es, he
dreamed of carrying bricks and mortar as a small, ragged boy for
Cavanaugh, who had just hired him for a few cents a day to see what
there was in him. Later he seemed to be telling his powdered and painted
mother of his success and displaying to her indifferent gaze the first
few cents Cavanaugh had ever paid him.

CHAPTER XVI

The next day being Sunday, the family rose an hour later than usual.
Cavanaugh came into John's room after the sun was well up in the sky and
found his young friend awake.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself," he jested. "Here you are flat on
your lazy back while that little last night's partner of yours is out
milking the cow and feeding the chickens. I saw her from my window just
now looking as fresh as a pink morning-glory wet with dew. Old Whaley
and his wife are hard masters even of their own child. I reckon Tilly
would love to lie and snooze after that late tilt of yours and hers, but
her folks don't allow it when there is work to be done. I don't want to
meddle, my boy, but take it from me for what it is worth, Tilly is the
kind of a girl to make a working-man a fine wife. Why? Well, because she
hasn't been raised with a gold spoon in her mouth, and a lot of fool
ideas about style, rank, and what not. She'd be industrious, saving, and
grateful for what her husband could give her. And you--well, I'm not
giving you taffy to tickle your vanity, but you'd lavish your last cent
on a wife of your choice. How do I know? Well, how do I know that mighty
nigh all you ever made--now, I'm going to speak plain--mighty nigh every
cent you ever made was lapped up by your ma and Jane Holder and that
poor little girl at your house? Huh! Don't I know that a big, strapping
fellow that will do all that for folks of--of that stripe will do even
more for the sweet little maid that leaves all her own kin to cleave
unto him?"

"You don't know what you are talking about," John said from the pillow
which half hid his flushed face.

"Well, maybe I don't," the contractor smiled benignly, "but you get up
and put on your best suit. We are all going to meeting to-day. You've
dodged that too often to help you along with old Whaley. He is wondering
where you stand, anyway, on these vital questions of man's duty to God
and His written law as Whaley reads it. Don't you forget about the way
he treated that son of his that tied up with a follower of the Pope. In
spite of his harsh ways Tilly loves her o