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Show JOY OF LIVING. 8 By MARY WINIFRED FORD. O 1 'J J 1 , Western Nc.vwijaii..T L'n:un.) The yoiuiLr loiks in Norlhw uod called hii.i "grandpa," while the older folks called him "old -Nat." Crandpa had decided long ago that it wa.s high time for him to say "good-by" Ui this old world. "Well, don't blame me, Grace," grandpa heard Kiehard, her husband, say. "if it wasn't for your father we could be where it is nice ami warm, but you know the trip is too much for him, and then be might be ailing " That was all grandpa heard, but his son-in-law's words wrung his very heart, and not once but often he heard his daughter complain and say that "if It wasn't for father" she could do this or she could do that. He turned to look out the window, and there, smiling in at him with two fat snowballs In her bands, was Edna, the young girl next door,, wdio had taken quite a fancy to that old face looking out of the window every day as she looked in. Her cheeks were rosy and her in-own eyes sparkling, and Into grandpa's heart came a new life as she smiled on him. She came close to the window and rubbed her nose on the pane, and, laughing happily, cried: "Grandpa, they have given me permission to come In and sit with you if you care to have me," and at this moment Grace came into the room. "Come right in, Edna, I'm sure father would enjoy having you," and grandpa was so happy all be could do was to puff all the harder at the old pipe, his heart beating fast to think that after all someone would care to sit and chat with him. "Oh, grandpa, it is just too wonderful wonder-ful for words out today! How I wish you could came snowslmeing with me! The girls have gone off for the weekend week-end and I have to go shoeing alone. Do you know, grandpa, if it wasn't for you looking out of the window every day and smiling so nicely at me, I should almost die of lonesomeness. True, the girls are here off and on, but they have such wonderful times without me. They they don't w-want me, grandpa I I'm only In the w-way w-way " "Why, wdiat is the trouble, little missy? V.Tien I saw you out there, laughing away, I never dreamed you were unhappy. Now, tell grandpa all about it maybe I can help you." "Well, they all have sweethearts, grandpa, you know " "Oh ! I see Frank and the Rhodes boys, I often wondered wdiy you were alone so' much." "W-well, they d-don't want me, as I would be an extra one, and well, sometimes I wish I were dead. It's terrible to think no one wants you, and then, grandpa, mamma and papa I annoy them. They say I'm too boisterous, boister-ous, and oh ! I'm so lonesome. Since the snow came, and I can't sit with you on the veranda, I've been too lonesome for words. I wish you could come out." "Yes, little missy, It is bard to think that you are not welcomed, even in your own home, but I am sure that your dear mother and father welcome you, only they do not realize that you are very lonesome. They are probably very busy wdtb their problems and never dream that you need their love so very much. Some day you will meet a nice young boy who will want you very much, but he hasn't happened hap-pened along just yet, that's all. "Just you wait, missy dear, and then you will have the best of- them all," and grandpa puffed ever so vigorously vig-orously at his pipe, and in the circles of smoke he saw the one he wished Edna to see and love. "Never mind, grandpa, about my troubles. Don't think any more about It. I am happy to have just you. and I do love you very much," and she nearly knocked grandpa's pipe clean out of his mouth when she hugged him tight" and kissed him softly on the forehead, and she was gone before he could recover himself. "Another visitor, grandpa, for you," and George smiled as he slapped grandpa caressingly on the shoulder. "Why. grandpa, who was that wonderful won-derful looking young lady I met as I was coining in? I should think, grandpa, you wouldn't keep such a secret away from me." "Gad. boy ! I was just thinking of you and in you walk ! She is one of my rays of sunshine, boy, nnd you are the other. She is very unhappy and is going over to Raymond Hill, snow-shoeing. snow-shoeing. Go right after her, boy, and see that she gets home safely. Yes, yes, you must do this for me. Tel! her that grandpa said it was all right, and that she will make him happy if she is very kind to you, George," and the somewhat dazed George hastened away. Late in the afternoon grandpa saw in the distance two people skipping along, hand in hand. As they neared the bouse his heart gave a leap. There they were, like two children, laughing and chatting away. "Grandpa. I couldn't have been unkind un-kind to him if I tried, not when he told me you said It was all right.' And oh, grandpa, I must thank you for the most wonderful day ever." "And. grandpa, you must insist that she allow me to accompany her to a perfectly wonderful-to-be bungalow party tonight. She Is waiting for you to say the word," nnd as dear old grandpa saw in both their eyes that old, but ever new, story, he realized that he desired to live live live! |