The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-11-27

and he could sleep 50 again.
The soil of Rufus Grote's heart was
like the soil of other hearts. A seed
once forced through the crust would
find root there-either good or evil. In
all his manhood's life So bright thing
had not crept upon him before-so
warm thing as that childish kiss had
not toucned his cheek He did not think
of it so much until he was alone in the
dense darkness, and then, when he
could see nothing else, he could see
that sunny face, and the musical CHR
rup sounded again in his ears. At
first, he would have been glad to believe
that the childs mother l., instructed
her in this, but when he looked over all
the circumstances, he knew that it
could not have been; and, in the end,
before he slept, he was glad that the
little child had came to him of her own
sweet impulse.
Upon that hard floor, with only n
single blanket for bedding, Rufus
Grote did not sleep so soundly as was
his wont. He dreamed, and in his
! dreams he saw cherub, and felt cher
ubic arms about his neck, with kisses
upon his cheek. And he said to himself
| in his dreams:
"Surely cannot be such an ogre if
these sweet beings can love me ~
In the morning Rufus Grote was up
very early. He had thought, the night
! before, that he had bread and cheese
enough for breakfast; but after the
nights rest-perhaps after the nights
dreams-he took new thoughts. With
out exactly mprehending the feeling,
D fhn ,,f, 1nnolinnco on1 col.
! 6shness had given place-just the glip-
mering of place--to a warmer sense of
csmpanionship and fraternity. He put
| press of the chiid's kiss had fallen, and
| a new resolution came to his mind. He
went out to a neighboring street corner
and purchased tea, and sugar, and but
/ ter. and new warm breakfast.roll and
i small can of milk. He had Just de-
posted these articles upon his own
table when Mrs. Sandford made her ap-
pearance.
Good morning, Uncle Rufus" she
said.
Had the host caught that sound when
he first arose it would have startled
him; but it fell very softly upon his
ears now. He had been exercising, and
had earned the salute.
Good morning, Mary" returned
Rufus; and, so exceedingly odd was it,
that the very toneso of his own voice sur
prised him.
"What can I do for you this morn
ing, uncle? May get your breakfast
for you ?"
"I will light fire." said the man,
land then, if you please, you may
make cup of tea"
The fire was lit, and then he showed
where his dishes were.
Mary Sandford was an accomplished
housekeeper, and she could aocommo-
date herself to circumstances very mar
row. While she was busy, ray OF
fresh sunshine burst into the room,
lighting up the dingy walls, and making
golden with its light the atmosphere OF
the place. 1t was little Flora, bright,
| Joyous, and jubilant, thinking only of
love in this first hour of her waking
from sweet, refreshing sleep. Without
a word, only ripple of gladncss drop
ping from her lips, she went to where
the old man had just sat down IN the
corner, and crept up again into his lap.
I" L can't reach your cheek, uncle,
she laughed, without getting up you
are so biS, and l am so little"
And then she kissed him as she had
the night before but not as on the
night before did Rufus Grote.
With a movement almost spasmodic
so strange was it for him-he drew
the child back to him, and imprinted a
hearty kiss upon the round cheek.
And the words" Heaven bless you,
little one !" fell from his lips before he
knew it.
Verify, the crust was broken. But
had any good seed fallen upon the
heart?
What an odd scene for the miser's
home A really good breakfast, a table
tastefully laid, the fumes from the tea
pot fresh and fragrant, and the sur
roundings cheerful.
After breakfast Rufus Grote was
forced to go away on business. And on
that day he concluded arrangements
for the leasing of building which was
TO return him q thousand year and
he meant, when the business was done,
that he would be poorer than ever, and
live on less than heretofore, so that he
might lay up more and more.
On this same day one OF his houses
was vacated-a dwelling in one of the
broad streets.
He saw his agent, and ordered him
to let the house as quickly as possible.
That evening, while Mrs. Sandford
was out, Flora came to Rufus Grotes
side, and looked earpestly in his face.
"Uncle," she said, with quaint
seriousness, "don't you want me to
get ints your lap?"
"Why do you ask that ?" demanded
the old man..
Mamma said I mustn't. She said
you wouldn't like it"
"What made her think shouldn't
like it ?"
because she said you weren't happy
and she cried when she said that her
little girl mustn't make her Uncle
Rufus dislike her."
"And what did yeu say to that ?"
asked Rufus Grote, with awakening
interest.
~ told mamma that 1 would put
my arms around your neck, and lug
and kiss you, and see if 1 couldn' t
make you love me. And if you loved
me knew you would let me sit in your
lap"
When Mary Sandford came in, half an
hour late-, she found her child in Uncle
Rufus's lap, her sunny head pillowed