 
 cept the chosen few whom Deacon Prime 
 represented, and with whom the wisdom of 
 the town was expected to die. 
 
 The exercises commenced with reading. 
 Some humorous pieces were read, in which
 
 202 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Mr. Everett bad taken great pains to secure 
 in his pupils, a natural expression, and a just 
 modulation of the voice. Deacon Turner's 
 daughter, Martha, and Miles Aldeu, entered 
 into this kind of reading with spirit. It was 
 a little in the line of their exhuberant love 
 of fun. The teacher, with an excusable weak- 
 ness, showed them off by giving them each 
 a select piece, of this character, from his 
 own library. For a moment or two the 
 solemn gravity, for which* such occasions had 
 been noted both before and since the fathers 
 had fallen asleep, was broken down. Mr. 
 Curtis and Deacon Turner smiled, Squire 
 True was not seen to scowl, and so the 
 school and the greater part felt at full lib- 
 erty to laugh, which they did, much to their 
 satisfaction. John Alden sat, fortunately, in 
 a corner, a little out of sight from Deacon 
 Prime's seat, for he laughed until his face 
 fairly glowed. 
 
 "This is truly awful trifling," whispered 
 Deacon Prime to Doctor Burt.
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 203 
 
 "It is," said the doctor, "and something 
 must be done about it." 
 
 Next came an examination in the innocent 
 but mischief-making little book, "Colburn's 
 First Lessons in Arithmetic." 
 
 "Tut! tut!" said Deacon Prime, reading 
 the first few questions, "what have we here?" 
 
 This was said in an undertone to Dr. Burt, 
 who replied, "It's one of the new teacher's 
 follies. It's got no Kule of Three in it ! " 
 
 Both looked very solemn during the ex- 
 amination, which was very spirited, giving 
 earnest of the revolution in our schools in 
 tho method of teaching Arithmetic, which this 
 text-book has effected. Mr. Curtis was de- 
 lighted. Deacon Turner had given it a suffi- 
 cient examination to see its great value. 
 Squire True looked puzzled, and was dis- 
 posed to keep his opinion of this part of 
 the examination to himself. But John Alden 
 held a copy of the book in his hand, and 
 seemed entirely absorbed in the way the 
 scholars answered the questions.
 
 204 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 But we will turn our attention to a few 
 of the scholars. There was the minister's 
 daughter Jane, who showed not only her 
 own diligence and good sense in her studies, 
 but her parents' promptings in them. She 
 was quiet, ready, and self-possessed. Mar- 
 tha Turner's eye meant fun all through the 
 examination, though she was a deacon's 
 daughter. But she did not discredit her 
 father's sacred position in the church. She 
 never made fun at the cost of a schoolmate's 
 good name, or sensitive feelings. It was a 
 pleasantry which lifted many a desponding 
 one over a hard place. It was a sunbeam 
 often to a darkened spirit. Her wit, which 
 was keen, was always indulged in behalf of 
 the weakest party in a dispute. She had 
 been the uniform friend of the Crones, and 
 when Zeke disappeared from the school, his 
 home and the town, she wept like a child. 
 She made the scholars slyly laugh when she 
 looked at the sombre faces of Dr. Burt and
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 205 
 
 Deacon Prime. The doctor was positively 
 vexed to meet the mischievous glance of her 
 eye. He would have tried to trip her up 
 in her recitations, but he felt that the 
 experiment would be dangerous. Deacon 
 Prime thought, when he looked at her, that 
 it was plain that his Brother Turner did not 
 make a sufficient use of the rod in his pa- 
 rental government; but the scholars, espe- 
 cially the little ones in the profound study 
 of the Primer, thought that she was "just 
 as good as she could be," and one little 
 "Tot" declared, with great solemnity, that 
 it was his opinion " Mattie Turner was one 
 of God's angels run away from heaven to 
 come to their school." What the larger 
 boys thought they were not so free to say. 
 Carver and Miles Alden passed the ex- 
 amination like boys who had studied and 
 thought, without having any ability to shine. 
 They looked self-relying and happy. But 
 the scholar towards whom all eyes were di-
 
 206 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 reeled, was Thomas Crone. His head was 
 still bandaged, which, with his lonely look 
 without Zeke, excited sympathy. Then there 
 was so evident a determination to struggle 
 out of the low position in school which the 
 Crones had occupied, and so much in his 
 countenance which seemed to confess his 
 present inferiority, that every right-minded 
 looker-on wished him success. It was evi- 
 dent too, that the teacher was ready to give 
 him every fair means of appearing well ; 
 indeed, it was plain that he slightly petted 
 him. The spelling match was the last ex- 
 ercise before the committee. Nearly the 
 whole school was arranged around the sides 
 of the school-house, and across the front 
 seats. It was an exciting time for children 
 and the parents who were looking on. Even 
 the Alden boys looked just a little anxious 
 for the result. They had stood the fairest 
 and most thorough test of good improvement 
 in all their recitations thus far. The spell-
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 207 
 
 ing book had been studied by them care- 
 fully, their mother, who knew their weakness 
 in this study, having prompted them often 
 by her sensible remarks of its importance. 
 Still, somehow, spelling slips from some 
 minds, as money does from a spendthrift's 
 fingers. It seemed to do so at times from 
 Miles and Carver. "Yet," said Miles, "we'll 
 spike the words into our noddles, won't we, 
 Carver?" And they had, by dint of hard 
 study, " spiked them in." So they appeared 
 in the hour of trial, before the august com- 
 mittee, with only a little perturbation, just 
 enough to aid rather than disturb their mem- 
 ories. 
 
 Martha Turner's face, as she stood in the 
 class, waiting for the coming conflict, was 
 wreathed in smiles. It seemed to say, "I 
 will enjoy somebody's success, if not my 
 own." 
 
 Thomas Crone never looked more intelli- 
 gent and attractive. His usually dull coun-
 
 208 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 tenauce was animated. He stood erect, the 
 conscious equal here, of the majority of the 
 school. 
 
 Dr. Burt commenced the examination by 
 giving out words of 
 
 " Learned length and thundering sound." 
 
 The class had learned that such words are 
 not the hardest to spell. The words went 
 round, and only one scholar sat down, he 
 having just tripped a little, when the stern 
 voice of the doctor growled, " Sit down, sir." 
 He gave the Speller to Deacon Prime, who 
 prefaced his part of the exercises by some 
 grave remarks on the great neglect, now-a- 
 days, of spelling, while so much time was 
 given to "light reading," and trifling little 
 books like the new "Kethmetic." He then 
 gave out words, over which he first paused, 
 spelling them out himself. Two more failed, 
 and were sent, with a solemn admonition, to 
 their seats. "When he put the word to Mat-
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 209 
 
 tie Turner, she paused, just a moment, as 
 if hesitating about the spelling. But it was 
 like the pause of a racer who feels sure of 
 winning the race. She fixed, the while, her 
 quizzical eyes on the deacon, until every 
 scholar was ready to laugh outright. He 
 felt the joke, and was provoked, but the 
 shot that annoyed him was from a masked 
 battery, and he dared not move. He was 
 about to say "the next," when Mattie spelt 
 the word so glibly, and with such force and 
 distinctness, that every syllable shot through 
 him. He passed his book to Squire True, 
 and sat down, feeling like a man who has 
 been thrown in a wrestling match. 
 
 The squire was coldly fair, gave the class 
 a rather easy word round, and called upon 
 Deacon Turner. The class at once relaxed 
 from their stiff attitude, into an easy posi- 
 tion, as in the presence of a friend. Sym- 
 pathy is electrical. It is not seen but felt; 
 nor can one always tell whence it comes or 
 
 u
 
 210 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 whither it goes ; yet its presence can no 
 more be mistaken than can the presence of 
 sunshine. So the class were at once in the 
 most cordial sympathy with their examiner. 
 It was as if one of their own number asked 
 the questions. The words given out were 
 harder to spell than any before given, yet 
 none missed. 
 
 Mr. Curtis was now expected to put words 
 to the class, until all but one should have 
 missed and set down, and he brought the 
 trial to a speedy close, by giving them short 
 words in common use, which sound alike, 
 but have a different spelling and meaning. 
 
 Thomas Crone stood with the four last 
 the others were Martha Turner and the Al- 
 dens. The first cloud which had been seen 
 on Mattie's face, lingered there for a moment 
 when Thomas tripped and sat down. She 
 declared afterwards, that if Tom had beat 
 the Aldens, she would have spelt the next 
 word wrong on purpose. But she tried her
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 211 
 
 best to beat Carver and Miles, and she did 
 it. 
 
 Now came the "remarks." It was already 
 late. The little ones lolled wearily from side 
 to side. Mr. Curtis spoke a few words of 
 discriminating praise. He commended the 
 labors of the teacher, "as faithful, thorough 
 and progressive." Deacon Turner thanked 
 God that he was permitted to see his chil- 
 dren enjoy privileges so greatly in advance 
 of those he had received. The squire said 
 that all had done "very tolerably well." 
 
 "Be faithful, Brother Burt," whispered 
 Deacon Prime. "My infirmities won't let 
 me speak." 
 
 The doctor rose with great solemnity. It 
 seemed to the children to grow suddenly 
 darker in the school-room, when he stood 
 erect. "I have," he remarked, "a duty to 
 do, which I dare not evade, though it is 
 painful to the flesh." 
 
 Deacon Prime nodded assent, and actually 
 smiled.
 
 212 THE LUCK OF ALDEN- FAEM. 
 
 "There has been great levity in the school- 
 room to-day. And it pains me to be obliged 
 to say that this was encouraged at the very 
 commencement of our exercises, by your 
 teacher, in the kind of reading lessons given 
 to the scholars." 
 
 The doctor looked over his glasses, right 
 at the young teacher. Deacon Prime groaned 
 audibly. Mr. Everett had taken his chair 
 at the commencement of the addresses, and, 
 very accidently of course, placed it against 
 the end of the seat in which Mattie Turner 
 sat. "When the doctor uttered his reproof to 
 the teacher, she leaned forward before him, 
 so that her eyes took the range of the doc- 
 tor's, and screened in part those of her loved 
 instructor's. The scholars, in turning inthe 
 direction of the speaker's withering gaze, 
 caught Mattie's bewitching glance. Te every 
 boy and girl of them, her eyes exclaimed, 
 right in the doctor's /ace, "Oh, fudge !" There 
 was a twitter all over the house. The van-
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 213 
 
 quished doctor sat down in confusion. Dea- 
 con Prime groaned again, louder than before. 
 An old lady who sat near him, not quite 
 comprehending the situation, but seeing the 
 deacon clasp his hands together and roll up 
 his eyes as if in pain, leaned forward and 
 whispered, "Lor sakes, deacon, what's the 
 matter? Are you sick?" 
 
 Mr. Curtis arose just at this moment. He 
 said he was aware that the session had been 
 a long one, and that it was now late. "But," 
 he continued, "there is one warm friend to 
 our children, who is deeply interested in their 
 improvement. You will all be pleased to 
 hear from him. Brother Alden will make 
 some remarks." 
 
 The uneasy rustling at once ceased. The 
 eyes of the little ones sparkled with delight 
 at the sight of him, as he came forward from 
 the corner in which but few had noticed him. 
 The teacher came forward nearer to the 
 speaker. Thomas Crone's sad countenance
 
 214 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 lighted up, as does that of a stranger when 
 unexpectedly meeting an old friend. Dr. 
 Burt tried to look indifferent concerning what 
 a rough, uneducated farmer might say, but 
 he could not forget, and he would not for- 
 give, the humiliation inflicted upon him when 
 he went to Alden Farm to teach its propri- 
 etor the true doctrine of temperance. So he 
 tried not to care what he might say, but his 
 restless eye, uneasy hands and nervous mov- 
 ing about, betrayed him. 
 
 "My friends," said Alden, speaking with 
 honest directness and force, W I have experi- 
 enced a loss by this school this winter." He 
 paused, stood erect, and looked coolly at the 
 dignified committee. The teacher and schol- 
 ars seemed a little puzzled, but felt assured 
 Mr. Alden would come out on their side. 
 Deacon Prime hastily inferred he was coming 
 out on the side of the croakers. He whis- 
 pered, leaning forward and directing his re- 
 mark to Alden, "You mean, Brother Alden,
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 215 
 
 that your children have experienced a loss 
 by the school." 
 
 "No sir" thundered Alden, .with a look 
 which wilted the deacon. "/ have lost by 
 the school ! I have lost my prejudice against 
 a young teacher, who has proved that his 
 head is well informed, and his heart in 
 the right place. I have lost my prejudice 
 against new books for our children to study. 
 The new Arithmetic has woke up my young- 
 sters' faculty of reckoning amazingly. It 
 has put thinking and study into them. We 
 have had Arithmetic questions at Alden Farm 
 for breakfast, dinner, and supper." 
 
 The scholars laughed, the teacher and min- 
 ister smiled, Deacon Prime sighed, and the 
 doctor scowled. 
 
 "I have lost still more," continued Alden. 
 "I have lost the chopping of full a cord 
 of wood ! My boys were a little more 
 interested in school than work, though 
 they have worked with a will, and I have
 
 216 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 caught the study fever, and it has cost me, 
 friends, the chopping of a whole cord of 
 wood ! " 
 
 John Alden screwed his mouth round into 
 such a funny pucker when he said this, and 
 looked at Deacon Prime with such a com- 
 ical air, that the whole school laughed out- 
 right. The deacon rested his elbow upon his 
 knee, his chin upon the palm of his hand, 
 and sighed. He did not look up, but his 
 ears took in the painful sounds of levity. 
 Dr. Burt was not so meek. He held up his 
 head and looked fight. He was just about 
 to be rash enough to reprove the school and 
 the offending speaker, when Mr. Alden pro- 
 ceeded. "But I have received in place of 
 the labor of chopping a cord of wood, more 
 knowledge of Arithmetic than I ever had be- 
 fore. My boys have liad excited in them a 
 thirst for study and learning, that I esteem 
 of more value than my whole farm. It's my 
 opinion that a new era has commenced in the
 
 THE EXAMINATION. 217 
 
 history of our school, from which shall date 
 greater progress by our children in useful 
 knowledge than ever before. My losses, 
 then, friends, have been great gain. I hope 
 we shall go on losing and gaining in this 
 way for years to come." 
 
 Thus closed the winter term of the school. 
 The scholars gathered about their teacher 
 uttering their "good bye" with a cordial and 
 sincere interest. "I thank you, Mr. Ever- 
 ett, for being so kind to me," said Thomas 
 Crone, timidly. "I shall try to be some- 
 body!" 
 
 No farewell word fell on the teacher's ear 
 more gratefully. It was the hopeful word 
 of an oppressed heart struggling upward 
 under the warming beams of his Christian 
 kindness. 
 
 For weeks after the close of the school, 
 every household of the town took up the 
 subject of " our school." The evident im-
 
 218 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 proved interest of the children in all school 
 studies silenced all disparagements. John 
 Alden's speech was another hit of his good 
 luck. His influence for good was never 
 greater.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 PATTY VOSE. 
 
 AMONG those who were vexed at the al- 
 tered spirit at Crone's Corner, and who found 
 some way to account for it without allowing 
 any improvement, were the Organs. "Crones 
 will be Crones still," said Mrs. Organ. "It's 
 all outside washing; they are the same old 
 hard folks at home, I'll warrant." 
 
 But the evident improvement in Tom, and 
 the different bearing of his parents , towards 
 him, which was apparent in so many ways, 
 were opposed to her assumptions. But this 
 only made her the more clamorous. She 
 was provoked too that her Fred had fallen 
 behind Tom in his classes, and was gener- 
 ally very much blamed for his bruised head, 
 
 219
 
 220 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 though she stoutly contended that Tom's fall 
 was an accident. It began to be noticed 
 that the more sympathy the people of the 
 parish manifested for the Crone's, the more 
 bitter and loud were the Organs in decrying 
 them. If Zeke was named, and pity was 
 expressed for his parents, Mrs. Organ grew 
 red in the face with excitement. Her words 
 of denunciation at such times, of their treat- 
 ment of the missing boy, whom she called 
 "poor fellow," knew no bounds. 
 
 Among those who greatly rejoiced at the 
 hopeful look at the Corner, and the history 
 during the winter, of the school, was Martha 
 Yose known as Patty, whom we met at 
 the Alden Farm husking. Her dwarfed body 
 and shriveled limbs grew neither stronger 
 nor larger. But her mind had caught fresh 
 vigor from the labors of fhe young teacher. 
 He had visited her often, and through his 
 occasional help she had thoroughly learned 
 Cohburn's Arithmetic. It would not have
 
 PATTY VOSE. 221 
 
 done for the croakers against the school to 
 come within Patty's reach. Gifted with a 
 fine flow of language, perfect self-command, 
 and a Christian spirit which grew daily more 
 Christ-like, she disarmed her opponents of 
 all prejudice against what she had to say, 
 and then stated and urged her case with 
 melting power. Thomas Crone had just 
 begun to find in her an ever ready helper 
 of all his manly efforts of self-elevation. 
 Patty's home was an humble, but comfort- 
 able one. She was the only child of a 
 widowed mother, who owned the house. A 
 barn, a garden, a small orchard, and a few 
 acres of land, belonged to the place. These 
 last the widow Vose had sometimes let, or 
 otherwise turned to profit as best she could. 
 Patty took in sewing for the neighbors, and 
 her mother was an ever ready helper of 
 the sick of wealthier families, by which a 
 comfortable income was secured. So the 
 two lived for and in each other, in frugal
 
 222 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAKM. 
 
 independence, owing no man and envying 
 none. Charitable offerings did not often 
 enter, but frequently went from their home. 
 But above these they had a priceless treasure 
 to bestow which made many rich. They 
 bestowed, by example in holy living, by 
 a Christian spirit which breathed in their 
 words and acts, and by a divinely inspired 
 wisdom which distilled as the dew, treasures 
 of grace. Those seeking to know Christ 
 found in them apt teachers. The burdened 
 in heart often went away casting all their 
 care on the great Helper. The desponding 
 were cheered, as much by the atmosphere 
 they breathed at " Hope Cottage," as by 
 the words which were spoken. All classes 
 of people, who loved the atmosphere of a 
 Christian home sought Hope Cottage. Gos- 
 sipers avoided it, for it became well under- 
 stood that for them no listening ears were 
 there. Mere idlers did not go, for Patty 
 was always busy except when there was 
 good to be done.
 
 PATTY VO8E. 223 
 
 "Patience," said John Alden to his wife, 
 soon after the school had closed, "what a 
 spirit of study does possess our boys ! I 
 overheard Carver and Miles, as they were 
 shelling corn this forenoon, .talking over their 
 plans ; Miles said he was a-going to be a 
 great statesman, for Mr. Everett said a boy 
 could make himself,- by hard work and an 
 honest heart, about what he pleased. Car- 
 ver said he hadn't made up his mind what 
 he should be, but, 'maybe a minister.' 
 They seemed very serious in their talk, and 
 hinted at plans for study during the summer. 
 Now, Patience, I kind of hate to keep them 
 to work all summer on the farm. Maybe 
 their relish for books will die out over the 
 planting, hoeing, haying and harvesting." 
 
 " I've been thinking of that myself," said 
 Patience, in her peculiarly quiet, thoughtful 
 way. " I have a plan in my mind," she 
 added, without emotion, and without taking 
 her eyes from her work.
 
 224 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 "There, Patience!" exclaimed John, with 
 animation, "you are always getting ahead 
 of me by your plans. Let me tell you 
 mine first." 
 
 John moved his chair up nearer to Pa- 
 tience, and looked lovingly into her face, 
 and remarked, roguishly, before detailing his 
 plan, "A man don't want always to be in- 
 debted to his wife for the best management. 
 It's been the plague of my married life ! " 
 
 "You're a boy, John," said Patience, turn- 
 her face dangerously near to his, and adding, 
 "Now do state your plan." 
 
 "You know there is old Dr. Peters' Acad- 
 emy on Cedar Hill. It is not more than 
 twenty miles from here. He is said to be 
 a good scholar, only rather stiff and formal. 
 After the spring planting is done, we might 
 spare them until fall. I won't turn up so 
 much ground as common, and we must econ- 
 omize, for the sake of educating the boys. 
 Who knows, Patience, but God may convert
 
 PATTY VOSE. 225 
 
 Carver and Miles, and make one a minister 
 and put the other into a place to bless the 
 country? You can fix up their clothes as 
 no other woman can, and they won't be ex- 
 travagant, I know." 
 
 Mr. Alden was disappointed, and almost 
 vexed would have been if grace had not 
 long since taught him a better way at 
 Patience's cool and simple nod of the head, 
 at each point in the development of his plan. 
 He waited awhile for an enthusiastic concur- 
 rence, but none being tendered, he tipped 
 back in his chair, clasped his hands behind 
 his head, and asked, "What do you think 
 of my plan, Patience?" 
 
 "Kather expensive," remarked Patience, 
 working with renewed diligence. 
 
 "We have a few hundreds laid up, you 
 know?" suggested her husband. 
 
 "But you'll want that when they go to 
 college, maybe." 
 
 "College!" exclaimed Mr. Alden, starting 
 
 16
 
 226 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 to his feet and pushing his 'fingers through 
 his hair, and brushing it up until it stood 
 erect on his head. He began to understand 
 Patience. She was taking a more compre- 
 hensive view of the boys' education, than he 
 had done. "But," he queried, "they must 
 go to the academy before they go to col- 
 lege?" 
 
 "Now, husband," replied Patience, laying 
 clown her work, and turning towards the 
 fire, and pointing to a chair to have him sit 
 down by her, "there is where I think your 
 plan is faulty." 
 
 "What do you propose, Patience?" said 
 Mr. Alden, drawing his chair close to that 
 of his wife. 
 
 "Why, send them to Patt}V said Patience, 
 decidedly. 
 
