Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-07-06


on to Grandma Leeds room.
She was there with her work, her placid
face beaming beneath the white lace-bor
dered cap.
A graceful, girlish figure half knelt be-
fore her, wreathing with deft fingers
bunch of evergreens into frame for man
tie ornament, and her eyes were lifted smil-
ing into the old lady's face.
He entered and closed the door before
either saw him.
'Grandma Leeds"
why bless my heart, it is Austin. Come
here my boyP'
| And the fine gentleman came and gave
both hands to her in his delight
"Janie, my little playmate, too! What
happy meeting Clara came down, dress
ed for call, and declared she would come
but told her no! I knew the amount of
gaIlantry [ should feel obliged to use, and [
preferred that my first visit should be like
| the old ones"
stYou are right. We are better pleased
to have 1t so, are we not Janet?"
His call leagthenea self INFO bwo hours.
and during the time he told pleasant stor-
| les and chatted like the boy of gone
days, but not once did Margaret's or Lettie's
name pass his lips.
When he went away he met them COM
ing, with disappointed faces, from the par
| lor, where they had been waiting for him
but he only lifted his hat and passed out
Then grandma and jamie received a sound
scolding, such as only these two knew how
/ to give, and the shadows of discomfort
again fell on Janet's spirit.
| Ah that long, cheerless w1nteri What
story Janet could tell you of disappoint-
ments, ofhappy parties of which she had
no share, OF moonlight rides, of JOY and
merriment! She had only that one COM
forter, kind, patient grandma; for now that
! Mr. Bosworth had come, the way was hard
er than before
| He came and escorted Lettle to parties,
and sometimes chatted with grandma, but
nothing more. She saw nothing more
She did not as usual, catch the good-na-
tured smiles he gave her from the sleigh as
he rode away-and Lettie never told her
| how often he asked for her.
| Alone with grandma, Janet wished for
better things, and wondered why she was
so harshIy dealt with.
At last even the society of her good aged
comforter was denied her, and in her bed
the old lady gradually faded away. Day
and night Janet sat beside her with the
knowledge that she was beyond earthly
help-waiting upon her, yielding to the
childish whims, and shutting out every
thing Youthful and beautiful from her sight
playing household angel" Margaret
said.
Working for grandma's fortune of old
shoes and worsted stockings, Lettle cruel
ly added.
''Doing her duty by the faithful woman
who taken the three motherless children
into her heart, and filed the lost ones
place, so far as God permitted" her own
heart said and steadily she worked on.
The first of May brought invitations to
the last ball at the Bosworth House, and
while the two elder sisters laid out the fine
rY, Janet folded her tiny missive and hid
it away next to her heart, as sacred bit of
paper bearing Austin's firm, broad chiro-
graphy upon it.
That night grandma was very Ill, and
when Margaret and Lettie futtered in with
| their gay dresses Janet Leeds met them
and almost forcibly put them out of the
room.
81 beg you, girls, to have a little re-
spect for poor grandma-she Is very i'll to-
night"
Nonsense! Don't be fool, Janet
anybody would think she was dying"
''I believe she is"
Their reply came in violent slam of the
| tent
The hours dragged wearily, and overcome
by her long, sleepless watches, Janet fell
| fast asleep.
! Two hours later she awoke with a start,
and in an instant she saw that dread change
in her grandmas face.
| Like one in dream, she walked to her
| fathers door, and awakened him.
'sFather, grandma is worse. [ believe
her dying. You must go to to Dr. Berne.
You will find him at the ball. Go quick
Typ
She went back, and sat there wearily
waiting for something-for a sound, sign
from the dying woman; but none came
Slowly, but perceptibly, the lines settled
around the pleasant mouth, and the dark
shadows crept over the placid face, but no
sound issued from the pale lips.
Janet bent her head. There was faint
futter-no more, and Janet clasped her
hands Would grandma die there before
her eyes, and never speak word?
She caught the cold hand in her own,
and cried aloud:
ssGrandma! speak to mel speak to your
| little Janet! Don't you hear me, grand
ma %
But grandma heard nothing. The chill
ness of death had settled down, and even
as she knelt there the breath fed, and
Janet was alone.
She understood it all when she arose,
and she sank back half fainting in the arm
chair near the bed "a
''Janet, my poor darling"
She lifted her head. Austin Besworth
was leaning over her.
s'My little grill Why did you not send
word to me tonight, and let me share your
sorrow?"
''You, Austin?'
eyes, have not. All, forgive me!
| This is no time or place. [ missed you as
| | have always missed you, but thought 1t
was your own pleasure to remain at home.
! When your father came in with white,
| frightened face, and whispered to Doctor
| Berne, l knew you were III trouble came
at once, and, jamie, l shall not again leave
| you"
She knew his meaning, and did not put
| him away, when he held her close in his
arms and drew her into the parlor.
Margaret and Lettie coming in with
their faces horror-stricken, saw him hold
| ing her in his arms, her tired head resting
YEARLY upon his shoulder, and the proud
Lettie said:
ssALr. Bosworth, I am surprisedr'
''You need not be. This is my privilege
now and forever"
Three days after they gathered in that
same parlor, to hear grandmamma's last
will and testament read After some little
directions. it said:
''And to my beloved granddaughter,
Janet Leeds, bequeath the Holmes estate,
together with my entire stock of furniture
and money, amounting to ten thousand
dollars
Janets father smiled upon his astonish-
ed and crest-fallen daughters.
'It was mothers whiml She never de-
sired it to be known. Therefore you were
ignorant of the fact that she had a dollar
beyond the annuity [ held for her"
When, six months later, Austin and JAN
| sa'were married, her elder sisters dared to
ETY. that he married her for her money
He knew better, and so did l.
A RESULT OF THE wAR.-Ghe following
wait which We clip from a southern paper,
will interest our readers: Zone OF the
most singular sights growing out OF the
e. oh