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Show A FARMHOUSE IDYL PATHETIC LITTLE TALE, WITH JOYFUL ENDING. Old Man's Toll and Loyalty Well Rewarded Re-warded Abiding Love That Knew No Limit and Put All Doubts Behind. Be-hind. After milking was over and tbo cans had been started on their way to tho cheese factory, Ezra enmo Into tho house with his lips pursod for whistling. Hut tho whlstlo frozo upon his lips as ho stopped over tho yellow pninted doorsill. Ho dropped Into hU easy chair, and with a look of discomfort dis-comfort on his face ho watched Cindy bustling to and fro from tho Btovo to tho table. Occasionally ho would lift his cyea to tho clock Bhelf and sigh. Ho had soen that same sort of cnvelopo bo-fore. bo-fore. Tho writing was In tho samo familiar hand. Ho could guess what tho lines within had to reveal. When Joo camo from tho factory tho three sat down and ate In silence. Tho envelope on tho clock shilf Boemed llko a bird of lllfato, wb.ise vory presence seemed to choko every particle of food tho quiot ones swallowed. swal-lowed. Tho spell of that letter spoiled tho meal and robbed tho tea of Its fragrance and taste. After Cindy had gono to bed and Joo had dragged himself up to his room the old man opened tho cnvelopo and read tho letter. "Same old thing. iJright outlook for doing great things. With $500 he could make 10,000. Says ho's gol a tip, and that thoro Is big monoy In sight euro this tlmo." The cat crawled upon his lap and cuddled down to sleep. Tho anowLall bush tapped against tho side of tho house as the old man sat theic. "Jim was a clever boy beforo bo went to tho city. That hurt him. I put him through Bchool and looked after him. His mother loved him so, and ho had his father's oyes. Oh, Jim, dear boy, my old comrade brother, broth-er, If you only knew how hard It was for Cindy and Joo and mo up hero on the farm you wouldn't do this. No, you wouldn'L Tho next day Ezra went to town and did somo business at tho UUlo vlllago bank. When ho came homo his shoulders looked a little raorf stooped and his face was graver than before. He and Joe tolled early and late, same as before. Cindy scoured the pans, cooked tbo food, and buBtled about the house, same as before. Three days after another letter camo. It was placed upon the clock shelf, where It cast Us gloom, the samo as before. After the others had retired Ezra got out his glasses, turned tho wick up, and opened tho envelope with a Blgb. Tho cat crawled upon his lap and eddied down, and tho snowball bush beat against tho side of the house. The old man drew a deep breath as a slip of pink paper curled about his fingers. Its touch scorned to Bmooth somo of the wrinkles from his face. He caressed tho cat as he let It slip from his lap. He went to tho window and looked out upon tho fields and the gllttorlng stars that twinkled afar and away. Jim's mother loved him so. And he had his father's eyes. I stayed by you all the time, dear boy. I stayed by you through thick and thin-though thin-though It pinched us all to do It. I am glad I did, old comrade." Tho next morning In tho center of tho table was a certified check for $5,000, payable to the order of Ezra Sprlggins. Horaco Seymour Keller, in New York Times. |