 John was silent for a few moments. He 
 then began in his usual thorough way to 
 turn his wife's plan over, and look at it 
 from every point of view. The more he
 
 PATTY VOSE. 227 
 
 did so, asking questions and suggesting ob- 
 jections, the more he liked it. Patty had 
 studied Latin and Greek under Mr. Curtis' 
 instruction, for several years. Mr. Curtis 
 had prepared several young men for college, 
 was known as a thorough scholar, but was 
 too much engaged now in parish matters to 
 do so. He had often said that Patty was 
 more critical in the languages than most of 
 his college classmates. She was an enthu- 
 siast in these advanced studies, reading them 
 as most of her age read the lighter literature. 
 
 Old Dr. Peters of Cedar Hill Academy," 
 suggested Patience, "is about like, in his 
 sphere, our old master Paul, who taught our 
 school so long. He don't love boys. I 
 don't believe in a teacher who don't love 
 boys." 
 
 "You are right," said John. "Our Miles 
 said when the doctor preached for Mr. Cur- 
 tis, that his face looked as if it were bitten 
 some time by a January frost, and never 
 thawed out."
 
 228 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "The boys are at that age when their 
 moral improvement is best given at home." 
 
 "Eight again," said John, growing warm 
 in his admiration for his wife's plan. 
 
 "If they remain at home," continued Mrs. 
 Alden, "they will be under the preaching 
 and pastoral care of Mr. Curtis, who says 
 he sees some signs of the outpouring of the 
 Holy Spirit upon us. If that comes, we 
 shall want the boys here, you know, to 
 share in its great benefits." 
 
 Mr. Alden assented with increasing emo- 
 tion, while his wife quietly added, "They 
 will be at home, too, to assist you night 
 and morning, and to come to your help in 
 any emergency on the farm. I have a no- 
 tion that some out-door w T ork does not hurt 
 boys who study." 
 
 "There it is again!" exclaimed Mr. Aldeu, 
 " my plan is all upset by a woman ! It's 
 nowhere when compared with my wife's. 
 You are a witch, and I'll have you re- 
 ported "
 
 PATTY VOSE. 229 
 
 "Don't, John, they hang witches!" inter- 
 posed Patience. 
 
 " I will, though ! This very week I'll re- 
 port you to Patty, who shall know how 
 you bewitch me out of my own plans into 
 an adoption unanimously of yours, and she 
 shall render a verdict in the case." 
 
 "Patty is mercifully inclined," remarked 
 Patience. 
 
 Patty was delighted with the proposal from 
 the Aldens. Arrangements were at once 
 made in reference to the hours of recitation 
 each day. The boys were to continue their 
 English studies, giving them at present the 
 most of their time, with easy, occasional 
 lessons in the Latin Grammar. They were 
 to do all the work, in return, on the little 
 farm of Patty's mother. Besides, there was 
 to be such money payment as might seem 
 right when the plan was in full operation. 
 Patty knew she was safe in leaving the 
 final compensation to Mr. Alden's judgment 
 and sense of right.
 
 230 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Carver and Miles were jubilant when the 
 arrangement was announced to them. They 
 lay awake full two hours that night, after 
 they were in bed, maturing the spring and 
 summer campaign. 
 
 "Won't we," said Miles, "make the widow 
 Vose's old place shine? It won't take much 
 of our time, neither." 
 
 "And father shall see that we can help him 
 too," chimed in Carver. Thus devising "lib- 
 eral things," the boys fell asleep. 
 
 Gossip was soon astir to discuss the new 
 move at Alden Farm. Old ladies looked 
 over the tops of their spectacles and ex- 
 claimed, "Lor sakes ! what won't John Alden 
 do next!" 
 
 " "What are we coming to ! " exclaimed 
 Deacon Prime ; " women teaching big boys ! 
 John Alden had better keep his boys at 
 work, and not spoil them with high notions 
 about larnin'." 
 
 But Mr. Curtis was decidedly gratified
 
 PATTY VOSE. 231 
 
 with the arrangement. "It will be for the 
 benefit of all the parties concerned. The 
 boys will be well instructed in their studies, 
 and favorably impressed with regard to re- 
 ligious things. Brother Alden always looks 
 carefully into matters before he moves." 
 
 But none were more impressed with the 
 importance of this enterprise, than Patty 
 herself. She commenced immediately a care- 
 ful review of her studies, while at the same 
 time she was much more engaged in read- 
 ing the Scriptures and in prayer. She seemed 
 lifted into another sphere, intellectually and 
 morally. It appeared to her that she now 
 understood why God had given her from a 
 child, a great thirst for knowledge, and un- 
 usual aptness in attaining it. She thankfully, 
 too, acknowledged His hand in opening to 
 her a long desired path of greater useful- 
 ness. Her deformity, of body had been, in 
 earlier years, a source of deep grief to her. 
 She often went to bed in tears and bitterness
 
 232 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 of spirit, after seeing a company of rollick- 
 ing children. Now she thanked God for all 
 His dealings with her. She felt that while 
 he had withheld with one hand, he had boun- 
 tifully given with the other. "The peace 
 that passeth understanding," filled her heart, 
 and thanksgiving and supplication were con- 
 stantly flowing from it to the Great Giver. 
 None who knew Patty's frame of mind 
 were surprised at a new feature which she 
 proposed in reference to her anticipated w r ork. 
 She came from her sleeping room one morn- 
 ing with her face aglow with delight. She 
 felt her heart "enlarged," and her "mouth 
 opened " in prayer that morning. As was 
 usual with her at such times, she remem- 
 bered the lone boy at Crone's Corner, and 
 the lamented wanderer. As she rose from 
 her knees, the thought came to her, as if 
 spoken audibly, "Invite Thomas to your 
 class." Her full heart answered, "I will." 
 It was this which caused her face to glow
 
 PATTY VOSE. 233 
 
 and her heart to rejoice. When she told her 
 mother of this purpose, she mildly suggested 
 that perhaps Mr. Alden would object. For 
 a moment Patty's countenance was shaded 
 with doubt. Then she exclaimed joyfully, 
 "John Alden's family always agree to any 
 project which benefits others." 
 
 There was a very sober joy at Crone's 
 
 Corner after the close of the school. Tom's 
 
 i 
 
 improved position at the examination, grat- 
 ified all. Jane and Betsey echoed their 
 brother's praise as it fell from their parents' 
 lips. Yet Mr. and Mrs. Crone heard with 
 a slight feeling of regret Tom's intimations 
 that he wanted to continue his studies. What 
 did he want to be studying so much for? 
 Their life-long narrow views of learning did 
 not at once give way when their hearts came 
 into an improved condition. But they were 
 in a good frame to be instructed. They 
 now thought that nearly a whole winter's 
 opportunity to study, in a school so much
 
 234 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 better than ever they had, had placed their 
 son on nearly the top of the Hill of Knowl- 
 edge. And then, how was the farm work 
 to be done by a boy whose head was being 
 crammed with new ideas? He would be 
 spoiled by being above his business. It 
 would be, they argued, a sheer waste of 
 time. Yet, we are pleased to say, Mrs. 
 Crone did not storm against it as she once 
 would have done. She only gave it a quiet 
 but decided "cold shoulder." 
 
 This greatly burdened Tom. He went 
 about the work of preparing for the spring 
 plowing and planting, with a resolute de- 
 termination to do his duty to his parents. 
 His studies were pursued in little fractions 
 of time, and slyly, as if he was doing wrong. 
 No boy ever learns much with cowed and 
 burdened spirits, and so he was fast losing his 
 interest in seeking further improvement, and 
 thus in danger of receding from the advanced 
 ground he had taken. Heretofore his parents
 
 PATTY VOSE. 235 
 
 had done wickedly from reckless passion. 
 Now they simply erred from ignorance, but 
 yet the error was likely to be very serious 
 in its influence upon their boy. His interest 
 in his books when once lost, would leave 
 him exposed to adopt his 'old, bad habits 
 of employing his little leisure time. 
 
 Just at this point in his experience, the 
 arrangement at Alden Farm for its boys, 
 was reported to them. It came through 
 their neighbor, an "Old Maid gossiper," 
 Miss Corner. "Did you ever," said Miss 
 Corner, " see anything beat it ! John Alden 
 is sartinly crazy. Deacon Prime thinks as 
 how he is, and the deacon is never mis- 
 taken." 
 
 "What has he been doing now?" inquired 
 Mrs. Crone, with none of her former enthu- 
 siasm in such talk. Miss Corner had felt 
 she was losing her influence with the Crones, 
 and she had come, hoping to revive it with 
 her present bit of gossip.
 
 236 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "Why, sartin as you're alive, he's a-going 
 to send his two lazy boys to school all sum- 
 mer ! And that isn't the whole on't neither ! 
 He's a-going to send 'em to Patty Yose ! 
 There now ! " 
 
 Miss Corner waited for Jerusha Crone's 
 acceptance of her statements, and hearty 
 agreement with her denunciation. But Mrs. 
 Crone simply remarked that maybe there 
 was some mistake, and added, "John Alden's 
 folks are amazing lucky somehow they do 
 hit on the right way." 
 
 Miss Corner was disgusted. She left the 
 house immediately, muttering to herself, "Je- 
 rusha has grown so crusty like, since Zeke 
 run away, that I'll never tell her anything 
 again ! " 
 
 "When Mr. and Mrs. Crone learned the 
 facts about the plan for the boys at Alden 
 Farm, it caused them much talk when alone 
 at tjieir fireside. John Alden, they agreed, 
 was very wise. If he was going to encour-
 
 PATTY VOSE. 237 
 
 age the boys to study, most likely that was 
 best. Besides, they learned that his plan 
 was to have them work some every day. 
 "Perhaps," suggested Mr. Crone, "he thinks 
 he will get about as much work out of them 
 as if they wan't encouraged to get learning." 
 
 "Yes," said Mrs. Crone, warmly, "when 
 boys want to study, it stands to reason that 
 they will be kinder moping, if they don't 
 have a chance." 
 
 Silence followed this remark, and both 
 were plainly wandering away to Tom, with 
 painful associations with Zeke. 
 
 Tom soon saw the altered bearing of his 
 parents towards his books. He became less 
 shy when he had a book in hand. Grad- 
 ually he found the way opening for more 
 time for his studies, plainly by his parents' 
 arrangement. His place at the stand was 
 reserved for him, or a candle and table 
 placed apart for his use. The children were 
 hushed, if they were unnecessarily noisy.
 
 238 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 No words were spoken, but actions and the 
 spirit which breathes in them are often 
 "winged words." 
 
 It was just in this state of things that 
 Patty's invitation to -Tom, through his par- 
 ents, came. The Spirit who had prompted 
 her while in prayer for his guidance, to ten- 
 der the work of love, had prepared them 
 to receive it.
 
 CHAPTEE XIV. 
 
 STUDYING BY RULE. 
 
 PRISCILLA CODLIN, whose father, it must 
 never be forgotten, was captain of the mili- 
 tia company of the town, had been conde- 
 scendingly entertaining the question whether 
 she should honor Patty by becoming one of 
 her scholars. She had learned that John 
 Alden's plans were popular in the end ; she 
 would therefore be thought to be a partaker 
 of his wisdom. She would, she thought, take 
 private lessons in Latin and Greek, having 
 long since finished her education in the more 
 common studies. But when Priscilla heard 
 that Tom Crone was to be among her pupils, 
 she was amazed. "I am astonished!" she 
 exclaimed, throwing up both hands, and 
 
 239
 
 240 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 turning up her one little pug nose she 
 would have -turned both up if she had 
 owned two "I am amazed!" she added, 
 putting her foot down with emphasis, "at 
 Mr. Alden's want of refinement ! Why ! did 
 you ever ! his children going to a private 
 school with Tom Crone ! Well, / shall not 
 go, that's settled!" 
 
 So it has gone into history that is the 
 history of the transaction we are writing, 
 that Miss Priscilla Codlin, daughter of Cap- 
 tain Ichabod Codlin, did not become a pupil 
 of our friend Patty, and for the reason above 
 stated. 
 
 The arrangement first made with Patty by 
 Mr. Alden was this : The boys were to 
 spend from ten to twelve A. M., with her, 
 Tuesday and Friday forenoon. They were 
 then to recite such lessons as had been given 
 them, and receive her explanations. He 
 thought this would do to start with. Be- 
 sides, the spring work was especially press-
 
 STUDYING BY RULE. 241 
 
 ing, and he desired too, to see, as he ex- 
 pressed it, how hard work and hard study 
 would go together. 
 
 At the first meeting of the three boys with 
 
 
 
 their new teacher, the time was spent in a 
 pleasant talk. Miles showed a little impa- 
 tience at first, under the talk. Why don't 
 she give us our lessons, and explain them, 
 if she's going to, was an expression with 
 which he would have vented his vexation if 
 he had been away from his teacher. But 
 he suon dismissed all uneasiness. Patty was 
 teaching them how to study, and she drew 
 them so gently into her own systematic way 
 that they hardly knew how they came by 
 the resolution to adopt her method. Miles 
 sat down in a corner, of the kitchen by him- 
 
 
 
 self that evening, and became deeply ab- 
 sorbed in puzzling over something which 
 very much interested him. 
 
 "You mean to get your lessons on the 
 sly," said Carver, good naturedly. " Don't 
 
 16
 
 242 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAKM. 
 
 get up an ambition to beat Torn and me so 
 soon. Give us a decent chance." 
 
 Miles took no notice of this bantering. 
 After another half hour's puzzling, he handed 
 Carver a little slip of paper. It was a plan 
 for the disposal of each of the twenty-four 
 hours. The hour of retiring was to be nine 
 o'clock. That generally had been the hour. 
 They were to rise at four, and study one 
 hour until five, when the cattle were to 
 be fed, and other work at the barn done, 
 which would take the time until six, the 
 breakfast hour. Then followed the family 
 devotions. Miles put down an hour for 
 breakfast and family prayer. From seven 
 to twelve was set down for work on the 
 farm, as their father might direct; dinner at 
 twelve, and then study until five, when the 
 time to seven was to be absorbed by chores, 
 supper, family prayer, affording two even- 
 ing hours for study. 
 
 Carver laughed heartily at this programme,
 
 STUDYING BY RULE. 243 
 
 but after a few moments he whispered se- 
 riously to Miles, "Brother, you didn't put 
 down any time for reading the Bible and 
 secret prayer. You know Patty had Luther's 
 motto in Latin written and hung up over 
 her study table. She told us it meant, 'To 
 pray weil is to study well.'" 
 
 Miles blushed at the reproof, took his 
 paper and corrected it, by putting in, as 
 Patty had suggested, reading the Bible and 
 prayer on rising, and before retiring, and 
 always prayer before commencing to study. 
 
 "There," said Miles, handing the paper 
 back to his brother, and speaking rather 
 lightly, "will that do? It's too pious though, 
 and I shan't live up to it. I'll scratch out 
 the prayer before studying. As to the other, 
 you know, Carve, we always say our pray- 
 ers when we get up and when we go to 
 bed." 
 
 "How about reading the Bible?" suggested 
 Carver.
 
 244 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAHM. 
 
 "Well, don't father read at the family 
 prayers twice a day?" replied Miles, a little 
 petulantly. " Won't that do ? " 
 
 "I suppose so," said Carver, feeling that 
 he had said more than became him on a 
 matter in reference to which his practice 
 had been no better than his brother's. But 
 Patty's few words on the subject of private 
 prayer and reading the Scriptures in con- 
 nection with study, given with modesty and 
 great tenderness, had deeply impressed the 
 older brother. He yielded to his brother's 
 thoughtless remark on not being too pious 
 about the matter, while he secretly resolved 
 that he would give more attention to it. 
 
 A few days' experiment taught Miles that 
 he could not calculate quite so closely. One 
 morning little Jeremiah was quite sick, and 
 the breakfast hour was delayed, and for the 
 same reason the dinner was not eaten until 
 one o'clock. Another morning was put into 
 disorder by the boys themselves. They
 
 STUDYING BY RULE. 245 
 
 slept soundly until their father called them 
 at five o'clock. 
 
 "A plague take it!" said Miles, when he 
 saw the lateness of the hour. "It's no use 
 to be systematic. It only bothers a fellow 
 to try." 
 
 Carver laughed, and took the matter very 
 coolly. "We'll soon make it up," he re- 
 marked, as he dressed very deliberately. 
 
 "No, we shan't," persisted Miles. "We 
 may chase this hour all day, and not catch 
 it." 
 
 Some special calls would occasionally com- 
 pel their father to break over his own ar- 
 rangement of allowing the boys the afternoon. 
 Nor was the evening always at their dis- 
 posal. Their place of study was one corner 
 of the great kitchen, which, thanks to the 
 stove, always aglow, was as comfortable as 
 any part of the room. But callers sometimes 
 spent an hour or more, talking so loud and 
 incessantly, that their heads became confused.
 
 246 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 So at the end of a few days, Miles took his 
 programme and wrote on the bottom in large 
 letters, "Studying by rule is all a humbug! 
 (signed) Miles Alden." He pushed the 
 paper along to Carver the next morning just 
 as they were sitting down to their books at 
 half-past four. 
 
 Carver took it, and wrote beneath Miles' 
 signature, in a bolder hand, "Studying with- 
 out rule is a greater humbug. (Signed) Car- 
 ver Alden." 
 
 Miles acknowledged himself hit, but he 
 did not exactly see the point. But nothing 
 more was said. Both were soon so deeply 
 absorbed in their lessons, that they had to 
 be reminded by their mother that, "Certain 
 creatures in the barn wonder if the rules of 
 Alden Farm are not being broken to their 
 annoyance." The boys needed only this hint. 
 They scampered off to the barn almost too 
 promptly to catch the last word, "annoy- 
 ance." But Miles did hear it, and exclaimed,
 
 STUDYING BY RULE. 247 
 
 as they entered the barn, half playfully and 
 half in earnest, " I guess * rules ' annoy some- 
 body besides cattle and horses." 
 
 "No rules would be worse," insisted Car- 
 ver. 
 
 ***** 
 
 Hope Cottage was a little nearer Crone's 
 Corner than it was to Alden Farm. Tom 
 was promptly in his place on recitation days. 
 His lessons were not so perfectly learned as 
 were those of his schoolmates. Yet his 
 teacher greeted him with words of encour- 
 agement only. The Alden boys had towards 
 him all of the cordial good will which they 
 had cultivated during the winter. To an 
 old friend who bantered Miles on having a 
 Crone for a school fellow, he showed some- 
 thing like resentment. "Tom's company is 
 as good as yours any day ! " was the tart 
 reply. It alienated for many months old 
 friends, and Miles regretted it, and finally 
 restored good feeling, by a manly apology.
 
 248 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 To a more provoking taunt, Carver had a 
 better answer. " If Tom is better than we 
 are," he replied, with that independence 
 which belonged to the Aldens, "we shall be 
 lifted up a piece by his influence. If he is 
 below us, we shall lift him up, and that 
 will be still pleasanter." 
 
 "There's no getting round John Alden's 
 boys," said the teaser, and walked away. 
 But candor requires us to say that Carver 
 quoted 'the substance of this remark from 
 Patty, though the application of it to Tom 
 was his own. 
 
 Tom's lessons, we stated, were not quite 
 as perfectly learned as were those of the 
 other boys. He had copied Miles' rules for 
 systemizing study time. But things were 
 much less orderly at the Corner than at 
 the Farm. Although his parents had con- 
 sented to give him the same time for his 
 books which was granted to his two friends, 
 it was subject to almost constant interruption.
 
 STUDYING BY RULE. 249 
 
 He became much disturbed sometimes he 
 was vexed and discouraged. He did not 
 write down in large letters, " Studying by 
 rule is a humbug," but he often exclaimed, 
 "It's no use." Besides, Tom was constantly 
 oppressed by a sense of his loneliness. "If 
 Zeke was only here," he would involuntarily 
 say to himself, and when he saw Carver 
 and Miles coining bounding along together 
 towards Hope Cottage oft recitation day, he 
 wiped the unbidden tear from his pensive 
 face. 
 
 The parents of Tom encouraged their boy 
 just as much as they knew how. To them 
 it was an effort of parental sacrifice and 
 duty, in an unpractised direction. They 
 earnestly desired the "good luck" of Alden 
 Farm in their children, and they were now, 
 according to their small ability, willing to 
 pay the price it demanded. They were 
 "ceasing to do evil, and learning to do well," 
 and God was daily increasing both their 
 strength and pleasure in the good way.
 
 250 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 
 
 In the meantime the blunders of Tom's 
 parents, which nearly upset all the good 
 there was in him, were offset by Patty's 
 steady hand, and her keen perception both 
 of Tom's wants and their proper supply. 
 
 Miles, one day, in his good-natured, bluff 
 way, pushed his programme for study, with 
 its emphatic additions over his and Carver's 
 names, under the eye of Patty. She -read 
 it all, and then looked at the boys with one 
 of her meaning smiles. 
 
 "There's something coming about that pro- 
 gramme," whispered Miles to Carver, laying 
 down his book, and looking Patty attentively 
 in the face. 
 
 "I have had large experience on this sub- 
 ject for one no older than I am," said Patty. 
 "And," she added, with a merry twinkle 
 of her eye, which always made the boys 
 merry too, "I believe with Miles, that 
 studying by rule is a humbug " 
 
 Miles fairly jumped from his seat, clap-
 
 STUDYING BY KULE. 251 
 
 ping his hands with delight, to think that 
 his teacher had indorsed his emphatic note. 
 Carver and Tom laughed, of course, for 
 Patty's merry face said they might, but 
 they were a little puzzled to understand what 
 Patty could mean, since she 'had prompted 
 some such programme by her remarks on 
 being "very regular" in all that was under- 
 taken, " saving every moment of time pos- 
 sible." When the laugh was subsided, Patty 
 continued, more seriously, by saying, "and I 
 believe with Carver, that no rules for study 
 are a greater humbug ! " 
 
 It was Carver's turn now to laugh out- 
 right, which he did, with a knowing glance 
 at Miles. 
 
 "A plan of study," continued the teacher, 
 "is a humbug, especially for boys situated 
 as you are, which has not a large margin 
 for necessary interruptions. Very persistent 
 boys who make them, fret when they fail 
 to be able to keep them. It plagues them 
 dreadfully."
 
 252 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "It annoys them as it does the cows to 
 have a late breakfast," whispered Miles. 
 
 "They are not willing," continued the 
 teacher, "that their parents should call them 
 away from their books, however great the 
 necessity for doing so. They feel like being 
 disobedient, or what is about the same thing, 
 they want to stop, and say, 'I don't want 
 to. I shouldn't think you would make me. 
 I shall never get my lesson.' Or they get 
 discouraged, and say, 'It's no use!" 
 
 "That's me," said Tom to himself. 
 
 "I would rather have you adopt this rule," 
 added Patty, her face becoming at once more 
 serious and animated in its expression, "es- 
 tablish a habit of improving every moment 
 in some useful way. When duty or neces- 
 sity does not call another way, give it to 
 study. A will in study which settles us into 
 a pleasant, easy habit of sitting down to a 
 book w r hen duty does not call us in another 
 way, makes itself a rule. And what is of
 
 STUDYING BY EULE. 253 
 
 priceless value, makes it pleasant for us not 
 to study, if duty forbids it." 
 
 The boys had settled into the mos.t sober 
 attention before Patty had closed these re- 
 marks. Tom's countenance lost its shade of 
 sadness. Miles gazed at his teacher with a 
 look which said, 'I understand you I see 
 it now ! ' and Carver folded his arms and as- 
 sumed a thoughtful attitude. Patty dropped 
 her voice and added at the close of her re- 
 marks, pointing to Luther's motto hung upon 
 the wall, "Remember always, my young 
 friends, that 'To have prayed well is to have 
 studied well.'" 
 
 The boys scampered home, frisky as young 
 colts, and light of heart as the uncaged 
 spring birds. The Aldens, "just for the fun 
 of it," they said, accompanied Thomas to the 
 gateway leading to his home. Then with 
 exclamations, shouted out with a hearty good 
 will, "Good bye, Tom!" "Success to you!" 
 "Be on hand next Friday!" they turned their 
 faces and run home.
 
 254 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Mrs. Crone came to the doorway just in 
 time to see the cordial good will at parting, 
 and to hear the farewell shouts. Tom 
 bounded up the path with a "How d'ye do, 
 mother?" and a v What can I do for you 
 first?" 
 
 The whole scene impressed itself so upon 
 the mother's now tender feelings, as con- 
 trasted with the too frequent manner of the 
 meeting of boys and mother in the past, that 
 she buried her face in her checked apron and 
 burst into tears. Tom, thinking he had in 
 some way wounded his mother's feelings, 
 approached her timidly with words of apol- 
 ogy. She at once dropped her apron, and 
 threw her arms about his neck and kissed 
 him, weeping the while like a child. This 
 turn of affairs at once enabled Tom to un- 
 derstand the spirit of the occasion. It was 
 a new inspiration of effort in the right way. 
 It thrilled his heart, and, added to Patt}''s 
 winning ways, made him strong to endure, 
 and willing to act, in the pathway of duty.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 MOSE POND. 
 
 THE spring was fading off into summer. 
 The ground, mellowed by the plough, har- 
 row and hoe, had received its seed. The 
 birds were less engaged in song, and more 
 with their nests, around which they hovered, 
 looking with pride and tender care at their 
 contents. The Alden boys had, by permis- 
 sion, devoted their field working hours, for 
 a few weeks, to the little farm at Hope 
 Cottage. Patty often came out with her 
 great sun-bonnet, beneath which her little 
 
 N 
 
 form seemed hid away, and out from under 
 which her bright eyes shone like sunbeams 
 in pearly dew drops. Miles insisted that 
 their teacher, on such occasions", "was real 
 
 256
 
 256 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 bewitching." "I tell you what it is, Carver," 
 he would say, "Patty is handsome she's 
 the prettiest girl ill this town." 
 
 "She is the smartest and best," was Car- 
 ver's sober reply. 
 
 The little cultivated patches about the Cot- 
 tage were beginning to show plainly the 
 springing seed which had been planted. The 
 trees of the orchard had been nicely rid of 
 caterpillars, which were Patty's detestation. 
 Her often expressed faith that God had made 
 nothing in vain, was severely tried when she 
 saw a huge nest of these little creatures, 
 from which slimy tracks might be traced 
 over every tender limb and twig. Her part 
 had been to point them out when the new 
 race were yet in the egg, and Miles had 
 made quick and thorough work with them, 
 by crushing them in his gloved hand. 
 
 Patty herself had made and planted the 
 flower beds, some of which were full of 
 beauty and sweet perfume.
 
 MOSE POND. 257 
 
 Besides what they had done at the Cot- 
 tage farm, the Aldeu boys had been worth 
 at home, as their father said, in his spirited 
 way, "A dozen mopes, who were dragging 
 about the farm because they were compelled 
 to work." They had made pleasure of their 
 duty. The neighbors were very critical in 
 their examination of the Alden Farm, this 
 spring, to see how its owner's experiment 
 was working. But the croakers found no 
 capital for their grumbling. Everything was 
 in order, as usual. His fields were among 
 the most thrifty looking. His orchards 
 were well trimmed, and cleaned of their 
 enemies. No barns were in tidier order. 
 No stock looked better satisfied, or spoke 
 better words for their owner. 
 
 William Treat, whose life, long one of 
 drifting down the Broad Way, but had been 
 one, since the husking, which looked heaven- 
 ward, declared, in his enthusiasm for his 
 good friend Aldeu, that his fowls cackled 
 
 17
 
 258 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 and crowed more joyously than any others. 
 Treat's old companion in sin, Mose Pond, 
 still about always drunk with "moderate 
 drinking," came and leaned upon the fence 
 of John Alden's corn-field. He knew how 
 it had always looked, but he had hoped to 
 find the fences down, and the weeds tower- 
 ing above the corn. "Lucky fellow, is 
 this John Alden ! " muttered Mose. " I be 
 blamed if his corn wouldn't grow and the 
 weeds die, if he, and his stuck-up boys 
 didn't do nothing. It always was his luck. 
 My corn won't grow. It never would, and 
 all John Alden's weeds are just mean enough 
 to move off his premises and stick themselves 
 down on my planting. I be blamed if they 
 don't ! And this here fence of John's why 
 a thousand tornadoes couldn't start a strip 
 of it " and Moses clinched the innocent 
 fence, and, bracing his feet, jerked and 
 twisted this way and that, with drunken 
 fury, to prove that he could do what a tor-
 
 MOSE POND. 259 
 
 nado could not. Suddenly the fence gave 
 way. Down Mose rolled full eight feet, 
 until he reached the bottom of the banking. 
 "It wouldn't a sarved John Alden so, nor 
 none of his stuck-up, go to school boys ! " 
 said Mose, picking himself up, and brushing 
 the dust from his eyes, and spitting the dirt 
 from his mouth. "You mean thing, you," 
 added Mose, giving the board a kick, "go 
 tell yer owner to nail yer tighter next time, 
 so yer can stand a fellow's heft." 
 
 There was so little comfort to the drunken 
 idler iu looking at John Alden's fields, that 
 he staggered down, the next day, to Crone's 
 Corner. He had heard that his boy too 
 had got "high notions." He knew too that 
 one boy "was not." He felt certain of com- 
 fort here in seeing neglected fields, fallen 
 fences, and a desponding farmer. He had 
 not quite reached the Corner before his legs 
 gave out. He said, "They'd been weak like 
 for some time, and he had taken his "mod-
 
 260 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 erate" glass that very morning to strengthen 
 them. It was strange, he thought, they did 
 not hold out. He laid it, however, to the 
 smallness of the glass. As he sat, or, rather 
 lay, under the fence, a boon companion came 
 along, who was also afflicted with leg weak- 
 ness. 
 
 "It's no use," said his companion, "to 
 go down to see Zeke. I've been." 
 
 "Temperance folks well nigh ruined him, 
 hey?" said Mose. 
 
 "Xo, he and Jerusha's real stuck up." 
 
 "They've run young Zeke off, though," 
 said Mose ; " I oilers shall believe John 
 Alden's folks rim him off. They's got 'tothcr 
 boy off too under Patty Vose's sun-bonnet ! 
 Old Zeke's farm looks like crazy, hey?" 
 
 "Never looked half so well! Blamed if 
 it did ! All the temperance folks got luck 
 this year ! Old Zeke has jined 'em. He 
 wouldn't wet a fellow's whistle if it was to 
 save him."
 
 MOSE POND. 261 
 
 Mose turned his unsteady steps homeward. 
 It was his last visit, or attempted visit to 
 the fields of his neighbors. He fell at his 
 own gate- way as he had often done before. 
 His wife and children ran from him instead 
 of towards him, when he fell. But his groans 
 soon brought them to his relief. They lifted 
 him up, and the blood flowed freely down 
 his face. He had struck his temple against 
 a sharp stone. Moses Pond's "moderate" 
 drinking had given him so many falls and 
 cuts which had caused his bad blood to flow, 
 that very little was thought of this affair 
 by his family. But no sooner had they 
 stopped the flow of blood, than a wild start 
 or frantic gesture started it again. Dr. Burt 
 was finally sent for. The flow of blood was 
 prevented, but the patient became uncontrolfa- 
 bly delirious. His ravings were frightful to 
 his family, beyond any former experience. 
 "See! see!" he exclaimed, staring at a 
 fancied object in the corner of the room.
 
 262 THE LUCK OF AL.DEN FAEM. 
 
 "Take them away ! take them away, won't 
 you ! Don't anybody care ! They'll claw me 
 to death ! Take them off, I say ! " he screamed 
 with great violence. 
 
 Utterly exhausted at last, Mose fell into 
 a quiet sleep. When he awoke he stared 
 about, as if to assure himself that he was 
 with his family. "It's you, Eunice, is it?" 
 he said, addressing his wife. 
 
 "Yes, dear, it is your own wife." 
 " Come here, Becky," he said to his oldest 
 child, a girl about ten years old. Eebecca 
 approached timidly, as if in doubt whether 
 her father was drunk or sober. He stretched 
 out his feeble hand and drew her to his 
 face and kissed her. The child looked con- 
 fused. She had been often struck and 
 kicked, and but seldom kissed. He called 
 Jennie, the only other child, a sickly girl 
 of four years. He stroked her flaxen hair 
 tenderly, kissed her and wept freely. Then 
 looking up into his wife's face, he said, in
 
 MOSE POND. 263 
 
 sobbing accents, "My dear, can you ever 
 forgive me?" 
 
 No such tender words had she heard from 
 him since he had become a noisy advocate 
 of "moderate drinking." She knelt by his 
 bed-side and wet her penitent husband's face 
 with her tears. 
 
 "Eunice, I must die, but tell me, can you 
 forgive me?" 
 
 "Yes, dear husband, I do, but you must 
 not die. You must live to comfort us." 
 
 "I must die, Eunice," he said, more feebly. 
 
 "Shall I send for your good friend, Dea- 
 con Prime?" inquired his wife. The dying 
 man shook his head, and whispered, "Cur- 
 tis John " 
 
 "The minister?" 
 
 "Y-e-s, and J-o-h-u." 
 
 "John Alden?" said his wife. 
 
 He nodded assent, and sunk back upon 
 his pillow, scarcely giving signs of life. 
 
 The minister and John Alden were soon
 
 264 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FA KM. 
 
 present, and both prayed fervently and ten- 
 derly for God's mercy to be granted, through 
 Jesus Christ, "even as to the thief upon the 
 cross." Moses opened his eyes and looked 
 with apparent consciousness upon Mr. Alden, 
 as if his last thoughts were of the groat 
 truths of religion which he had so often 
 urged in vain upon his attention, and then 
 
 closed them in death. 
 
 ***** 
 
 Moses Pond was buried quietly, as was 
 fitting he should be, from his own home, 
 now full of mourning, but not more desolate 
 than his life had made it. The next Sab- 
 bath a solemn and large audience listened 
 to the words of the faithful pastor. He 
 closed his sermon with tender entreaty to 
 all, especially to the young, to give their 
 hearts to God to turn from every evil 
 way, especially that of the intoxicating cup. 
 "I warn you," added the preacher, with a 
 fervor that melted the congregation, "against
 
 MOSE POND. 2 1)5 
 
 the first glass! The time has fully cornel" 
 he exclaimed, with a tone of authority, "to 
 declare that total abstinence is the only tem- 
 perance." 
 
 There was a commotion in the parish the 
 following week. Dr. Burt demanded a par- 
 ish meeting to consider the pastor's heresy 
 of faith on the temperance question. He 
 went about arguing warmly that lie had not 
 been the cause of Mose Pond's dreadful 
 death, though nobody accused him. "Mose," 
 he declared everywhere, "would take too 
 much in spite of all my faithful and kind 
 warnings. I knew he took too much and 
 told him so. Am 7 to blame because he 
 died a drunkard ? " 
 
 John Alden now roused himself, like a 
 lion whose lair is invaded by the hunters. 
 He held temperance meetings in every neigh- 
 borhood in town, the people flocking to hear 
 him, and signing the pledge. 
 
 Patty said she never wanted so much to
 
 266 THE LUCK OF ABDEN FARM. 
 
 be a minister. But she thanked God that 
 her minister was on the right track. She 
 at once set herself at work to do what she 
 could in her own way. She had three at 
 least trusty servants at her command. She 
 reckoned them a host. She gave her three 
 scholars a prompting to get up a boys' tem- 
 perance society. 
 
 "What can we do?" inquired Tom, timidly. 
 
 "You can do a great deal!" said Patty, 
 with spirit. Then suddenly checking her 
 earnestness, she added, in a lower, gentle 
 tone, "I mean if you seek divine help. How 
 I wish my boys knew hoio to pray aright." 
 
 Patty wrote for the boys a pledge, and 
 gave each a copy. They agreed to see, be- 
 fore many weeks, every boy in town. They 
 divided off the town into districts, and each 
 took an assigned territory. As the boys 
 were going out, after having received their 
 pledges, Miles lingered for a moment behind. 
 There was a half serious, half comical ex-
 
 POND. 267 
 
 pression about his face, not uncommon with 
 him. 
 
 "Well, Miles," said Patty, approaching him 
 in her gentle, loving way, "what do you 
 wish to say ? " 
 
 "Can't you, teacher, do the praying about 
 this business, while we do the work?" whis- 
 pered Miles. "I don't think we boys can 
 any how." 
 
 Having freed his mind, Miles did not wait 
 for an answer. He soon overtook Carver and 
 Tom, and the three talked over their plans 
 about the new enterprise. They thought 
 they knew the name and residence of every 
 boy in town. So they agreed to write them 
 down that evening. The Aldens generously 
 offered to take a part of those assigned to 
 Tom, for they saw he was quite timid about 
 the business. 
 
 Tom told his mother at once, what Patty 
 had proposed for her scholars to do. 
 
 She received the statement quite coldly at
 
 268 THE LUCK OF ALPEN FARM. 
 
 first. Her son's courage, never great, went 
 down to utter cowardice. " I can't," strug- 
 gled for utterance. In the mother's mind 
 there was a conflict. Old, narrow views 
 were warring with new and better ones. Her 
 husband felt in the same manner, though he 
 waited for his wife to declare her feeling. 
 The fireside talk, just before retiring, brought 
 the matter to a decision. 
 
 "I should think," said Mrs. Crone, "that 
 Tom had enough to do already." 
 
 "I should think so," replied her husband. 
 There was a moment's silence. 
 
 "It would do Tom good, I suppose," re- 
 marked Mrs. Crone, dreamily. 
 
 "It certainly would," said Mr. Crone. 
 
 Another pause, and Mrs. Crone remarked, 
 "The Alden boys will do it all if he don't. 
 They'll have all the boys with them too, 
 I'll warrant. Aldens can always make folks 
 go with them, and I wonder why our boy 
 can't do something as well as they!"
 
 MOSE POND. 269 
 
 "I should think he' might," said Ezekiel 
 Crone, decisively. 
 
 The parents having reached a satisfactory 
 conclusion on the matter, the mother re- 
 ported to Tom accordingly. Tom's courage 
 went up again. He had just that timid na- 
 ture which needed sympathy, and wanted 
 courage breathed into him from a stronger 
 nature. Then he could work well in a good 
 cause work persistently, and reap for him- 
 self and others a 'harvest. He and Miles 
 were, as Patty said, good complements for 
 each other. Miles liked sympathy, but nei- 
 ther sought it nor depended upon it. A 
 little opposition was a spur to his resolution. 
 He had strong convictions, and a will strong 
 enough to act up to them. 
 
 Tom put unusual energy into his part of 
 the farm work, and every time he went out 
 with his paper for "signers," he came back 
 with greater self-respect and moral power. 
 If at any time his heart was growing faint
 
 270 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 under an unexpected rebuff, when he "com- 
 pared notes " with Miles, he was strong 
 again. One day as he was arguing for 
 total abstinence and the pledge, a special 
 friend and disciple of Doctor Burt broke in 
 upon his talk. His name was Green. He 
 was about ten years older than Tom. 
 
 "Look here, now, you young meddler," 
 said Green, breaking in upon Tom's conver- 
 sation, "you talk like a ninny. What do 
 you know about the matter any way? Do 
 you know more than all the doctors? Dr. 
 Burt has studied at college. He's got laru- 
 iu'. He says a little liquor's good for a 
 man, and au't all our fathers used it the 
 ministers, and all good folks! Now, it isn't 
 likely they'd a used it if it was such an 
 awful bad thing. You're trying to get away 
 the rights of the boys by that are pledge." 
 
 Tom modestly suggested that every drunk- 
 ard began by taking a little ; that when peo- 
 ple began to drink it was not easy to take
 
 MOSE POND. 271 
 
 only a little, nor to leave off when they 
 found it hurt them. He cited Mose Pond's 
 case, as an illustration of the evils of mod- 
 erate drinking. 
 
 Tom had good arguments, and Green a 
 loud voice and a bad temper. When Tom 
 named Pond, Green exclaimed, shaking his 
 fist in Tom's face, "Torn Crone, you're a 
 fool ! All the Crones are fools, and always 
 was!" To these insults Green added a vio- 
 lent push, saying, as Tom went reeling against 
 the fence, "What do you think yourself to 
 be? Sich as you trying to tell folks when 
 they ought to drink ! " 
 
 Tom pursued his mission work no further 
 that day. It was his first experience in a 
 violent return of evil for his good. He .had 
 not learned to rejoice at it, nor to feel that 
 it was for Christ's sake. He did not recover 
 from the disheartening blow until he had re- 
 ceived the sympathy of his mother and of 
 the Aldeus. When Miles heard Tom's story
 
 272 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 concerning his contact with Green, Miles 
 shrugged his shoulders, saying, "Mean to 
 hunt up Green next time I go out, wouldn't 
 you, Carver?" 
 
 "Don't know as I should," replied Carver. 
 "You will cast your pearls before swine, 
 maybe." 
 
 "Oh, it's not a pearl I am going to throw 
 at him," said Miles, laughing. 
 
 "What will you throw at him?" 
 
 K Hard arguments." 
 
 " And what if he laughs at them ? " 
 
 "Why, I'll let him laugh." 
 
 "But what more than argments will you 
 use with Green?" 
 
 "Facts." 
 
 "Father says facts are the best kind of 
 arguments," added Carver. 
 
 "Yes," replied Miles, with a significant 
 nod of his head, "especially when they hit 
 as hard as mine will hit Green." 
 
 The boys separated. There was something
 
 MOSE POND. 273 
 
 in the defiant spirit of Miles toward Green 
 that made Tom ashamed that he had allowed 
 so worthless a fellow, who so meanly de- 
 fended a bad cause, to burden him. "I wish 
 I did have more courage when I know I'm 
 right," he said to himself, as he walked 
 thoughtfully home. 
 
 Miles found no difficulty in meeting Green. 
 He found him where he was generally to be 
 found, lounging about the grocery store sta- 
 bles. Green's triumph over Tom was so 
 easy in his own estimation, that he counted 
 on an equally easy task in sending home 
 abashed any temperance boy. He was be- 
 coming very insolent, and a great hindrance 
 to the further circulation of the pledge 
 among the young folks. Miles commenced 
 his efforts to get pledges in the presence of 
 this defiant advocate of rum. Green at once 
 strode towards him, and began his denun- 
 ciation of all teetotalism. He rehearsed the 
 old argument of a little being good for one, 
 
 18
 
 274 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 and sneered at boys pretending to know 
 "more'n the doctors," and being "wiser than 
 all the fathers." 
 
 "How much is f a little rum'?" said Miles. 
 "Why, as much as will do a man good." 
 "How much will do a man good, hey?" 
 "Why yes as much as makes him feel 
 better. I don't believe, you see, in getting 
 drunk." 
 
 "Just so much as Mose Pond always had 
 only just enough to make him feel bet- 
 ter. He never had too much, in his own 
 judgment." 
 
 "Mose was a fool, and so are you." 
 Not regarding the personal insult, Miles 
 confronted Green with an unflinching bravery, 
 and demanded, in a clear, strong, unfaltering 
 voice, "Do you know what a little is? do 
 you know when you get enough?" 
 
 " Yes," was the faltering reply, as Green 
 looked upon Miles' honest, bold face and 
 searching eye, and upon the crowd of boys
 
 MOSE POND. 275 
 
 who had gathered about them, all of whom 
 knew his habits well. 
 
 "Yes, sir" replied Miles, in a voice so 
 vociferous that he made every boy in the 
 crowd feel the force of his reply "Yes, 
 sir, you knew exactly what was enough when 
 you lay under the wall drunk last Saturday 
 night ! You have known just how much is 
 a little, for twelve months, and been drunk 
 all of twelve times ! " 
 
 "You're a mean temperance meddler!" ex- 
 claimed Green, in a passion, drawing back 
 and raising his arm defiantly. 
 
 Miles stood on the defensive, without 
 flinching. 
 
 "A fight! a fight!" shouted the boys. 
 "Give 'em fair play." Green was much the 
 older, but Miles' well developed muscles, 
 large and strong limbs, showed that he had 
 at least, a tolerable chance, if the dispute 
 came to blows, and it was evident it would 
 if Green struck the first blow. In fact, he
 
 276 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAKM. 
 
 rather desired to humble the advocate of 
 rum by a sound whipping. It was plain he 
 had left the praying to Patty, and had as- 
 sumed a little more of the acting than was 
 becoming in a moral reform. 
 
 "Better not strike an Aldeu," said a voice 
 in the crowd. "Miles will lay you out 
 stifier than a poker." 
 
 Green thought discretion the better part 
 of valor, and beat a hasty retreat, amidst the 
 jeers of the crowd. His influence with the 
 boys was gone.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 A NEW LIFE. 
 
 GHEAT success crowned the efforts of Pat- 
 ty's scholars, so that she was more than ever 
 esteemed by their parents. Mr. Alden called 
 what had been done among the young, "Pat- 
 ty's work," for she devised the plan of oper- 
 ation, and directed and sustained by her 
 wisdom and courage, the efforts. It became 
 the "town's talk." The sober, thoughtful 
 people, for the most part rejoiced. The Dr. 
 Burt party, aided by the liquor sellers and 
 all the drunkards, talked loud, and with 
 awful solemnity. "What are we coming 
 to?" said the grocery store loafers. "Wo- 
 men and the boys are a-going to take away 
 our rights." 
 
 The movement among the children had 
 
 277
 
 278 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 nowhere done more good than at the Corner. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Crone were greatly benefited 
 by Tom's connection with it. It had en- 
 larged their range of thought with regard 
 to their boy. They had valued their chil- 
 dren by the measure of their usefulness in 
 the work of their hands. Having never felt 
 to any great extent responsibility for the 
 moral good of others, they never thought of 
 such a line of service for their children. 
 Tom's labors had greatly benefited them in 
 this respect. They were conscious of a 
 higher and broader estimate of character. 
 The Spirit whispered through this incident, 
 "Go work in my vineyard!" 
 
 As to Tom, it was a marked era in his 
 life the most important he had ever seen. 
 He labored on the farm with more heart, for 
 he had greater self-respect. He felt that he 
 was already somebody. He studied easier 
 and with more pleasure, for he had a nobler 
 
 aim. 
 
 *****
 
 A NEW LIFE. 279 
 
 The summer was now ended. The farmers 
 were in the midst of their harvest work. 
 The pupils of Patty recited good lessons, up 
 to the commencement of the harvesting, ex- 
 cept during a vacation in the warm weeks 
 of dogdays. They now gave their whole 
 time to the farms. They were happy in the 
 thought that no summer had been so full of 
 pleasure and improvement. They were in 
 danger indeed of being too full of self-confi- 
 dence. Miles especially, put on some " airs." 
 His triumph over Green obtained him many 
 compliments. While his conduct towards 
 Tom was full of his characteristic kindness, 
 his bearing was becoming that of a superior. 
 Carver was less vain but more proud. He 
 did not talk as freely of himself as his 
 brother did, nor attempt to "show off," but 
 he entertained the conviction that Carver 
 Alden of Alden Farm, had few equals and 
 no superiors. He thought with great satis- 
 faction of the future day when he should be
 
 280 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 in college, and show the wondering students 
 what he could do ! The private character of 
 the boys' school encouraged these feelings. 
 They measured themselves by themselves, and 
 were not wise. They needed, for a correc- 
 tion of these errors, the healthful competi- 
 tion of a large school, gathered from a wide 
 range of country, some of whose scholars 
 might take the vanity and pride out of 
 them. 
 
 The harvesting at Alden's and at the Cor- 
 ner was never more abundant for the labor 
 bestowed; and it is certain that "harvest 
 home," was never sung more joyfully. Only 
 one cloud that, a dark, heavy one hung 
 over the now truly Christian home of Ezekiel 
 Crone. 
 
 The feelings of Mr. Alden, over whose 
 family joy no cloud hung, are well expressed 
 in the following incident. The product of 
 his fields had all been gathered into his 
 barns and granaries. Thanksgiving day, with
 
 A NEW LITE. 281 
 
 its fullness of occasion to praise the God of 
 harvest, had passed. He had given of his 
 abundance with a liberal hand to the poor. 
 Still, the yearning of the hearts of the pa- 
 rental heads of the Alden family was to do 
 more for the Master. 
 
 It was when they were just in this state 
 of feeling that their pastor, Mr. Curtis, and 
 his wife, favored them with an evening's visit. 
 Two topics of conversation were of absorb- 
 ing interest, until an unusually late hour. 
 One was joyous, and the other sad. "The 
 signs of the outpourings of God's spirit," 
 said Mr. Curtis, "were never so encourag- 
 ing. The bow of promise is in the parting 
 clouds. The temperance reform has cleared 
 the moral atmosphere by removing in a great 
 degree, an old, scandalous stumbling-block." 
 
 "I believe you are right," replied Mr. Al- 
 deu, with animation. "The young people 
 were never more seriously disposed. Their 
 attention to the words preached was never
 
 282 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAliM. 
 
 better ! " He closed this strain of remark 
 by saying, solemnly, " Oh, that God would 
 add to His great mercies to my family this 
 one : the conversion of my children ! " 
 
 It was arranged between the pastor and 
 his faithful member, to secure an agreement 
 on the part of all the earnest, spiritual mem- 
 bers, to meet on Thursday afternoon of each 
 week, in the great kitchen of the parsonage, 
 to pray for this one thing, the gift of 
 larger measures of the Spirit. Patience and 
 Mrs. Curtis entered warmly into the pro- 
 posal. They began immediately to stir up 
 the sisters in the good work. 
 
 The sad topic of conversation was the sick- 
 ness of Deacon Prime, of which Mr. Alden 
 had not heard. He had been repelled from 
 the society and fellowship of this aged office 
 bearer. No "misunderstanding" had ever oc- 
 curred, more than that which came naturally 
 out of great difference both of views on many 
 religious topics, and of Christian experience.
 
 A NEW LIFE. 283 
 
 The deacon's godliness had been one of un- 
 doubted sincerity, but it was very sour. The 
 law with him was more than the gospel ; he 
 had taken it not as "a schoolmaster to bring 
 him to Christ," but as the bearer of a 
 scourge with which to chastise the "old man" 
 into the image and nature of the "new man." 
 But Mr. Alden resolved to go at once and 
 tender his Christian condolence to his brother. 
 But when calling upon the devout and Christ- 
 like Deacon Turner, he thought best to delay 
 his visit. The pastor and the younger dea- 
 con had been more than once, and found 
 their aged brother in a state of great con- 
 flict of mind. A change, they thought, was 
 coming over him. It would be best to wait. 
 We will visit Deacon Prime's sick room, 
 and he shall speak for himself. The dea- 
 con's sickness assumed, from the first, a se- 
 rious character. He was impressed that his 
 departure was near. He began to listen 
 to the reading of the Bible with a deeper
 
 284 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 interest. He had read it morning and even- 
 ing for many years, but now its utterances 
 seemed clothed with fresh authority. 
 
 "I have been a great sinner," said the 
 deacon, sighing deeply. His family turned 
 to the precious promises, especially those 
 which fell from Christ's own lips. His bur- 
 dened heart saw only the fact that he was a 
 sinner. There was no comfort in the view, 
 but increasing distress. Good Deacon Tur- 
 ner came in, and pressed upon his attention, 
 and held before his mind the atoning blood. 
 He urged as the sole ground of the sinner's 
 acceptance, "Repentance towards God, and 
 faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ," a doc- 
 trine the despairing deacon had always held 
 and pressed upon others. "To him that be- 
 lieveth" said Deacon Turner fervently, "Christ 
 is precious." A night of spiritual darkness 
 followed. In the morning the deacon was 
 bolstered up, and the Word of God was 
 placed before him. He began with Christ's
 
 A NEW LIFE. 285 
 
 discourse to his disciples, at the institution 
 of the Supper. He was struck with the ten- 
 derness of the address, "Let not your heart 
 be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye 
 believe in God, believe also in me." He 
 read these words over again. He took off 
 his glasses, wiped them, re-adjusted them, 
 and read them again. They seemed so new 
 he could hardly persuade himself that they 
 were the same words which he had often 
 read from his youth. The Holy Spirit won- 
 derfully illuminated them; and by his aid 
 his heart took hold of the Redeemer who 
 spoke them for every sin-stained but broken 
 and contrite heart. He was no longer trou- 
 bled. He had always believed in God, whom 
 he saw as "angry with the sinner every 
 day ; " he now believed " also " in him " by 
 whose stripes we are healed." His counte- 
 nance was lighted with holy joy, as he lay 
 breathing a low, tender, fervent utterance of 
 praise. His family felt the change, and
 
 286 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 greatly rejoiced. His brother in office stood 
 at the bedside with thankfulness and wonder. 
 His pastor saw in the change another evi- 
 dence of a coming gracious visitation. 
 
 "Now," said Deacon Prime, "send for 
 Brother Alden." As he approached his bed s 
 he threw his arms about his neck, and wept 
 freely. "I have been all wrong, Brother 
 Alden. We have held to the same God 
 and the same Saviour, but we have had a 
 different experience. I have wronged you 
 by my words and spirit. I will not ask 
 your forgiveness ; I read it already in your 
 face. I know by your long cherished, lov- 
 ing spirit that I have it. Oh, that I could 
 live to tell all of the precious love of the 
 Saviour to me." 
 
 The deacon ceased, folded his hands across 
 his breast, and fell asleep in Christ. A 
 heavenly smile, which he had never worn 
 in life, settled upon his face in death. 
 
 A fresh inspiration was given to the faith
 
 A NEW LIFE. 287 
 
 of the praying band, -which met at the par- 
 sonage on Thursday afternoon. The prayers 
 at many family altars were quickened ; less 
 formality and more of the spirit of suppli- 
 cation prevailed generally in the parish of 
 Mr. Curtis. " Our children ! May they be 
 gathered into Christ's fold ! " was the devout 
 exclamation of many parents. While others, 
 sincerely distrusting all professed conversions 
 among young people, turned coldly towards 
 efforts in this direction. The earnest pastor 
 was not one of these ; his prayers were never 
 more fervent than when his only child, Jane, 
 was remembered before God. 
 
 John and Patience Alden had long ago 
 discussed, in their earnest, thoughtful, iude- 
 pendent and prayerful manner, the question 
 of early conversions. It was when their 
 first born was yet a child, that the following 
 talk about this matter occurred. 
 
 "Patience," said John, who had just re- 
 turned from Carver's sleeping-room, where he
 
 288 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 had tucked him up snugly iu his little trun- 
 dle bed, "Patience, at what age may we 
 rightly expect the conversion of our boy?" 
 
 "Just as soon as he may be held re- 
 sponsible for what he does," replied Patience, 
 decidedly. 
 
 "It's a great thing to be a Christian," sug- 
 gested John. 
 
 "Certainly," said Patience. 
 
 "Conversion is a great work, and children 
 may easily be deceived in such great mat- 
 ters," further suggested Mr. Aldeu, who was 
 evidently at his well practiced device, of 
 bringing up objections to call -out the thoughts 
 of his wife. 
 
 "Now, John," said Patience, with an ear- 
 nestness which startled her husband, "I be- 
 lieve that a child, at his first responsible 
 moments, will more easily and more clearly 
 see Christ as a Saviour, and believe on Him 
 unto salvation, more readily, if properly in- 
 structed, than at any later time ! "
 
 A NEW LIFE. 289 
 
 K Why, Patience ! " exclaimed her husband, 
 really surprised at this bold assertion. 
 
 "Don't the Spirit strive more earnestly for 
 the child than for the older person who has 
 grieved Him often?" said Patience, with in- 
 creasing warmth. 
 
 "Does He?" inquired Mr. Alden. 
 
 "Does a father," said Patience, "ask the 
 acceptance by a child of a favor, more freely 
 after it has been often refused?" 
 
 "But we have been taught not to encour- 
 age children to expect renewing grace," re- 
 plied Mr. Alden, hesitatingly. 
 
 "But Christ has said, < Suffer little chil- 
 dren to come unto me,'" answered Patience, 
 in a sad tone. She was thinking of her own 
 little faith in a truth she had so earnestly- 
 advocated. 
 
 Her husband, having obtained what he 
 sought, his wife's clear statements, added to 
 her arguments others in the same direction, 
 and shortly after, at the family altar, thanked 
 
 19
 
 290 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 God for the promise that for the little chil- 
 dren even, was the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Years had passed since this incident, but 
 now, when the desire for their children's 
 conversion was burdening them, they were 
 greatly humbled that their prayers, labors 
 and faith had been so little in accordance 
 with their expressed belief. The family 
 altar at Alden Farm never breathed more 
 fervent prayers than were now ascending 
 from it. The place of secret prayer wit- 
 nessed confessions, penitential tears and be- 
 lieving supplications. 
 
 "Carve," said the unsuspecting Miles, "how 
 good to us everybody seems ! " 
 
 " What ! " said Carver, looking up from his 
 I book. 
 
 "How kind everybody is ! " repeated Miles. 
 " How father does pray, too ! " 
 
 "Hasn't he always prayed," said Carver, 
 affecting an indifference to the subject he 
 did not feel. Both boys commenced study-
 
 A NEW LIFE. 291 
 
 ing again. They were alone in their pa- 
 rents' sleeping-room, where a fire was occa- 
 sionally made for them when callers were 
 expected in the kitchen. But their minds 
 were not absorbed in their books as usual. 
 Soon Miles commenced again on the subject 
 which was burdening his heart, but of which 
 he had not courage to speak directly. "How 
 very kind Patty is ! " he said, as if talking 
 to himself. 
 
 "Why, hasn't she always, been kind?" said 
 Carver. 
 
 "I mean, how loving she is," answered 
 Miles. 
 
 Carver smiled, and said, "Well, I think 
 she has always been loving." 
 
 Miles blushed, but said, resolutely, "I 
 think, Carver, that father and mother, and 
 our teacher want us to be Christians, right 
 off! I see it in their faces all the time. 
 They pray too, that we may, I know they 
 do. Yesterday at the recitation, while you
 
 292 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 were looking out a word in the Latin Die- 
 
 O 
 
 tionary, Patty rested her elbow on the table 
 and put her face in her hand. She was 
 praying for you, I know she was, for she 
 looked at you so tenderly when you began 
 to translate, and I saw her wipe a tear from 
 one corner of her eye ! But I wonder she 
 never talks to us about being Christians. I 
 wish she would say something about Jesus." 
 
 Carver made no bluff reply to this. He 
 said nothing, but his brother saw that he was 
 affected, and he followed up his advantage, 
 in the frank expression of a full soul. " Car- 
 ver," he said, with a -choked utterance, "I 
 mean to try to give my heart to God." 
 
 Both boys bowed their heads upon their 
 study table in silence. Carver had really felt 
 the drawings of God's Spirit longer and more 
 deeply than his brother. But his will was 
 less yielding, and his proud heart warred 
 against the Love which was drawing him to 
 the narrow path of peace and safety. The
 
 A NEW LIFE. 293 
 
 contention in the heart of Miles was sharper 
 and sooner ended. He wept freely, and 
 finally retired to his own room to weep and 
 pray alone. 
 
 While Jesus was thus meeting with Patty's 
 students, and preparing their hearts for the 
 message from Him which might be sent, he 
 spake by His Spirit to her that night. In 
 her oft repeated prayer for her pupils, she 
 had prayed for wisdom in winning them to 
 Christ. Suddenly she now cried out, "Jesus, 
 forgive me; that I have not borne to them 
 the message of thy love more faithfully. I 
 will, by thy help, when next I see them." 
 
 The recitations were ended on the follow- 
 ing Friday, when Patty, with a fluttering 
 heart, said, "My young friends, would you 
 like to tarry a short time, that we may talk 
 about the Saviour? I want you to give Him 
 your hearts." 
 
 Thomas Crone looked into the faces of his 
 Alden friends. He was glad to read there
 
 294 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 a cordial response to the teacher's request. 
 The words which the faithful teacher uttered 
 dropped like seed into good ground. The 
 Great Sower had been there before her, pre- 
 paring the ground, by the fertilizing warmth of 
 His Spirit, and by the hammer of His Word 
 breaking its stony hardness. At the close of the 
 interview, all kneeled in brokenness of heart, 
 while the teacher asked for a genuine penitence 
 and faith. 
 
 Very little studying was done for several 
 days. "Carver and Miles told atl their feel- 
 ings, without embarrassment, to their mother. 
 In her simple Christian discipline she had pos- 
 sessed so much of the Christ Spirit, that no 
 barrier was raised between her and their 
 fullest confidence. Even the rougher nature 
 of their father was childlike simplicity here, 
 and both parents and children, as one family 
 in Christ, talked, sang, and prayed together 
 daily. Patience pointed out to them such 
 passages of Scripture as she deemed specially
 
 A NEW LIFE. 295 
 
 adapted to their case. She warned them of 
 errors which, as she had learned by expe- 
 rience, beset the seeker's path. Under such 
 guidance and prayers, gradually the peace of 
 the believer entered their hearts. 
 
 About three weeks after these incidents, 
 both Carver and Miles were again in their 
 parents' chamber, before a blazing fire, about 
 to commence an evening's study. Both, with- 
 out concert, had stolen away into their own 
 chamber, for a few moments of secret prayer 
 before commencing. As they were seated at 
 their study table, with books opened before 
 them, Carver looked up and said, seriously, 
 "Miles, we know now what Patty meant 
 
 
 
 when she talked to us about Luther's motto, 
 don't we?" 
 
 "Yes," said Miles, smiling, "I think I 
 shan't now want to leave the praying before 
 study, to Patty." 
 
 Lonely Thomas Crone groped more in the 
 dark, and through a longer path, to find the
 
 296 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Light of Life. His instruction in religious 
 things had been very limited. He had never 
 felt any freedom in talking with his parents 
 about holy things ; and even now, when both 
 were very glad to see his seriousness, and 
 evident desire to love the Saviour, they did 
 not know what to say to him. They saw 
 and felt this, and were greatly humbled. 
 "Ezekiel," said Mrs. Crone, as she looked 
 into Tom's beseeching countenance, "Ezekiel, 
 we ought to be teachers in divine things, 
 but we are only babes. God forgive us, 
 and make our boy a Christian, and a better 
 one, too, than we have been." 
 
 But Tom found in his teacher and school- 
 mates, willing helpers, and he too, was soon 
 happy in the peace which passes understand- 
 ing, and the joy which is full of the Holy 
 Ghost.
 
 CHAPTER XVn. 
 
 BURDENED HEAETS. 
 
 THE awakening had reached the home of 
 Joel Organ, the father of Fred. As we 
 have stated, they lived on a by-road several 
 miles from town. Mr. Organ's wife, Mary, 
 never possessed of an amiable disposition, 
 had been more than ever ill-tempered since 
 the mysterious disappearance of Zeke Crone. 
 She manifested strange emotions when the 
 continued mourning of his parents for him 
 was mentioned by a caller. She would at 
 once break out into a noisy talk about it. 
 "Why," she exclaimed, "should Jerusha 
 Crone, or her old. man, care for Zeke's loss?. 
 He can't be worse off than he was at home. 
 They drove him out doors, and so who's to 
 
 297
 
 298 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 blame ! They needn't tell me that they do 
 care anything about it ! I know 'em ! For 
 my part, I think they may thank anybody 
 who has given Zeke a shelter." 
 
 This heat was exciting attention and caus- 
 ing remarks. Mrs. Organ saw this, and 
 shut herself up in her obscure home more 
 than ever. Fred was removed from school 
 soon after his mean conduct towards Thomas 
 Crone. He had been allowed to go to town 
 but little, and even Mr. Organ's visits were 
 jealously restrained by his wife. Thus shut 
 out from society, they were little likely to 
 be partakers of the religious interest of the 
 town. But the Holy Spirit can not be shut 
 out from the by-ways of sin when he is 
 moved towards them by earnest, believing 
 prayer. We will note how it was. 
 
 Patty 'Vose rejoiced with a cautious, deep 
 interest, in the evidence of a saving change 
 in her pupils. It was not with her as with 
 many Christians when dear friends are con-
 
 BURDENED HEARTS. 299 
 
 verted. Her solicitude did not cease with 
 their conversion. She knew that their Chris- 
 tian life was but just begun ; that there were 
 conflicts through which they must pass, and 
 work for them to do ; that they needed to 
 be built tip in the faith* of Jesus, and to 
 grow in grace ; and that they needed for 
 all this the counsel of experience, and the 
 guidance of older Christians. So they had 
 been her pupils, not only in Greek and 
 Latin, but in the more important things of 
 holy living. "The luck of Alden Farm" 
 was never more apparent than in the relig- 
 ious growth of its boys, so Patty's work in 
 reference to them, was the comparatively 
 easy one of co-operation. But for Thomas 
 Crone her labor was more responsible and 
 
 difficult. His parents did little for his Chris- 
 
 
 
 tian culture. How could they impart that 
 of which they had obtained so little ! They 
 felt their lack keenly. "John Aldeu's boys 
 will be sure to hold out," said Mrs. Croue.
 
 300 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 " Everything he and Patience undertake comes 
 out right. They've been always lucky. Our 
 boy has got to stumble along, I suppose, 
 just as his parents have. I do want him, 
 though, to live a sight better ! " Jerusha 
 Crone's tears, at this time, flowed easily. 
 She did feel her own, and her husband's 
 deficiency in force of Christian character, 
 but she had not quite overcome her foolish 
 application of the term " luck " to what su- 
 perior character accomplished. It was still 
 in a measure a blind to a full view of her 
 Christian obligations. So, in God's kind 
 providence, Patty and the Alden boys, sup- 
 ported by their parents, came in to supply 
 to Tom the parental deficiency. 
 
 The winter school was again in operation. 
 
 Mr. Everett had consented to become its 
 
 
 
 teacher again, though offered better paying 
 fields of labor. He was drawn to his former 
 pupils by a strong friendship, increased by 
 'the religious interest among them. Patty's
 
 BURDENED HEARTS. 301 
 
 pupils were transferred to him, the Alden 
 boys reciting their Latin and Greek private- 
 ly, twice a week. He bore a generous tes- 
 timony to the accuracy of their late teacher's 
 instruction, as well as to the marked prog- 
 ress of the boys during the summer. But 
 Patty retained her watchful care over the 
 religious growth of the boys, especially of 
 Tom. 
 
 There was quite an unpleasant feeling in 
 the family of Joel Organ during the week 
 before the commencement of the school. 
 "Mary," said Joel to his wife, "I am deter- 
 mined that Fred shall go to school this 
 winter, in spite of your nervous fear that 
 our secret will get out." 
 
 " Fear ! " retorted Mary, sharply. " You 
 needn't accuse me of being afraid of the 
 Crones, nor anybody who pretends to be 
 their friend. But it's for the boy's good that 
 I would have our secret kept." 
 
 " The boy's good ! " replied Mr. Organ, 
 sneeringly.
 
 302 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 This remark wounded Mrs. Organ, and she 
 replied, smartly, " You men folks do so ache 
 to tell all you know ! " 
 
 Joel left the house in anger, slammiug the 
 door as he retired. He found Fred in the 
 barn, whom he addressed in a tone in no- 
 wise fitted to soothe his perplexed and bur- 
 dened feelings. "Fred!" said the father. 
 
 "What sir?" answered Fred, startled by 
 the excited voice and manner of his father. 
 
 " Fred ! " repeated Joel, " do you go to 
 school on Monday. And if you tell any 
 person our secret, I'll skin you ! " 
 
 Fred began to cry. "All the boys," he 
 sobbed, "will be teasing me, and I don't 
 want to go to school ! " 
 
 "Well," replied his father, in a softened 
 tone, "you can keep your mouth shut about 
 it, can't you?" 
 
 " Don't know, sir," replied Fred. 
 
 " If you do tell ! " said his father, again 
 roused to fury, as he shook his fist in the 
 face of his boy.
 
 BURDENED HEAETS. 303 
 
 When Mr. Organ told his wife that he 
 had " decided " that Fred should attend 
 school, there was another scene*, which ended 
 in a violent fit of crying by Mrs. Organ. 
 Her husband soothed her feelings in his way, 
 by reminding her that she "didn't care who 
 knew the secret. Not she ! It was nothing 
 she was ashamed of ! " 
 
 Fred did attend the school on Monday. 
 His bearing was that of the Crone boys a 
 year before, but not that of Thomas Crone 
 now. When the first week closed, and Sat- 
 urday night closed, Fred and his parents 
 were sitting by the kitchen fire. But little 
 had been said during the week of the "teas- 
 ing" of the boys. He had grown more 
 cheerful after each day's attendance at school, 
 and now his good spirits appeared in his 
 face. He has rid himself of our vexatious 
 secret, thought his father, and feels better for 
 it; and I don't care if he has, for it must 
 come out some time. His wife did not dare
 
 304 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 to ask Fred, for she dreaded the conse- 
 quences to him and herself of any course he 
 might take. At length Fred broke the pain- 
 ful silence. "Mother!" he exclaimed, "all 
 the boys at school are real kind. They are 
 as good again as they were last winter ! " j 
 
 "And coaxed out of you all you know, 
 I'll warrant ! " said his mother, waiting with 
 an anxious face for his reply. 
 
 "No, they have never teased nor coaxed 
 me about our secret," said Fred, cheerfully. 
 "I guess they have forgotten all about that." 
 A pause followed, which Fred broke by say- 
 ing, in a low, thoughtful tone, "I don't know 
 though as they have." He was thinking of 
 Thomas Crone's care-worn look, although he 
 did seem so much smarter, and better be- 
 haved than he did a year, before. 
 
 Fred continued to report the kind bearing 
 of all the school, and the especial attentiou 
 of the Alden boys, and the "real good sort 
 of way" of "Tom Crone." "Why, mother,"
 
 BURDENED HEARTS. 305 
 
 said Fred, ''Torn is getting real smart, and 
 he seems to love me better than he loves 
 any of the boys ! " 
 
 "Coaxing round you?" said his mother, in- 
 quiringly. 
 
 "I'd like to know what reason Tom's got 
 to coax round our Fred!" interposed Mr. 
 Organ." 
 
 This remark shut off further talk. But an 
 impression had been made upon the parents 
 of which they were not yet ready to speak. 
 Indeed, they did not know what either to 
 think or say of the changed spirit at school. 
 But it led them . to venture to go to town 
 to church, which they had not done for many 
 months. The result was a greater perplexity 
 than ever. Every one was kind and atten- 
 tive. Even the Crones, Ezekiel and his wife, 
 approached them with a cordiality which they 
 could not, or rather, as it was in the pres- 
 ence of others, dared not repel. They went 
 home, pondering upon the altered spirit of 
 
 20
 
 306 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 the people of the town. Their visits at the 
 church became constant, when the winter 
 storms did not prevent. While this feeling 
 of interest is growing in the Organ family, 
 we will note more fully the cause which so 
 puzzled them. 
 
 "Thomas," said Patty, as he was about 
 to commence, study in the winter school, 
 "you must work for the Saviour this win- 
 ter." Thomas hung his head despondingly. 
 Patty had often, in general terms, spoken 
 to her young friends to learn early an active 
 piety, but she had never put the. duty home 
 so directly to him. 
 
 "What can I do?" was the timid reply. 
 
 "If any boy has ever injured you, watch 
 for an opportunity to do him a favor; that 
 will be one way to begin to do something 
 to show your love for Christ," replied Patty, 
 with animation. 
 
 Thomas was much impressed with this re- 
 mark. When he was sitting by the great
 
 BURDENED HEARTS. 307 
 
 fire-place of the kitchen that evening, around 
 which the whole family were gathered, and 
 felt the change the pleasant change which 
 had come over the spirit of his home, the 
 remark of Patty came to him with new force. 
 ["There's Fred," he mused. "If anybody has 
 injured me it is he. Wonder if he will be 
 at school this winter?" So when these two 
 boys met, a surprise of which we know 
 something was prepared for Fred. Thomas 
 Crone, owing to his summer study, was now 
 among Mr. Everett's best scholars. The re- 
 proach of Crone's Corner was fading out. 
 Energy, industry, and good character were 
 slowly but surely bringing "good luck." 
 So Fred was glad to receive Tom's special 
 attentions, and occasional aid in his studies. 
 At Alden Farm bolder efforts were planned 
 to win the Organs into the pleasant, though 
 narrow paths of true wisdom. While the 
 boys were throwing the silken cords of a 
 Christian love around Fred, their parents
 
 308 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 were praying for and watching a favoring 
 opportunity to speak to Joel and Mary Or- 
 gan. The increasing interest of the Organs 
 in the service of the house of worship en- 
 couraged these efforts. 
 
 "Patience," said John Alden, on Sabbath 
 evening, after a most joyous day in the 
 courts of the Lord; "Patience, we must go 
 and make Joel and Mary Organ a call. I 
 seem drawn towards them." 
 
 "They seem much drawn towards the peo- 
 ple of God and His house," remarked Pa- 
 tience. 
 
 Carver, who had heard this remark, whis- 
 pered to Miles, "Miles, I wish we could go 
 to Fred Organ's. I guess he would be glad 
 to see us." 
 
 " He is a different boy from what he was 
 last winter," sdid Miles. 
 
 But John and Patience chose to make the 
 call first alone, which they did, arriving early 
 on a clear, moonlight evening. The level
 
 BURDENED HEARTS. 309 
 
 snow had made fine sleighing. The shrub- 
 bery along the road sparkled with pearly 
 icicles, and the clear, cold air echoed to 
 the merry bells. Even John Alden's horse 
 seemed inspired by the errand of Christian 
 love of those he bore, for, though he had 
 seen fifteen winters, Patience declared that 
 he " skipped over the road like a colt." 
 
 The visitors were received cordially. Ear- 
 lier in the winter, Mary Organ's face would 
 have been flushed with suspicion and ill-will 
 towards such callers. But she had been 
 disarmed, as much through the treatment of 
 Fred as by courtesies to herself. No allu- 
 sion was made to the Crones, and the heart 
 of Mrs. Organ was open to the influence of 
 faithful Christian labor to win her to Christ. 
 Her husband was even more within such an 
 influence. As to Fred, though addressed by 
 a few words only, the words and spirit of 
 the visitors fell upon his heart as light and 
 heat upon the opening flower. So swiftly
 
 310 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 did the moments fly, that even the Aldens 
 were beguiled into a later hour than usual. 
 Nor was the pleasure of the occasion aided 
 by even an offer of wine from the sideboard, 
 nor cider from the cellar. Joel had plenty 
 of both, and to most other callers they would 
 have been tendered as a necessary politeness. 
 But John Alden's emphatic "JVb t sir," was 
 known as far as his face or name was rec- 
 ognized. When prayer was offered by Mr. 
 Alden, it melted all hearts by its tender, 
 earnest simplicity and directness. He means 
 me by every word of his prayer, thought 
 Mrs. Organ. He asks a blessing for you, 
 whispered the Spirit in the heart of Mr. 
 Organ. Fred wiped his eyes when the 
 prayer closed, and was truly thankful that 
 the whole of it had been for him. 
 
 When the visitors had gone, the Organ 
 family sat for some moments around their 
 blazing fire in silence. Though no angels 
 unawares had been entertained, but only the'
 
 BUKDENED HEARTS. 311 
 
 renewed of the earthly church, a heavenly 
 influence seemed to linger about the room. 
 
 "Mary," said Mr. Organ, breaking the 
 silence, "have we any better friends than 
 John and Patience?" 
 
 "None," answered his wife. 
 
 Another pause followed, which Fred inter- 
 rupted, by saying, timidly, "I haven't any 
 better friends than Carver, Miles, and " 
 
 He hesitated to add the name he intended, 
 and looked into his mother's face for per- 
 mission. 
 
 "And who, Fred?" said his mother, in a 
 tone which intimated her willingness to hear 
 even the hated name. 
 
 "And Tom Crone," said Fred, with a 
 choked utterance. 
 
 Silence again reigned, but no look evi- 
 denced displeasure at the declaration. 
 
 "And we are concealing in our own bur- 
 dened hearts a fact which would rejoice the 
 heart of each of them," said Mr. Organ,
 
 312 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 feelingly. Mrs. Organ buried her face iu 
 her hands and began a subdued sobbing, 
 which she tried in vain to suppress. There 
 was a severe conflict going on in her mind 
 between a newly awakened sense of duty, 
 and a long cherished pride and resentment. 
 She began to see that to have peace within, 
 to which she had long been a stranger, she 
 must humble herself before both God and 
 man. Her husband had less pride and re- 
 gard for what others might think or say in 
 reference to a line of conduct which for 
 about a year had been a secret in the family, 
 but he had a strong will, perversely set in 
 the wrong direction. "I won't," struggled 
 violently in his breast, with the Holy Spirit 
 inspired duty of saying, 
 
 " Nay, but I yield, I yield, 
 
 I can hold out no more ; 
 I sink, by dying love compelled, 
 And own Christ conqueror." 
 
 Fred looked into the face of one parent
 
 BURDENED HEAETS. 313 
 
 and then of the other. He perceived, with 
 joy, in their flushed expression, not the old 
 anger, but an anxious concern. He knew, 
 too, what it meant. He had himself felt it 
 deeply and bitterly. But his contact with 
 better spirits at school, and his more sus- 
 ceptible, youthful feeling, had caused already 
 the yielding. He longed for the permission 
 of his parents to tell the Crones and his 
 Alden friends all he knew concerning the 
 missing boy, and to confess his own part in 
 the guilty transaction. He felt that it would 
 be a luxury of joy to do so. It seemed to 
 him the only bar to the peace which had for 
 so many months been to him unknown. So 
 Fred watched the increasing change in his 
 parents with tearful interest. His mother, 
 seeing his watchful eye ever upon her, said, 
 with a harshness which only increased her 
 own burden, "Fred, it's bed-time! Don't 
 sit there staring at me ! " 
 
 The boy retired immediately, but not
 
 314 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 to sleep. His pillow was wet with his 
 tears. 
 
 Mr. Organ walked the floor in silence for 
 a while, his wife, at the same time, crying 
 with great violence. Mr. Organ, growing 
 impatient with his wife's tears and sobs, said, 
 rather sharply, "Mary, what's the use of all 
 this ado ! If we must tell what we have 
 done, let us do it and be done with it ! " 
 
 "Joel, I wish you'd go to bed and let me 
 alone ! " replied his wife, looking up through 
 her tears and disheveled hair, the victim 
 still of a hateful passion, that the reproving 
 Spirit would displace for one of penitence, 
 confession, love, and the peace that passes 
 understanding. 
 
 Joel retired to his chamber, where the 
 struggle in his breast went on for some 
 time, when he fell asleep. With Mrs. Or- 
 gan there was no sleep. Her bitterness 
 towards her family had aggravated her sor- 
 row, and for hours the storm within raged
 
 BURDENED HEARTS. 315 
 
 furiously. "O my God, can such a wretch 
 be forgiven!" she at last exclaimed, aloud. 
 The stillness of the midnight hour gave 
 impressiveness to the utterance. She became 
 more calm, and prayed more deliberately, 
 " Blessed Saviour, pardon my sin I It's 
 dreadful black ! Forgive ! Oh, do forgive 
 me ! " The calm increased. She took the 
 Word of God, dusty and long neglected, 
 and sat down at the stand and spread it 
 out before her. She opened it at the narra- 
 tive of the crucifixion of Jesus. She read, 
 with an interest she had never before felt, 
 the moving story. When she read, " Father, 
 forgive them for they know not what they 
 do," she laid her forehead upon the open 
 page and wept anew. Her tears were not 
 now rebellious and bitter, but penitent and 
 tender. The duty of confession did not seem 
 so difficult as it had done a few hours before. 
 The willingness to do so, as it came stealing 
 in upon her heart, lifted in a measure her
 
 316 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 burden. She fell upon her knees and began 
 her confession to him whom she had most 
 offended Jesus, the Lord and Saviour. 
 
 When Joel Organ came down from his 
 sleeping-room, a little earlier than common, 
 the breakfast was ready to go on the table. 
 The kitchen glowed with a cheerful warmth, 
 and a serious but pleasant glow rested upon 
 the face of his Mary. "Joel," she said, with 
 a soft, firm voice, "I have made up my mind 
 what to do." 
 
 " So have I," said Joel, biting his lips to 
 keep from breaking down into a cry as vio- 
 lent as that in which his wife indulged the 
 night before. 
 
 "I mean," continued Mrs. Organ, "to go 
 this very night and tell John and Patience 
 all about it!" 
 
 "That is what I want to do," said her 
 husband. "It will be easier to confess to 
 Ezekiel and Jerusha, after that." 
 
 A slight shadow passed over his wife's
 
 BURDENED HEARTS. 317 
 
 face at the allusion to the severest test of 
 her penitence. But it was momentary. With 
 recovered self-possession, she said, firmly, 
 "Yes, I know John will go with us, and 
 encourage us in the duty."
 
 CHAPTER XVIH. 
 
 THE COMFORTER. 
 
 THE family at Alden Farm were not sur- 
 prised at seeing the sleigh of Joel Organ 
 drive into their yard. The penetrating eyes 
 of John and Patience, saw that a burden 
 was resting upon their friends' hearts too 
 heavy to be long borne. They suspected 
 too, the cause of that burden. But they 
 wisely left them to the strivings of Him 
 whose office-work it is to awaken and renew. 
 Fervent and constant prayer was being of- 
 fered by many for them. Ezekiel Crone and 
 his wife were greatly encouraged concerning 
 their conversion when they saw their re- 
 newed attention to the preached Word ; and 
 when they heard of John's and Patience's 
 
 818
 
 THE COMFORTER. 319 
 
 visit, they became exceeding joyful. Mrs. 
 Crone's customary expression was immedi- 
 ately upon her lips. "Ezekiel!" she ex- 
 claimed, "John and Patience have got hold 
 of our Joel and Mary. He's bound to have 
 good luck with them. He always does, you 
 know. If you and I had gone to their 
 house, the old mad would have shown itself 
 in them right off. But now something will 
 be done." Mrs. Crone dropped her voice 
 into a low, tremulous tone, as she added, 
 "Maybe John will get them to tell if they 
 know anything about our Zeke. I am sure 
 if they really mean to be Christians, they'll 
 confess all." 
 
 "That they will," replied Mr. Crone, wip- 
 ing the tear from his face ; " and if they can 
 bring Zeke back to us again, we'll all con- 
 fess." 
 
 Mrs. Crone's heart responded to this last 
 remark. So the line of duty which had been 
 undertaken by the Aldens, in their evening's
 
 320 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 ride, was likely to be attended by rich 
 fruit. 
 
 Scarcely were Joel and Mary seated by 
 the evening lamp of their friends, when Mrs. 
 Organ exclaimed, as she burst into tears, 
 w We know where Zeke is ! We helped him 
 off ! Can anybody ever forgive us ! " 
 
 " It was a mean act in us ! " exclaimed 
 Joel, as he rose from his chair in his ex- 
 citement, and walked the floor. "And a 
 wicked thing, as I view it now," he contin- 
 ued, rubbing his hands and quickening his 
 steps. Then, a few moments after, stopping 
 directly in front of Mr. Alden's chair, and 
 looking him full in the face, he asked, earn- 
 estly, "Do you think God can forgive such 
 mean wickedness?" 
 
 *' He has forgiven me," said Mr. Alden, 
 fervently. 
 
 " You! you! John, who never did any- 
 thing but good all the days of your life ! 
 such as you"
 
 THE COMFORTER. 321 
 
 "Hush! Joel," said Mr. Alden, rising and 
 laying his hand gently on his friend's shoul- 
 der, while his lip quivered with emotion, 
 "hush, Joel, the Spirit will be grieved by 
 such talk. You know not what you say ! 
 Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, raised the dead 
 when he gave me a new life ! Say, f This 
 is a faithful saying and worthy of all accep- 
 tation, that Christ Jesus came into the world 
 to save sinners, of whom I am chief.'" 
 
 "Yes, I am the chief of sinners," replied 
 Joel. " I stole a son away from "his parents. 
 I have wickedly concealed the fact, and tried 
 to justify it by many foolish and wicked ar- 
 guments constantly preached to myself. Can 
 I be forgiven?" 
 
 "I have been much worse than you, Joel," 
 interposed his wife. " You'd never sent Zeke 
 away if it hadn't been for me, and you would 
 have brought him back long ago if 1 had not 
 persisted in keeping up the lying to him and 
 others. 1 am the greatest sinner." 
 
 21
 
 322 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 A gleam of joy shot across the face of 
 Patience Alden, at this unusual spirit of 
 contention. "When the Spirit lifts the vail 
 from a sinner's heart, he sees his own sins 
 as the greatest," she said, softly. 
 
 John Alden's words were few, but they 
 were spoken by divine help, and went di- 
 rectly to the hearts of the inquirers. They 
 then kneeled together before God. John 
 Alden had learned, as he said, to turn all 
 the sin-sick who came inquiring of him, over 
 to the Great Healer. He often sung, 
 
 "None but Jesus 
 Can do helpless sinners good." 
 
 So he made short work of their case by 
 bringing them to the Master. It seemed to 
 the penitents that a divine voice spoke in 
 every word of the prayer. It spoke not in 
 wrath, for they had " not come to the mount 
 that might be touched, and that burned with 
 fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and
 
 THE COMFORTER. 323 
 
 tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and 
 the voice of words ; " " but to 
 
 Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and 
 to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh bet- 
 ter things than that of Abel." So their tears 
 .were dried ; their burdens were removed ; 
 their darkness disappeared, and the true light 
 of the believer came pouring into their minds 
 and hearts. 
 
 "John, will you accompany us to Ezekiel 
 Crone's?" 
 
 "To-night, Joel?" said Mr. Alden, smil- 
 ing. 
 
 "Yes, to-night. I now feel just like go- 
 ing." 
 
 "Patience, you will go too?" inquired Mrs. 
 Organ. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Alden were not reluctant to 
 comply with the request. Though it would 
 be a late hour to make a call, the work to 
 be done was that of Christian duty, which 
 promised the special blessing of the Saviour 
 upon all concerned.
 
 324 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "Jerusha will bitterly reproach me for my 
 part in getting Zeke off," thought Mrs. .Or- 
 gan, as she mused in silence while they rode 
 to Crone's Corner. " Well," she submissively 
 responded to the thought, "let her reproach 
 me, I deserve it. She caimot say too hard 
 things about me. I will hear it all, and tell 
 her I shall despise myself for it as long as 
 I live." 
 
 Joel Organ mused thus : " Ezekiel Crone 
 knows I have greatly wronged him ; and / 
 know it. Ezekiel can say hard things when 
 he gets roused, and if anything ever gave 
 him a good reason to be roused, my treat- 
 ment of his family has. So Ezekiel will 
 attack me fiercely with his tongue, and be- 
 fore John and Patience too. Well, I'll let 
 him. It will be good enough for me ; and 
 when he is done, I'll tell him if he will for- 
 give me, I'll be his best friend." 
 
 With these feelings the party arrived at 
 the Corner. The dog announced their com- 
 ing by loud barking.
 
 THE COMFORTER. 325 
 
 "Who can be coming at this late hour?" 
 said Mr. Crone, laying down his book, in 
 which he had been deeply interested. 
 Thomas, who had been quite absorbed in 
 his school lesson, ran to the door to call 
 the dog away from the strangers. "It's 
 John Alden's sleigh, I know it by the 
 bells ! " he exclaimed, stepping back to get 
 his cap. 
 
 " And the sleigh too of our Joel and Mary, 
 as you live ! " exclaimed Mrs. Crone, with 
 a flush of delight, placing a candle in the 
 window to light them up the path, and 
 going to the door to meet them. Mr. Crone 
 and Tom had shouted their hearty welcome 
 when the visiting party had hardly moved 
 to leave the sleigh. Mrs. Crone greeted 
 them cordially in the entry, throwing her 
 arms about Mrs. Organ's neck and kissing 
 her, while both wept freely. 
 
 "You will loathe me!" sobbed Mrs. Or- 
 gan, "when you know how mean and wicked
 
 326 THE LUCK OF ALUEN FARM. 
 
 I have been. I sent Zeke off, and kept him 
 away." 
 
 " It's enough ! My boy will return then ! " 
 said Mrs. Crone, kissing her visitor again 
 as she drew a chair for her, and began at 
 the same time to aid in removing her "muff 
 and tippet," and heavy over-clothes. The 
 meetiug of the men was with more self-con- 
 trol. "I am glad to see you, Joel," Mr. 
 Crone repeated, as he took his hat and heavy 
 overcoat. "Thank you!" said Mr. Organ, 
 with a desperate effort to keep calm. The 
 Aldens divided the attention of the rest of 
 the company for a while, and all sat down 
 around the blazing fire. 
 
 "Ezekiel," said Mr. Organ, directing his 
 attention to Mr. Crone, "your whole year of 
 suffering for the loss of your boy is owing 
 to me ; getting and keeping him away is all 
 my wicked work." 
 
 "Joel, say more mine," interposed his 
 wife, breaking down again with the rush of 
 uncontrollable emotion.
 
 THE COMFORTER. 327 
 
 Joel paused for a moment, awaiting the 
 scourging of Ezekiel's tongue, which he knew 
 so well how to lay on, and which Joel had 
 so keenly felt aforetimes. 
 
 "Joel, it was all of God," replied Mr. 
 Crone, with a Christian composure, which 
 amazed his relatives. "We needed such a 
 correction of our great faults as parents." 
 
 " That we did ! " interposed Mrs. Crone. 
 "We have been greatly to blame about 
 Zeke. Joel and Mary needn't think any 
 thing more about it. Only let us have Zeke 
 back again, and we will be loving friends." 
 
 " There, now, this is what Christ can do 
 when he gets in the heart," said Mr. Alden. 
 "Friends, let us sing, 'All hail the power 
 of Jesus' name!" The hymn was sung as 
 it never was before at Crone's Corner. Je- 
 rusha and Mary kneeled at the same chair, 
 when Mr. Alden offered the sacrifice of 
 praise, and made supplication for continued 
 grace. Their arms were thrown over each
 
 328 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 other in loving embrace, and God's blessing 
 sealed their secret vow of perpetual recon- 
 ciliation. 
 
 When Joel and Mary arrived at their own 
 home, they found Fred waiting with deep 
 interest. "My son," said his mother, with 
 great animation, "you have kept everything 
 looking nicely. It was never so pleasant 
 here before." The result of the visit was 
 already told, and Fred's heart leaped for joy. 
 He read the good news in the faces of both 
 parents. He would be compelled no longer 
 to carry the burdensome secret on his own 
 heart. He hastened to school the next morn- 
 ing by the way of Crone's Corner. He had 
 already made the confession to God of the 
 wrong of his own part in the guilty affair, 
 and he longed for the opportunity to confess 
 it to Tom and his parents. But the injured 
 ones anticipated his coming with joy, and 
 greeted him with the words of forgiving 
 love.
 
 THE COMFOKTER. 329 
 
 "Zeke Crone is found and is coming 
 home ! " were words upon every tongue the 
 following morning. The news flew about 
 the to\yn, like the news of peace after the 
 long, dark night of war. "I hope his father 
 will flog him well ! " exclaimed a gruff old 
 lounger at the tavern bar, who had come 
 for his morning dram. 
 
 "Old Zeke Crone will know how to lay 
 it on," replied the bar-keeper, filling up his 
 customer's glass. 
 
 "Yes, and Zeke will know how to give it 
 to them Organs too," replied old Gruff, hold- 
 ing for a moment the glass to his lips. 
 
 A few only of the school children were 
 disposed to taunt Fred with what had oc- 
 curred. Tom's loving intimacy with him, 
 and the genuine undisguised friendship of 
 the Aldens, Carver and Miles, did much to 
 shield him. Besides, his own tears, when 
 the subject was alluded to, were of them- 
 selves a good defense and the best apology 
 for his wrong to all the right minded.
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 THE* DECEIVERS AND THE DECEIVED. 
 
 SINCE Joel Organ and his wife, followed 
 by Fred, have told their secret concerning 
 Zeke, we are afforded an opportunity to give 
 the history of his years from home. 
 
 On that night when the uproar in the 
 Crone kitchen drove him in a tempest of 
 passion out of the house, he had no settled 
 purpose of action. There was that despera- 
 tion of feeling impelling his hurried steps 
 over the parental threshold, which often 
 pushes youth, in a moment of frenzy, be- 
 yond the bounds of restraint, into outbreak- 
 ing sin. Zeke stood for a few moments in 
 the woodshed, a volcano of passion. Before 
 reason had resumed her throne, he thought 
 
 330
 
 DECEIVERS AND DECEIVED. 331 
 
 he heard the steps of liis father approaching 
 the door. He rushed from the shed, out of 
 the yard into the street, and down the road 
 leading towards the Organ farm. He had 
 then no intention of going there. He found 
 relief in running, and so he ran until out 
 of breath. He then paused, turned round 
 and listened. He thought he heard the faint 
 sound of his father in pursuit, though it was 
 but the echo of his own panting breath. He 
 started again, and hurried forward until he 
 had reached the neighborhood of his hating 
 and hated relatives. When his now slow 
 and hesitating step had brought him to the 
 gate of Joel Organ's house, reason began its 
 unequal contest with passion. "I'll go in, 
 and tell Joel and Mary how they abuse me 
 at home," he muttered, spitefully. "But Joel 
 will abuse me again and turn me out doors," 
 was suggested to himself. "If he does, and 
 
 won't care where I go nor what I do, I 
 
 
 won't care if I freeze to death. I wish I 
 
 WMS dead ! "
 
 332 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 The cold wind was blowing a piercing 
 breeze upon the unhappy boy. The per- 
 spiration produced by his run was fast sub- 
 siding into a violent chill. The world, it 
 seemed to him, had turned against him, and 
 wherever he turned, he was confronted with 
 misery. He was about to exclaim, "I don't 
 care ! I wish I was dead ! " when the im- 
 ploring, loving countenance of Carver, as he 
 threw himself between the rod of the teacher 
 and Zeke's back, came before him. He 
 seemed to hear again his voice, saying, 
 "Don't strike him, sir! Please, Mr. Ever- 
 ett, don't strike Zeke, he isn't to blame ! " 
 It was the coming and whispering of the 
 good angel, to save from utter ruin the im- 
 periled heart. Passion gave way to reason, 
 and Zeke whispered, "I'll go in, and stay 
 awhile and warm me, and then go home." 
 The clog, as Zeke approached the house, 
 made a noisy outcry, which brought Joel to 
 the door. Zeke rushed in, and was fairjy
 
 DECEIVERS AND DECEIVED. 333 
 
 in the house before he was recognized. His 
 countenance and shivering limbs spoke for 
 him, and touched even Mary Organ's heart. 
 She immediately set to work to make him 
 comfortable, talking the while most bitterly 
 against the home and its inmates which he 
 had just left. "It's no more than I should 
 have expected!" she exclaimed. "It's just 
 like your father and mother. I have known 
 them always. Turning their child out-door 
 in mid-winter to freeze to death ! That's a 
 pretty kind of business for Christians ! If 
 that's religion, I don't want any of it!" 
 Having thus spoken her mind of the par- 
 ents, she turned to the boy with words of 
 affected sympathy. "You've stood it, Zeke, 
 longer than I would if I'd been you. You're 
 a fool if you ever go back ! " 
 
 " Ever go back ! " were words which start- 
 led Zeke. He had not thought of not re- 
 turning. In fact, he had been drifting 
 before a tempest of passion, but now that
 
 334 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 reason was getting her hand upon the helm, 
 he would have started back to the port from 
 which he came. To prevent this, Mrs. Or- 
 gan kept a breeze in motion in another di- 
 rection. She placed the boy on the great 
 settle before the fire, drew off his boots and 
 stockings, and rubbed his feet and hands ; 
 she then brought water to wash his soiled 
 face ; and finally, set before him a warm, 
 inviting supper. He had eaten but little 
 since the morning, and the food relished 
 well. Mrs. Organ sat down beside him, and 
 assuming a tender tone, such as was well 
 suited to his wounded feelings, she said, 
 "Ezekiel, I do pity you. You will never be 
 anything while you stay at home ; you know 
 you won't. Nobody could be. You are not 
 a mite to blame for not getting along well 
 in school." 
 
 "I don't think I am," interposed Zeke, with 
 feeling. 
 
 "No," continued Mrs. Organ, "you are
 
 DECEIVERS AND DECEIVED. 335 
 
 not. No one thinks you are. Now, if I 
 was you, I would go off where I could live 
 in peace, and by and by, when your folks 
 get sorry for their bad treatment, you can 
 come back, and show them that you can take 
 care of yourself. It will make a man of 
 you, Zeke, to go away and set up for your- 
 self." 
 
 Zeke's resentment was still hot enough, 
 and his wounded feelings tender enough, to 
 lead him to listen to this wicked counsel. 
 To deepen his wrong purposes, Mr. Organ 
 put in his bad words just here. 
 
 "No boy of your spirit," he exclaimed, in 
 a rough way, "will submit to what you have 
 to. Besides, Zeke, your folks will be glad 
 to get rid of you ; so will all the people of 
 the town." 
 
 This last declaration was spoken with in- 
 tense bitterness. It was the unkindest cut 
 of all. Zeke made no answer, and soon re- 
 tired to bed with angry passions at fever
 
 336 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 heat. Sleep departed from his eyes, so that 
 while his burdened parents and sorrowing 
 brother were watching out the weary hours 
 at the old home, he was full of tossing and 
 tears. 
 
 " Glad to get rid of me ! " he continually 
 repeated to himself. "Glad to get rid of 
 me ! Well, I guess I will show them that 
 I can take care of myself. I won't go back. 
 I'll die first!" 
 
 In his heart, he did not stop to inquire 
 whether Joel had spoken the truth. Angry 
 passion is both blind and deaf. It plunges 
 into the surging sea first, and then when 
 helplessly struggling with its waves, considers 
 how escape can be made possible. 
 
 "Joel," said Mrs. Organ, "we've got a 
 chance at last to pay off the grudge we owe 
 the Crones. They've turned up their noses 
 at us long enough. We'll pay them off 
 well ! " 
 
 "We'll plague them," echoed Mr. Organ.
 
 DECEIVERS AND DECEIVED. 337 
 
 "Do you go to town to-morrow, and when 
 you come back tell Zeke that you have seen 
 his folks, and that old Crone and his wife 
 say that they hope they shan't hear from 
 him this ten years, and that then they hope 
 he will come back a decent man. Tell him, 
 too, that his father says if he comes back 
 before that time, he'll horsewhip him, and 
 turn him out of door." 
 
 Joel Organ looked at his wife with aston- 
 ishment. He was prepared for most any 
 mean thing to spite the Crones, but this au- 
 dacious lying surprised him. But he saw 
 that his wife meant what she said, and he 
 had learned to submit in such cases. 
 
 "But what shall we do with Zeke?" in- 
 quired Joel. "We don't want him hanging 
 round here." 
 
 "Of course we don't, and won't have him 
 neither," said Mrs. Organ, emphatically. 
 "But I will manage that, if you will do as 
 I say."
 
 338 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 
 
 Joel smiled significantly and nodded assent. 
 
 "There's your old Uncle Prince," continued 
 Mrs. Organ, "who lives up country. You 
 know he said last fall, that he should want 
 a boy before the spring opened. He's fa- 
 mous, you know, for taming wild colts and 
 making bad boys toe the mark. Zeke will 
 be a deal better off up there, and his ab- 
 sence for a month or two will do good at 
 Crone's Corner. I will fix up some of Fred's 
 old clothes for him, and do you write the 
 old man Prince a letter for Zeke to take 
 along with him. It will be a real blessing 
 for all hands to have him go." 
 
 The next morning Joel Organ went about 
 the business of carrying out his wife's plan, 
 with a desperate sort of earnestness. He was 
 off to town early, but not be'fore Zeke was 
 astir. The boy stood by the wagon as he 
 was about to start, wavering in his resolution 
 to separate himself from his home. Mrs. 
 Organ's quick eye discerned this. Calling
 
 DECEIVERS AND DECEIVED. 339 
 
 him into the house, she said, plausibly, "Mr. 
 Organ is going to the town, and he will hear 
 what they say at home about your absence. 
 If they desire you to come back, and he can 
 get any evidence that you won't be beat and 
 turned out of doors, you can return. Other- 
 wise, we will find a real good place for you." 
 
 With this assurance, Zeke willingly re- 
 mained behind. But the day wore heavily 
 away. He waited uneasily for Mr. Organ's 
 return, for, though so deeply wounded, and 
 so thoroughly excited to bad blood, there 
 was a remaining longing for home espe- 
 cially for re-union with Tom and the sisters. 
 
 " It's as I expected, Zeke," said Mr. Or- 
 gan, as the homesick boy met him at the 
 gate. "I saw good Deacon Turner to-day. 
 The deacon's word, you know, can be relied 
 upon. He said he had just been to the 
 Corner, and that he was sorry to find your 
 father and mother in such a wicked frame of 
 mind. They declared, said the deacon, that
 
 340 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 their runaway boy should never come into 
 the house again, or never, at least, until he 
 had proved himself somewhere else a differ- 
 ent boy. Your father declared that if you 
 did come, he would horsewhip you and turn 
 yon out again. And the deacon further said 
 that even Tom and the young sisters seemed 
 well satisfied to have their brother gone, and 
 he guessed they would be quite as well off 
 without Zeke, and he hoped it would be best 
 for Zeke himself." Mr. Organ added to 
 these lying words the remark that he had not 
 told any one that he knew anything about 
 the runaway, and as people didn't seem to 
 care what had become of him, he had no 
 difficulty in keeping the secret. 
 
 Zeke's heart was full to breaking during 
 this statement. When it was finished he 
 cried outright. Mr. and Mrs. Organ scolded 
 and ridiculed him by turns. 
 
 "There, Zeke," said Mrs. Organ, "I 
 thought you had more spunk than that. I
 
 DECEIVEKS AND DECEIVED. 341 
 
 wouldn't be - a baby. You see your folks 
 don't care for you ; why should you care ? 
 You can make a man of yourself yet, Zeke. 
 Come, cheer up ! I will fix you up a box 
 of clothes this very day. We have got a 
 good place all ready for you, where you'll 
 have good treatment, better company, and 
 a chance to study and Tead, so that by and 
 by you can come back and show the people 
 that Zeke Crone is somebody." 
 
 " There, stop that blubbering ! " exclaimed 
 Mr. Organ, in a rough, unfeeling manner. 
 
 "Do show a little gumption," joined in 
 Mrs. Organ. 
 
 But Zeke had his cry out. Grief was at 
 length satisfied by the tears, and now re- 
 sentment came in to give him a disposition 
 to assent to, and even to join with some cor- 
 diality in the plans of his relatives. He be- 
 gan to believe what they so boldly assumed, 
 that they were his best friends. He was 
 kept closely in the house for two days,
 
 342 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 while Mrs. Organ mended and* altered some 
 old clothes, "running the heels" of a few 
 pair of new stocking, and putting in, to 
 make the rest more acceptable, a new over- 
 frock, which, as Mrs. Organ remarked, was 
 "as nice as a pink, and would do to wear to 
 meeting." 
 
 Fred looked upon all these movements with 
 mingled feelings. He hated, yet pitied Zeke. 
 But his fear of his parents was his prevail- 
 ing, daily experience. When he went to 
 school he felt much the restraint in reference 
 to betraying the secret he held, that a sol- 
 dier feels when he fears to desert lest he be 
 shot. So Zeke received only a cold kind of 
 sympathy from Fred. 
 
 On the morning of the fourth day of his 
 departure from home, long before the tardy 
 winter sunrising sparkled on the snowy hill- 
 tops, Joel Organ and Zeke were on their 
 way' to the "Eagle Tavern," twenty-five miles 
 distant. The sleighing was excellent. The
 
 DECEIVERS AND DECEIVED. 343 
 
 
 
 "turning out" was the only impediment to 
 their rapid progress, for the heavy sleds 
 carrying wood and logs had done most of 
 the breaking out, so that the snow wall on 
 either side was hard and steep. But at this 
 early hour, but few teams were met. Mrs. 
 Oro;an had put Zeke on a stool in the bot- 
 tom of the sleigh, and covered him up with 
 a heavy blanket. "Now, Zeke," she said, 
 emphatically, affecting a tender interest in 
 him, "you will freeze if you show your head 
 outside of the blanket. You may peek out, 
 that's all." 
 
 Joel gave his wife a knowing wink, as 
 much as to say, / understand, and drove off. 
 He was well out of the vicinity of all who 
 might recognize him, before he allowed Zeke 
 to sit on the seat, and look out upon the 
 country they were passing. 
 
 It was yet scarcely the early dinner hour 
 when our travelers arrived at the Eagle 
 Tavern. It was on the stage road to the
 
 344 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 'country home of Capt. James Prince, yet 
 fifty miles away. Joel drove under the 
 horse-sheds, took out the baiting he had 
 brought with him, and fed his horse, and then 
 sat in the sleigh and ate the lunch which his 
 wife had carefully stowed away under the 
 seat. There was enough to eat, and that 
 which was good, but Zeke relished nothing, 
 though urged to help himself. Their drink 
 was a small can of cold coffee, whose lack 
 of warmth was made up by a bottle of rum 
 and molasses, of which both took a sip. Joel 
 despised drunkards, and took his moderate 
 sip of rum every day. He had kept far 
 away from the influence of John Alden's 
 "temperance notions," and so was in the 
 darkness of heathenism as to true temper- 
 ance. The luck of Aldeii Farm in possess- 
 ing light on this subject, had thrown some 
 rays into Zeke's mind. So he took the poi- 
 sonous sip reluctantly, and with some for- 
 biddings of conscience. But his will in this
 
 DECEIVERS AND DECEIVED. 345 
 
 direction was not up to the " no " point, and 
 he yielded to Joel's gruff, "It will do you 
 good, boy." 
 
 Mr. Organ now went into the tavern, sat 
 down by the bar-room fire, chatted with the 
 loungers, answered all their questions as to 
 where he came from, what he was there for, 
 where the boy was going, and on to the 
 end of the asking, as readily as a stranger 
 in our modern cars tells the conductor at 
 what depot he wishes to get off. He then 
 introduced the case of Zeke to the bar- 
 
 
 
 tender, had his name, town to which he was 
 to go, and person, Captain James Prince, to 
 whom he was consigned, booked, and paid 
 his fare and night's lodging. This official 
 the bar-tender agreed to see Zeke on the 
 stage in due season, the next morning, and 
 give the driver the proper orders for his 
 delivery. This done, JoeJ turned to Zeke, 
 slipped into his hand, with an air of one 
 doing a deed of becoming generosity, a Span-
 
 346 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 ish "quarter" for contingencies by the way, 
 and said, striking him familiarly on the back, 
 "Good luck to you, Zeke," entered his sleigh 
 and drove homeward. 
 
 Zeke had been entrusted with his box of 
 clothes, which the bar-tender put among the 
 baggage for the morning stage, and with his 
 box of provisions for board. Besides, Mr. 
 Organ had given him a sealed letter of in- 
 troduction to his Uncle Prince. It read as 
 follows : 
 
 " DEAR UNCLE : Knowing that you want 
 a boy for all-work ^bout the house and farm, 
 I send you Ezekiel Crone. His parents have 
 cruelly turned him out-doors. He is rather 
 a bad boy, but under your hand I have no 
 doubt he will render you good service. 
 "Your Nephew, 
 
 " JOEL ORGAN." 
 
 Zeke was thus starting in the- world for
 
 DECEIVERS AND DECEIVED. 347 
 
 himself. Wronged at borne by blundering 
 parents ; wronged by those who affected to 
 be his friends, by placing him in a false posi- 
 tion towards his parents ; and to be dispar- 
 aged in the eyes of those to whom he was 
 going, by the very announcement of his com- 
 ing ; and, worst of all, having but little 
 knowledge of the right way, and loving it 
 less. But there was One whose eye was 
 upon the wandering boy ; " whose compas- 
 sions fail not," and whose "mercy is higher 
 than the heavens " ; who saw the tears which 
 were shed for him, in spite of the lying of 
 his professed friends ; who heard the prayers 
 at the Corner, at the Alden Farm, and from 
 many other devout hearts ; One, whose bless- 
 ings are life and peace. 
 
 Zeke remained in the bar-room, listening to 
 the talk of the loungers, seeing the smoking 
 and drinking, hearing the profanity, until the 
 sights and sounds sickened his mind and 
 heart. He looked into the village store,
 
 348 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 but it was only a little different in its atmos- 
 phere and company, from the tavern. He 
 walked through the village to the side on 
 which stood the church and school-house. 
 The scholars were just coming out with a 
 shout and running towards their home. Zeke 
 wiped a tear from his eye, which was soon 
 dry as he recalled Joel's declaration, "They 
 are glad to get rid of you at home ! " He 
 returned to the bar-room, ate his supper by 
 the fire, drank a few cents' worth of rum 
 and molasses, and went early to bed, with 
 a feeling of reckless disregard of the future.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 
 
 IT was just as the night was coming on, 
 when Zeke was left at the house of Captain 
 James Prince. His box was tossed after, 
 him by the unceremonious stage-driver, who 
 exclaimed, "Here, boy, this is the place 
 where you are to stop ; now behave your- 
 self or " Zeke lost the last sentence, as 
 the driver mounted the stage box, gave his 
 whip a crack and dashed away. He walked 
 up to the front door, letter in hand, and 
 lifted the heavy knocker; the noise, as it 
 rung through the house, struck also to the 
 homesick boy's heart. The captain himself 
 came to the door. He was a tall, well-pro- 
 portioned, strong, rough, but not to those 
 
 349
 
 350 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 who knew him, an unkind looking man. He 
 was* well-dressed in a farmer's home-spun 
 suit. He wore spectacles, and looked over 
 the top of them at the stranger-boy, with 
 his large, piercing eyes. If he had been the 
 Czar of all the Russias he would not have 
 more awestruck him as he handed the letter. 
 The captain read it, crushed it in his great 
 brawny hand, took off his glasses, and looked 
 at him for a few moments in silence. They 
 seemed to Zeke snail-creeping moments. 
 "You should have gone to the side door, 
 boy," he said, at length, in a decided tone. 
 Zeke stood statue-like, not knowing whether 
 he should now go to the side door, or come 
 in at that where the master of the house 
 stood, or go away altogether, and have the 
 door shut in his face. Captain Prince saw 
 his confusion, and said, in a softer tone, 
 "Well, never mind, now. Come along." 
 Zeke followed through the parlor, through 
 the sitting-room, where Mrs. Prince was sit-
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 351 
 
 ting, into the kitchen. "There let me see, 
 what is your name?" said the captain, smooth- 
 ing out the letter and adjusting his specta- 
 cles. "Ezekiel, sir; they call me Zeke." 
 
 "Ezekiel never should be called Zeke," 
 said the captain, sharply. "I never will 
 allow it in my house. There, Ezekiel, sit 
 down on the settle ! " 
 
 Captain Prince returned to the sitting-room 
 without saying another word. 
 
 "Pray, husband, who have you there?" 
 said Mrs. Prince. Her husband read the 
 letter, and neither said a word for some min- 
 utes. "Do you wish, husband, a boy who 
 has been turned out-door by his parents?" 
 suggested Mrs. Prince. 
 
 "Don't know; some parents are indiscreet," 
 replied the captain, with a dignity, which, 
 to a stranger, would have seemed haughty. 
 
 "But Joel says he is rather a bad boy," 
 remarked Mrs. Prince. 
 
 "He may not remain so," replied the cap-
 
 352 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 tain, resuming the examination of the papers 
 in which he had been engaged. Mrs. Prince 
 arose and went into the kitchen. She cast 
 a momentary glance at Zeke, but it seemed 
 to him that she read his thoughts and knew 
 his whole history. The only other persons 
 in the kitchen were an ancient maiden, whom 
 they called Nancy, and John, the hired man. 
 Neither of these important personages -had 
 appeared to take the least notice of the boy'. 
 John was reading, and was evidently pro- 
 foundly indifferent to his case, whether he 
 stayed or left. Nancy had grown up from 
 early womanhood in the family as help. She 
 disliked children, and was fond of saying 
 that she was "glad and thankful" that there 
 had never been " a screaming young one " 
 ill the family. Young people she barely en- 
 dured, especially boys. She would "fidget" 
 immediately if one came to the house, and 
 walked with soiled feet across her spotless 
 white floor. She hoped that Zeke was only
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 353 
 
 a passer-by, whom the captain had admitted 
 to spend a few moments at the fire. 
 
 "Nancy, get this boy, Ezekiel, some sup- 
 per, and then conduct him to the boy's room, 
 where he will sleep. John, bring his box 
 from the side of the road, where I saw the 
 stage-man drop it. Ezekiel, wash your face 
 and hands before eating, for I see they are 
 soiled by your travel, and then wash them 
 again after supper. There is the sink, and 
 yonder is the 'roller.' The time here for 
 boys to retire is half-past eight, in the win- 
 ter. You see the clock in the corne'r of the 
 kitchen." 
 
 All these orders were uttered in a matter- 
 of-course way, and obeyed, so far as John 
 and Nancy were concerned, as a matter of 
 course. Nancy felt fidgety at his introduc- 
 tion into the family. But then, what of that ! 
 She understood that it was simply none of 
 her business, which was a short way, at 
 least, of settling the matter. Ezekiel ate his 
 
 23
 
 354 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 supper, and, in spite of many strange emo- 
 tions, he ate heartily. He had not eaten a 
 warm meal since leaving Joel's, and Nancy's 
 toast, warmed-over hashed meat, and cup 
 of tea, were relished well. Having finished 
 supper, he went back to his place near the 
 fire, watching the while the clock for the 
 hand to approach eight and a half. When 
 eight o'clock was noted on the dial plate, 
 he arose, saying, "I think I won't wait until 
 half past eight, I'm tired," intimating to 
 Nancy his desire to be shown to his room. 
 Nancy kept on sewing, and the boy stood 
 in the floor looking at her with a puzzled 
 air. He was at a loss to know what next 
 
 to say or do. 
 } 
 
 Nancy looked at him a moment, and said, 
 
 curtly, "Better wash your face and hands, 
 as the mistress bid you, and not be soiling 
 my clean sheets the first thing." 
 
 The words struck Zeke like a current of 
 electricity. "I don't want you to wipe all
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 355 
 
 the dirt off your hands on my clean roller, 
 neither; wash them clean," added Nancy, 
 without raising her eyes from her work. 
 Seeing this condition fulfilled, she took the 
 light and bid Ezekiel follow her. She led 
 the way to a room over the wood-shed, next 
 to John's. It looked inviting, however; a 
 piece of domestic matting spread before the 
 bed, a stand placed under a small ghiss, and 
 a chair, with the bed and its clean sheets, 
 completed the furnishing. "Remember that 
 four o'clock is the time to get up," said 
 Nancy, setting down the lamp and disappear- 
 ing without wasting breath on any ceremo- 
 nious "I hope you'll like your new quarters," 
 or, "May you sleep well," or even a "Good 
 night." 
 
 "Seems to me," muttered Zeke, "these 
 folks are amazing short; how shall I know 
 when it's four o'clock ! " Tired and home- 
 sick, yet irritated and discouraged by the 
 past, and reckless of the future, he fell 
 asleep.
 
 356 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Captain James Prince was a retired ship- 
 master. Having made a number of success- 
 ful voyages, and amassed some wealth, to 
 which his wife had, later in life added still 
 greater by inheritance, he had come back to 
 the home of his youth, thinking to find re- 
 tirement and agreeable rest in farming. He 
 had found the retirement, but not the rest. 
 He was* as restless as the ocean on whose 
 bosom he had sailed. He had altered every- 
 thing about the old homestead, much to the 
 disgust of all the surviving friends in the 
 town, of his father. He experimented with 
 seeds,* with the manner of planting and cul- 
 tivating them, and with tools by which the 
 work was done. He proved himself an ex- 
 perimenting but not an experienced farmer. 
 The old cultivators of the soil shrugged their 
 shoulders and grudged the money he wasted. 
 He kept fine horses, and paid a high price 
 for choice breeds of domestic animals. But, 
 iu spite of money spent, and scheming, of
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 357 
 
 care, and no little real hard work for the 
 captain could lead off in hard work, noth- 
 ing resulted in gains which anything like 
 approached the captain's idea of money-mak- 
 ing. He was becoming disgusted, and more 
 irritable than ever. He often walked his 
 room, looked at the pictures of the ships 
 which he had sailed, and threatened to go to 
 sea again. 
 
 The captain never had any children, but 
 he had taken many boys to bring up. His 
 mode of managing his domestics and em- 
 ployees was that of the quarter-deck. Of 
 conciliation, and the power of drawing -others' 
 after him by kindness, and a loving exam- 
 ple, he knew nothing. But Captain Prince 
 meant to be just. His word, everywhere, 
 was as good as his note. If anything roused 
 the profane anger of the old sailor more than 
 flat disobedience in one under his authority, 
 it was downright meanness. There was with- 
 al a tender place in the captain's heart, but
 
 358 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 some of his household thought that it was 
 a long and bitter waiting before they found it. 
 
 Zeke did not wake up at four o'clock ; of 
 course he did not, for he was very tired, 
 and his journey had been a wakeful one. 
 The captain noticed it, and simply said, 
 "Beware, boy, of the second time." 
 
 Zeke had wondered what there was to be 
 done to require him to rise at four o'clock. 
 But a sight of the long barn, and line of 
 cattle to be cared for, including the milking 
 of twenty cows, enlightened him. John had 
 been at work two hours when Zeke made his 
 appearance, and Nancy had the breakfast 
 ready in the kitchen. The captain and his 
 wife were astir, but took their breakfast 
 later, in the dining-room. Nancy set the 
 food before the new comer, but said nothing, 
 and the " whole meal was eaten without a 
 word, except when something was wanted. 
 John swallowed his food in haste, and re- 
 turned to his work. "You'd better follow
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 359 
 
 John to the barn," said Nancy, before Zeke 
 had swallowed the last mouthful. John 
 pointed to the stalls of the horses, as much 
 as to say, "You can well enough see what 
 
 
 
 there is to be done. Do it." Zeke did 
 know what was to be done, and, impelled 
 by a fear he could not explain, but which 
 burdened his spirits quite as much as it 
 stimulated his hands, he worked with his 
 full strength. He had cleaned out several 
 stalls, and was driving at others, when, 
 looking up, he saw the captain standing over 
 him. His look did not express anger or re- 
 proof, but only inquiry. He .was evidently 
 satisfied for the moment with his new boy. 
 He did not say so, though to have said, 
 simply, "There! that's right, iny boy!" or 
 only, " Well done ! " would have been so 
 easy, cost so little, and done the little stran- 
 ger's heart so much good. We have only 
 .this most miserable of, all excuses for the 
 captain : It was his way ! If the boy had
 
 360 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 been loitering, or had done his work blun- 
 deringly, whew ! how quick he would have 
 opened his mouth, and how sharp the words 
 would have been. Strange that with j^ape 
 people bitter complaints are thoughtt& fee 
 worth more than rightful and timel^com- 
 rnendations ! 
 
 Zeke cleaned out all the stalls a long, 
 hard job, but one which had to be done 
 every morning. Having done it, he said to 
 himself, "I wonder where the bedding is? 
 Nobody tells me anything." Stepping up to 
 John, who was currying the carriage horse, 
 he asked, "Will you tell, John, where the 
 bedding is?" 
 
 "Use your eyes, boy, and find it," was the 
 only reply, as John applied the currycomb 
 with increased vigor, acting as if a word 
 spoken was a moment lost. Ezekiel, in 
 looking round, stumbled upon some fine hay 
 which seemed to be lying about loosely. He 
 began to pitch it into the stalls. "Hold on
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 361 
 
 there, you booby ! That's the feed of the 
 young critters ! Don't you know rowen from 
 bedding ! " The boy's face flushed with anger 
 and grief. He looked further through the 
 barn and connected sheds, and found, near 
 the enclosures for the calves, some refuse 
 hay and straw. This he ventured to pitch 
 into the stalls. "That's more like it!" 
 shouted John, iu a softer tone, feeling some 
 self-reproach for his harsh chidings. But he 
 did not apologize for it. That would have 
 been too truly manly for the spirit which 
 pervaded the Prince farm. 
 
 When Zeke had completed his work on 
 the stalls, he walked again along the front 
 of each of them, feeling an honest self-ap- 
 proval for having done his work so well. 
 John, who had looked through them all, 
 thought the work well done, but seeing Zeke 
 standing in a musing attitude, shouted, "Do 
 you think, boy, you have done all there is 
 to be done ! Clear up the barn floor ! "
 
 362 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 Zeke started, at this rough demand, shocked 
 as a boy on the track, in these days, would 
 be at the sudden scream of a coming engine. 
 "He needn't be so cross about it," muttered 
 Zeke, going about the work immediately. 
 "Everybody here is cross." 
 
 Thus sharply prompted, the stranger-boy 
 went through his first day's work. The cap- 
 tain exchanged no words with him, except 
 to give some order. When his supper was 
 eaten, the chores being all done, he sat 
 down on the great settle and looked into 
 the fire. There were but few books in those 
 days, and he had not learned to find instruc- 
 tion and amusement in them. It is so dull 
 here, he mused, and he* watched the clock 
 for the welcome time of retiring. When it 
 was eight o'clock, he could wait no longer. 
 John and Nancy seldom spoke to one an- 
 other, and never to him. He recollected, 
 much to Nancy's satisfaction, to wash his face 
 and hands before going to bed. There was
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 363 
 
 no "good night" said, as he retired, for no 
 one encouraged the kind expression. A cer- 
 tain indescribable fear burdened his mind, as 
 he lay down, lest he should not awake at 
 four o'clock. "Beware of the second time," 
 rung in his ears, while the stern, overaweing 
 face of the captain was ever before him, 
 specter-like and distressing. Thus burdened 
 he fell into an uneasy sleep. He had slept 
 about two hours, when he started up in a 
 fright. It must be late he thought. He 
 hastily arose and began to dress himself. 
 At that moment, he heard John in the en- 
 try. He opened the door and said, "Am I 
 late, John? I will be down in a moment." 
 "Guess you need not go down now. I'm 
 just a-going to bed," replied John, gruffly. 
 Zeke gladly returned to bed, and slept until 
 John's heavy tread by his sleeping-room door 
 awoke him. He soon followed him into the 
 kitchen, where a roaring fire already made 
 it look cheerful. "Can you milk?" inquired 
 John.
 
 364 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 "As well as anybody," replied Zeke, smart- 
 ly. John smiled, but it was a cold, selfish 
 kind of a smile, as he replied, ""Well, boy, 
 you may take that pail and follow me ; you 
 can have chance enough to show what you 
 can do in that line." Zeke soon learned the 
 truth of this. He was kept at work milking 
 until his wrists ached, and he was glad to 
 be relieved by the call to breakfast. 
 
 Thus working, watched by sharp eyes, and 
 reproved with severity for every misstep, 
 without any approving word, .and with sel- 
 dom a suggestion as to how his work should 
 be done, Zeke passed the first six weeks. 
 The spring had begun to displace the winter, 
 and the work of the farm pressed more heav- 
 ily than ever. He yearned for some one to 
 talk to for some vent to his pent up feel- 
 ings. He began to spend his evenings in 
 the grocery store, or in the bar-room of the 
 neighboring tavern, listening to the idle gos- 
 sip, and becoming familiar with their atmos-
 
 LONELY AND COMFORTLESS. 365 
 
 phero of tobacco smoke, and to the low and 
 profane talk of the half drunken men. The 
 captain, whose watchfulness detected every 
 movement of his domestics, cared nothing 
 for this, so long as he was in bed at the 
 assigned hour, eight and a half. He, of 
 course, became more and more interested in 
 the places and the company. There was in 
 his heart the thought, nobody cares for me ; 
 and it shook the foundation of what little 
 moral principle he had retained. One night 
 the story-telling was unusually exciting, stim- 
 ulated by a generous patronage of the bar. 
 Zeke forgot the hour of returning home, until 
 the bar-tender said, roughly, "Boy, you live 
 with the captain, don't you?" 
 
 "Yes, sir," said Zeke, starting up. 
 
 "Well," said the liquor man, with a sig- 
 nificant sneer, "It's ten o'clock, and he'll 
 warm you up when you get home, or he 
 an't Captain Jim Prince."
 
 366 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 The dim light of the fire gleamed faintly 
 in the kitchen, assuring Zeke as he looked 
 through the window, that John and Nancy 
 had gone to bed. I will slip in, he thought, 
 and creep up to bed, and the captain will 
 not know how long I was out. Opening the 
 door softly, he drew off his heavy boots, 
 warmed himself for a moment, and crept 
 towards the stairway door. Suddenly, as a 
 panther upon an unsuspecting deer, the cap- 
 tain, opening the door in the opposite side 
 of the room, pounced upon him. Taking 
 him by the collar, he lifted him easily from 
 his feet, shook him violently, and then threw 
 him his full length upon the floor. As he 
 attempted to rise, the captain, with a sweep 
 of his hand, laid him prostrate again. When 
 he next ventured, a moment after, to stand 
 upon his feet, he was alone. The captain 
 had disappeared. No voice, nor sound, ex- 
 cept that which had come from his violent
 
 LONELY AND COMFOETLESS. 3<>7 
 
 handling, had Zeke heard. He went sobbing 
 to bed, more crushed in heart than hurt in 
 body. It was no comfort to him, in this 
 state of mind, to hear, as he entered his 
 room, a coarse, heartless laugh from John.
 
 CHAPTEE XXI. 
 
 THE AXGEL HELPER. 
 
 ZEKE was at the morning work as soon 
 as John, though he had slept but little. The 
 captain was looking round as usual, but 
 neither he, nor any one, alluded to the in- 
 cidents of the evening before. Zeke now 
 spent his evenings at home, which, of course, 
 passed heavily away, as his chafed spirits 
 were fast maturing into a readiness for 
 almost any desperate act. But there was 
 yet a tender recollection, to some extent, 
 of those he had left far away. He thought 
 of them in his silent musings at the evening 
 fireside. He thought, with tender emotions, 
 of the Alden boys, and especially of Carver, 
 and of his last act of kindness at the school. 
 
 363
 
 THE ANGEL HELPER. 369 
 
 He would have written to his parents at 
 once, and have thrown himself as a prodigal 
 upon their forgiveness, but for Mr. Organ's 
 assurance, "They are glad you are gone." 
 How can the Aldens receive me, he reasoned, 
 if my parents reject me. He would have 
 even started on foot for home, begging his 
 way from door to door, but for the ever- 
 haunting thought, "They are glad you are 
 gone." The letters which came occasionally 
 from Joel and his wife, reported that every- 
 body was satisfied with his absence. "The 
 captain must recommend you after, .at least, 
 a year's trial," added Joel. "He will never 
 say any good of me any way," muttered Zeke, 
 on reading this statement. "It is only what 
 he thinks is wrong that he can talk about. 
 I don't care what becomes of me." Zeke 
 began to seek his old haunts again, and even 
 the fear of the captain restrained him but 
 little. "A shaking up," and even a whip- 
 ping, were defied. There was danger of his 
 
 24
 
 370 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 being kicked any day from the home of 
 Captain Prince into the wide, friendless, 
 wicked world, to drift more and -more rap- 
 idly to utter moral ruin. But He who hears 
 prayer, listened to the now humble and be- 
 lieving prayers offered in secret, and at the 
 family altar at Crone's Corner. That watch- 
 ful One cared for the oppressed and wronged, 
 though sinning wanderer ; He knew too what 
 praying hearts at Alden Farm and Hope 
 Cottage were offering loving supplications in 
 his behalf. He had his own faithful ones 
 even in the vicinity of the Prince farm, yet 
 unknown to Zeke, whom He could send to 
 bless with wise counsel and comforting sym- 
 pathy, in answer to these prayers. 
 
 One night Zeke was, as usual, about to 
 enter the tavern bar, when he felt the pres- 
 sure of a soft hand on his shoulder. Look- 
 ing around, his eyes met those of a Quaker 
 lady of middle life. Her countenance, ex- 
 pressing great intelligence and heartfelt
 
 THE ANGEL HELPER. 371 
 
 kindness, reminded him of that of Patience 
 Alden. The tears at once started to his 
 eyes, and he was completely under her con- 
 trol. "Ezekiel, thou should'st not enter 
 there ; it leadeth to death. Come with me, 
 and I will do thee good." Ezekiel followed 
 her at once. She led him to a cottage home 
 near by. "Sit down, Ezekiel, and make 
 thyself at home," said Aunt Huldah. Her 
 name was Huldah Doane, but she was sel- 
 dom referred to except as Aunt Huldah. "I 
 have heard of thee often," she continued, 
 "and learn that thee dost not do altogether 
 right. But maybe thy sin is one of igno- 
 rance ; if so, I desire, by the Spirit's help, 
 to instruct thee. Don't thee wish, Ezekiel, 
 to be instructed in the right way?" 
 
 "Yes, ma'am," said Zeke, feelingly. 
 
 ""\Vilt thee endeavor, by divine help, to 
 keep in it?" asked Aunt Huldah, with pity 
 and love beaming from every feature of her 
 face, but in a voice more truly commanding
 
 372 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 than the thunder tones of Captain Prince. 
 Zeke's only answer was a flood of tears. He 
 had found a friend whose chiding even fell 
 on his ear like the sweetest music. Though 
 he knew it not, its tones were those for 
 which his soul fainted. 
 
 "Thee need'st not speak, Ezekiel," said 
 Aunt Huldah. "Thy tears are thy answer." 
 Huldah's husband came in at this moment, 
 whom she called Amos. He was more re- 
 served in speech than his wife, but still his 
 bearing toward the stranger-boy was that of 
 real interest and kindness. Aunt Huldah 
 said a few words concerning the evils of bad 
 company, and invited Zeke to spend his 
 leisure hours with her. "Thee canst sit by 
 our stand, and read, when thee is not spoken 
 to," said Huldah. "Should I have callers, 
 my kitchen is equally pleasant, and thee 
 canst quietly read. I have no child, and 
 there is none to disturb thee." Huldah 
 wiped an unforbidden tear from her eye as
 
 THE ANGEL HELPER. 373 
 
 she said this. Her loved and only child, a 
 son, died at ten years of age. He would, 
 had he lived, been of Zeke's age. 
 
 "What is thy master's hour for thy re- 
 turning?" inquired Huldah. 
 
 "At half past eight," replied Zeke. 
 
 "It is not quite that time," she replied, 
 "but thee may'st go, so as to be sure of 
 punctuality." It did not seem to Zeke 
 twenty minutes since he passed her thresh- 
 old, so swiftly had the time flown. "Be 
 faithful to thy master," said Aunt Huldah, 
 as Zeke passed out. "Do thy duty well, not 
 with eye-service, as pleasing men, but as in 
 the sight of God." 
 
 The work of the next day seemed lighter 
 to Zeke than usual. The captain and the 
 domestics noticed his special promptness in 
 it, but they maintained the usual silence. 
 
 "Hast thee left no required work undone?" 
 said Aunt Huldah, as Zeke entered at an 
 early hour.
 
 374 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 "No ma'am," said Zeke, honestly, for his 
 lighter heart had made more thorough work 
 at the farm. 
 
 "Then I bid thee welcome. Sit down, 
 Ezekiel. Thee dost look weary. Amos has 
 gone out on business, so we shall disturb 
 no one by our talk. I will tell thee a tale 
 of the olden times. It may rest thee." 
 
 Zeke thought he was never so little tired 
 in his life. Huldah's loving words sent his 
 blood coursing with invigorating swiftness 
 through his veins. Huldah worked away, 
 telling her story of the sufferings for con- 
 science sa*ke, of one of her own religious 
 faith, relieving the seriousness of the story 
 by a quiet humor for which she was remark- 
 able. 
 
 "It's eight o'clock, Ezekiel," said Aunt 
 Huldah, bringing her story to a sudden end. 
 
 "It's too bad," said Zeke, "to have to go 
 now. I don't see why the captain cannot 
 let me stay until nine. That is early enough 
 to go home."
 
 THE ANGEL HELPER. 375 
 
 " Thee may'st not be the best judge," said 
 Aunt Huldah, chidingly. "Thee should'st 
 obey without gainsaying." Zeke felt the 
 kind reproof, and retired promptly. 
 
 The captain noticed the change for the 
 better in Zeke. He learned, too, that he 
 was not now seen at the gatherings of the 
 idlers at the store or bar-room, but did not 
 at once learn what other place of resort he 
 had found. He was satisfied that he had 
 found better company, . so he made no in- 
 quiry. When, after several weeks, he learned 
 that he had become intimate at Amos Doane's, 
 and was under the training of his wife, he 
 said, in his bluff way, "I see how it is that 
 the boy's craft is getting into better trim ; 
 he, will not need so much watching. He was 
 heading for the breakers when she hailed 
 him." A few days after this, the captain 
 said, as Zeke was leaving the house for Hul- 
 dah's, "Boy, you needn't come home these 
 short summer evenings until half past nine,
 
 376 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 unless you have a mind to ! " It was the 
 first word concerning any indulgence which 
 Zeke had ever heard from him. His "Thank 
 you, sir," came from a full heart. 
 
 Every evening now found Zeke at Aunt 
 Huldah's. He was either alone in her small, 
 homelike and always tidy kitchen, reading 
 some books of her suggestion, or, when she 
 was sewing, sitting near her, listening to her 
 bewitching stories, or ever welcome words 
 of advice. He always felt that the evenings 
 were short. Early in their acquaintance, Hul- 
 dah had asked, "Ezekiel, hast thee a copy 
 of the Word of God?" 
 
 Zeke blushed, and said, "No ma'am." 
 Aunt Huldah took from her small, but well- 
 selected library, a small copy an English 
 edition, which was much prized by her. 
 "Thee may'st take this for thy present use,' 
 she remarked, placing it in his hand. "Read 
 it daily, and pray much when thee reads. 
 Ezekiel, dost thee pray?" Zeke answered
 
 THE ANGEL HELPEE. 377 
 
 no, by his confusion of face. "If thoa pray- 
 est aright," continued Aunt Huldah, "it will 
 bring to thee comfort in thy loneliness, and 
 strength in thy weakness." 
 
 Zeke took the precious little volume to 
 his room, and morning and night, read a 
 few words of its teachings. It prepared the 
 way for another step in the right path. It 
 led to a constant attendance upon the Sun- 
 day services, which Aunt Huldah never neg- 
 lected, though there was no society of 
 Friends in the place. Zek.e had not been 
 often, but now he found that his going made 
 occasion for new friendships, which brought 
 him many kind, encouraging words. He no 
 longer said, "I don't care," "Nobody cares 
 i for me." " I am having good luck since my 
 acquaintance with Aunt Huldah," he said. 
 But the utterance , came from the teachings 
 of Crone's Corner, while he heard at the 
 same time a secret whisper in his heart, 
 saying, " Your improved condition is God's
 
 378 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 blessing on a better life ; do right and be 
 happy." 
 
 Captain Prince was becoming tired of farm- 
 ing. The grounds about his house were the 
 admiration of all persons of good taste; his 
 fruit trees were in thrifty order, and of rare 
 kinds ; his great barn, full of hay, his gran- 
 ary full of many kinds of grain, and his cel- 
 lars crowded with vegetables, were his pride. 
 His live stock was large for those days, and 
 made their owner the envy of all his neigh- 
 bors, when they thought how much money 
 they would bring, if sold. But all these 
 things cost largely in hard work, care and 
 cash expenditure. The owner began to fret 
 over his farm. "It costs a mint of money, 
 and is a great bother," he began to say. 
 His purse felt the draft, for farming "with 
 fancy fixings" paid no better then than now. 
 So the captain began "to take in sail." He 
 sold most of his stock in the fall after Zeke 
 came, and after the fall work was done, he
 
 THE ANGEL HELPER. 379 
 
 lived more quietly in the house, and left the 
 chores, now easily done, to John and Zeke. 
 Both had won his confidence, and now en- 
 joyed its benefits, for the captain was not 
 a man of low suspicions when he had learned 
 to confide. 
 
 The winter came, that winter which fol- 
 lowed the spiritual harvest at Alden Farm 
 and Crone's Corner, bringing the Spirit's 
 drawing towards Christ of Zeke, while spend- 
 ing his long evenings in the Christian home 
 of Aunt Huldah. He began to feel the in- 
 spiration of that Spirit, who, all unknown to 
 himself, was fitting him for re-union with 
 those whom the same Holy Spirit had made 
 new creatures in Christ.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE JUBILEE. 
 
 IT was the next morning after the visit of 
 Joel and Mary Organ to the Crones, when 
 their confession was made, that they were 
 talking over, with ever deepening feeling of 
 sorrow, their agency in Zeke's long absence. 
 
 "I tell you what I am thinking," said Joel. 
 "I am thinking that it is my duty to go, 
 myself, and get Zeke." 
 
 "You carried him away," said his wife, 
 sadly. 
 
 "I suppose," said Joel, smiling, "that if I 
 go and tell Uncle Prince how mean and 
 wicked I have been, he will nearly 'skin 
 me.' But we are commanded to 'confess' 
 as well as 'to forsake' our sins, and I have 
 
 380
 
 THE JUBILEE. 381 
 
 wronged Uncle Prince in imposing, by false- 
 hood, Zeke upon him." 
 
 The next morning, Joel was driving over 
 the road to the Eagle Tavern, where he had 
 parted with Zeke. Here he took the stage, 
 and the next evening he reached the door 
 of Captain Prince. The uncle and nephew 
 had always been on friendly terms, and this 
 meeting was cordial. Joel was not long in 
 coming to the immediate business of his 
 visit. He stated the facts concerning Zeke, 
 and frankly and with great tenderness and 
 humility, rehearsed his own part in the bad 
 transaction. The captain heard him through 
 without interruption, but with a contracted 
 brow and a curl of contempt upon his lips. 
 He was not a man to appreciate the peniten- 
 tial tears, which, at the close of Joel's state- 
 ment, stole down his face. "Joel!" he 
 exclaimed, rising and striding across the 
 room, "you have been contemptibly mean! 
 Why didn't you tell me the truth, sir, when
 
 382 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 you sent the boy to me?" A silence fol- 
 lowed for a moment, which appeared to Joel 
 only the brief pause w r hich portended a heav- 
 ier explosion of the storm. "The truth, 
 sir ! " repeated the captain, in a voice of 
 thunder, as he stopped before Joel, and 
 fixed on him his full, fiery eye. "Why 
 didn't you tell the truth, like a man ! " 
 
 Another pause followed, which the captain 
 broke by saying, in a calmer, but firm tone, 
 "Joel Organ, leave my house at your earliest 
 possible convenience ; and never say, sir, that 
 you are related to Captain James Prince. 
 I will return the boy, sir, to his friends, in 
 my own time and way." 
 
 Joel was glad, through Zeke's introduction, 
 to breathe the forgiving atmosphere of Aunt 
 Huldah's home, until the return of the stage, 
 two days after the captain's denial to him 
 of the hospitalities of his house. He was 
 not allowed to know anything of his pur- 
 poses concerning Zeke. His return home
 
 THE JUBILEE. 383 
 
 alone, with this humiliating statement of the 
 results of his well-intended visit, was to him- 
 self and to his wife a severe test of the 
 genuineness of their penitence ; and the test 
 
 proved profitable, because they bore it well. 
 
 ***** 
 
 The one dark spot, in the, of late, silver- 
 lined cloud, which rested upon the home at 
 Crone's Corner, entirely disappeared when 
 Captain James Prince entered, preceded by 
 Zeke. The captain introduced himself with 
 his habitual stateliness, and took the seat 
 cordially offered. He was about to explain 
 with dignity the reasons of his personal 
 coming, speak a good word- for Zeke, and 
 launch his sailor's broad-side at the Organs, 
 when he came to a stand-still, like a ship 
 suddenly struck by a counter current, and 
 held for the moment in the eddy. Zeke had 
 framed most studiously, words of confession 
 and conciliation for the ears of his offended 
 parents. But if his return was in the spirit
 
 384 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAKM. 
 
 of the prodigal, his welcome was that of the 
 prodigal's father. His coming had been seen, 
 by hope and love, a great way off. Yearn- 
 ing hearts of tender affection were ready with 
 the kiss and embrace of forgiveness, recog- 
 nition and welcome. The words of Ezekiel 
 and Jerusha Crone were fewer than their 
 tears, and both united to choke back 
 Zeke's intended exclamation, "Father, I have 
 sinned ! " We have sinned, was the spirit 
 of their salutation. "Halloo, Zeke ! " shouted 
 his sisters, Jane and Betsey, as they rushed 
 upon him, throwing their arms around his 
 neck and drawing him down nearly to the 
 floor. Tom looked on and cried. He did 
 not need to speak, or otherwise act his wel- 
 come. It was his lost brother on whom his 
 eyes rested, and he was satisfied. 
 
 The captain looked upon the scene with 
 surprise. Were these the parents of Zeke, 
 who, he had for a year believed, had turned 
 him out into the cold world ! It was well
 
 THE JUBILEE. 385 
 
 Joel was not just then present. But this 
 feeling soon gave way to more tender emo- 
 tions, and, at last, he wiped a tear from his 
 face, the first that had moistened it since it 
 became tanned by the sun of many climes ; 
 and, now that his heart was melted, he' en- 
 tered into the occasion with a generous in- 
 terest. He had much to say of Zeke's great 
 improvement the few last months, but gave 
 the credit to his " prim neighbor," Aunt Hul- 
 dah, in words as direct and forcible as those 
 he used in reproving Joel. He closed his 
 commendation, by saying, with a pleasant 
 smile, which was possible to him, "An old 
 sailor can break a colt, but it takes Aunt 
 Huldah to make him trot round at your 
 
 word, as though he loved to ! " 
 
 ***** 
 
 When John Alden learned that Zeke had re- 
 turned, and after having had repeated to him 
 the generous words of Captain Prince, he 
 sprang to his feet, in one of his old, gen- 
 
 25
 
 386 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 erous impulses, at which Patience smiled, 
 and in reference to which she usually had 
 some cool, wise word of caution. "Pa- 
 tience!" he exclaimed, bringing his hands 
 together with a sharp crack which startled 
 puss from her dozing on the sunny window- 
 seat, " Patience ! we must have a jubilee ! " 
 
 "Well, John," said Patience, in a measured 
 tone, but with a merry twinkle of her eye, 
 w I should think your jubilee had begun ! " 
 
 "Let us have," continued John, in a more 
 subdued tone, "a day of thanksgiving. Let 
 us kill the fatted calf. Many, that were a 
 few months ago lost in sin, are found. The 
 wanderer, for whom we have all mourned, 
 has returned. Joy has come to our own home 
 in the conversion of our boys ! " The last 
 reason given melted Mr.. Alden, and he added, 
 in a low, deep whisper, "Patience, my dear 
 wife, we must have a jubilee ! " 
 
 The kitchen of Alden Farm was soon jubi- 
 lant with the preparations. It had often been
 
 THE JUBILEE. 387 
 
 so, hut never with a more sacred joy. The 
 pastor, the good Deacon Turner, Ezekiel 
 Crone, the good friend "William Treat, each 
 with his entire family ; Patty Vose and her 
 mother, with a long list of the young con- 
 verts, and young people friends of Carver 
 and Miles, were already put down among 
 the guests. The younger members of the 
 family discussed the coming festival, with 
 learned wisdom. "Baby Winnie" still the 
 baby, though ranging the house and barn 
 with lordly freedom uttered his " cute " 
 sayings, which, in the estimation of the 
 other children, "beat all that's printed in the 
 books." 
 
 When Ezekiel Crone learned what was 
 going on at Alden Farm, he exclaimed, 
 "Brother Aldeu is at his old business of 
 beating us all in his good notions. But he's 
 too fast this time ! We, Jerusha, must have 
 the jubilee ! " 
 
 "That we must!" exclaimed his wife, with
 
 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 all of her old energy, but now it was as 
 the subduing breath of spring, compared 
 with the freezing blast of a winter tempest. 
 "It is our son who was lost and is found," 
 she continued, "and in our home the feast 
 must be made." 
 
 Alden Farm gave way to this reasonable 
 suggestion, and the notes of preparation be- 
 gan to be heard at Crone's Corner. Since 
 they had sought and found the secret of 
 good luck in carrying out their plans, the 
 preparations went on pleasantly. "VYe have 
 seen that Alden Farm itself could not excel 
 Mrs. Crone in the manner in which she pre- 
 pared her food for the table. Her husband's 
 means had improved of late, and he provided 
 amply for the occasion. Every room of their 
 old house soon smiled in its perfect order 
 and cleanliness. The children dismissed the 
 last of the old feeling, " we are nobody," 
 in an honest self-respect from the thought 
 that the jubilee was at their own home, and
 
 THE JUBILEE. 389 
 
 that invitations were to go out from there, 
 instead, as in former days, always coming 
 to it. 
 
 Invitations were extended to all whom the 
 Aldens proposed to invite, and were carried 
 even further in one direction. They included 
 some who had been known only in their 
 opposition to those influences by which the 
 Corner had been saved. It seemed to be 
 Jerusha Crone's thought for the suggestion 
 came from her that the songs of gladness 
 of the saved, might be blessed to those still 
 wandering, though they had repelled other 
 efforts for their good. 
 
 The evening of the Jubilee at Crone's Cor- 
 ner came. All came quite near the hour 
 suggested by the host. In this " olden time " 
 the guests showed their good manners in 
 punctuality at feasts, as well as at church, 
 and none affected refiuemeut by coming late. 
 When the rooms were filled, Mr. Curtis, in 
 behalf of the host, bid all welcome, and in-
 
 390 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAEM. 
 
 vited them to join in singing, " All hail the 
 power of Jesus' name," in "Coronation." 
 While the song was filling the house with 
 the music of the heart, some of the loafers 
 from the tavern looked slyly in. Their 
 ranks had been thinned of late, by death, 
 and still more, by desertions to the company 
 of "Teetotalers." They had prophecied that 
 "oldZeke's party "would be a great "fizzle," 
 and that nobody except John Alden could 
 make a jubilee. So they had come to see 
 the failure. The spirit-stirring song, whose 
 burden was the conquering name of Jesus, 
 a glance at the crowd of happy though sober 
 looking faces, and, to them, not least, Mrs. 
 Crone's richly laden and tastefully arranged 
 table, amazed them. "It beats Alden Farm 
 folks," whispered one. "Old Zeke is awful 
 extravagant," said another. But some lin- 
 gered round, won by the pure joy of the 
 occasion, were invited in, and forsook from 
 that time, the thorny path of sin.
 
 THE JUBILEE. 391 
 
 Patty Vose was seated in a quiet corner 
 of the parlor. "How do even children pay 
 deference to character" remarked Parson Cur- 
 tis, calling Deacon Turner's attention to the 
 constant gathering of young people and little 
 ones about the serious, but sun-shiny, and 
 ever loving hunchback. They all consulted 
 her in reference to their amusements, or any 
 question of pleasant dispute which occurred. 
 
 Martha Turner, " bewitched," as the atten- 
 tive eyes of certain "maiden ladies" assured 
 them, all the "young boys." "It was ridic- 
 ulous," they said, "for a deacon's daughter 
 to act so." But it was difficult for even 
 them to tell what wrong thing Mattie said 
 or did. In the good sense of her remarks 
 she was the superior of her accusers. In 
 making the little ones happy, she excelled 
 all others. In making the timid feel at ease, 
 in causing the aged to confess that all re- 
 spect for years on the part of the young 
 did not leave the earth in their childhood,
 
 392 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. 
 
 in scattering sunshine generally, and, espe- 
 cially, as a result in part of all this, making 
 all except the meanly jealous love her, Mar- 
 tha Turner was a great sinner in the es- 
 timation of the before mentioned ladies of 
 "a certain age." Nor was it her fault that 
 Carver Alden loved her better than he loved 
 these ancient dames, or even that he loved 
 her, as it began to be whispered, better than 
 he loved any other young person. 
 
 The Organs were present, receiving the 
 special attention of Mr. and Mrs. Crone. 
 Cordial forgiveness of their sin was stamped 
 upon all countenances except their own. 
 Squire True's dignity was subdued by the 
 loving freedom which breathed about him. 
 One of the most pleasant incidents of the 
 evening, was the entering, in the midst of 
 the social interview, of Dr. Burt. "I have 
 come," he said, to his old friends, "to con- 
 fess my past errors, and to give to John 
 Alden, and my pastor, and their faithful
 
 THE JUBILEE. 393 
 
 helpers, my hand of fellowship in their 
 Christian labors, and moral reforms. I have 
 been wrong, they have been right. My old 
 friend, Deacon Prime, if he were living, 
 would join me in this. The plain man of 
 Alden Farm ' has conquered my prejudices, 
 and shown, by his kind, but independent 
 pursuit of the right, my mistake. Hence- 
 forth I am with you." 
 
 It was not late when the company broke 
 up and sought their own homes, nor had the 
 feet of any young person attempted to add 
 anything during the gathering, to the enter- 
 tainment. Brains and heart sufficed for all. 
 
 At the close of the following summer, Car- 
 ver Alden entered college. His preparation 
 was thorough for those days, for teacher and 
 pupil agreed in careful painstaking with every 
 lesson. He carried with him to college no 
 unwise thought, that by "smartness," or some 
 favoring circumstance, (by many, foolishly 
 called "good luck,") he should secure in-
 
 394 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FAUM. 
 
 fluence and scholarship. The self-relying 
 energy of Alden Farm, united with the cul- 
 tivation of a true Christian heart, gave him 
 a calm, steady assurance that all needed suc- 
 cess was sure. 
 
 His brother Miles commenced his college 
 course the next year. Less dignified, more 
 lively than Carver, he was no less steady to 
 principle and work. 
 
 Alden Farm, in the meantime, threw its 
 strong protecting arm around Hope Cottage. 
 * Patty Vose and her mother shall fail for 
 counsel ^2nd help, only when Aldeu Farm 
 fails," said Mr. Alden, and his word was a 
 moral power. 
 
 Zeke had, with Tom, spent his leisure 
 hours during the summer, studying and re- 
 citing to Patty Vose. They could get up 
 early now to secure an extra hour, and not 
 be driven to bed. The work of the farm 
 under the united, cordial labor of father 
 and sons, proceeded to good results.
 
 THE JUBILEE. 395 
 
 Just before the winter came, the following 
 letter was received at the Corner : 
 
 "Mr FRIENDS: I have reduced my farm- 
 ing to a small, snug business. My man, 
 John, leaves me this fall. Your son, Eze- 
 kiel, is just the young man for my work 
 this winter, and I think he can take the 
 charge of my farm next summer, for which 
 he shall have good pay. Mrs. Prince unites 
 with me in requesting him to come. Nancy 
 says she ' don't want no new man fussing 
 round;' she prefers Ezekiel. Finally, Aunt 
 Huldah says, 'Captain, I think thee will do 
 well to employ Ezekiel.' I know she pines 
 for 'her boy.' So let him come. 
 
 "JAMES PRINCE." 
 
 Thus young Ezekiel Crone became the 
 trusted foreman of the farm of Captain 
 Prince, and was loved and counseled by the
 
 396 THE LUCK OF ALDEN FARM. ' 
 
 good Quaker woman, Aunt Huldah, as one 
 taking the place of her lost son. 
 
 His brother Thomas remained at home, 
 the intelligent, Christian young man, holding 
 out by his steady principle and uniform in- 
 dustry, a good hope to his parents of com- 
 fort and support from him in old age. 
 
 So Crone's Corner rivaled Alden Farm in 
 the "luck" which comes from a strong will 
 and a good heart. Both families learned that 
 
 " What most would profit us God knows, 
 And ne'er denies aught good to those 
 Who with their utmost strength pursue 
 The right, and only care to do 
 
 What pleases Him." 
 
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