Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-06-11

l. can't be very far neither. We must Q
+ there. I've seen the place once, and
j, guess | can find it again if you'll hel
: me. Any way tryin' is better than set
h tin here"
/ Carefully and slowly they retrace,
: their steps for little way and began t
, ascend the opposite side of the ravine
: Joe explaining as they walked:
: "He's queer old feller, and lives il
4 little cabin way out here. Folks cal
: him Fiddlin' Nathan cause he's alway
piayin' on an old fiddle when he hahn,
anything else to do, and he don't hay,
D hardly ever, only little odd jobs nov
: and then. They say he spends most al
: the money he gets from them buyin
lottery tickets, and thinks he's goin' tc
draw himself 'mazin' rich some day, SC
) don't know what they live on. There:
; just him and his grandchild. S'psse
mebby We'll find the place by hearin'
, him tune away on that old instrument
of his
But when at last, after toilsome, pain
iul effort, interspersed with many paus-
es for rest, they reached the odd, tiny
cabin, there was no sound of music nor
anything betokening human inhabi-
tant, Marion thought, scanning it eager
iy. At their knock, however, a small
white face glanced past the window
and the door was opened by fair,
quaint little maiden with wonderful
unchild-like look in her large brown
eyes.
"Helloa, Desie Take in pair of vag-
abonds, can you?" questioned Joe.
81 was watching for somebody to
come," said Dosie simply.
"Was? What made you think any,
body'd come such day as this ?" asked
Joe in surprise, while Marion looked
the same query.
ii wanted some one. Grandpa's
queer. He's been lying on that bed all
day, and lie didn't play his violin any,
only just little bit this early morning.
Sometimes he calls me Dosie, and some
times it's other peoples names that
don't know. He doesn't say he's sick,
but couldn't go away for anybody,
and l did wish they'd Gomez
Even while she spoke she had quietly
brought forward ehairs-the only two
that the room contalned-for her guests
and stood waiting for Marion to re-
move her wrappings. A bright wood
fire cracked and danced in the old fire
place, but all else in the apartment was |
scant and miserable. As Joe related |
the misadventures that had brought
them there, Marion glanced toward the
Ded and shuddered at the withered,
wrinkled face, almost CHASTITY in its pail
lor, that rested upon the poor pillow.
"Dosie.' called weak, uncertain
voice, and the child sprang to the bed
side. "Whose them? Did. they bring
the ticket?"
''No, grandpa, not yet; it hasn't csme
yet. These are friends" she answered
soothingly. Then as his momentary
passed, she returned to the
fireside. dts his lottery ticket. He's
sure it will draw Il great prize, and he's
always expecting the word to come,
you see," she explained gravely as if
the expectation were 4 most natural
one.
"Dosie, what is it we'll do when we
get all our prize money!" questioned
the thin, fuavering voice again. 81
forget
"a nice house, grandpa, and servants -,
and horses and carriages" repeated l
Dosie promptly, but little wearily, as !
# the grandeur had grown TO be an {
Did story.
Outside the snow still fell steadily,
bending trees and bushes; as the slrad-
'ws deepened and the short twilight
AIDED, shutting in this strange group.
Dosie's hospitable little heart suggested
supper, but her means were woefully
United. When she had done her best a
here was only small quantity ofvery
weak tea, some dry bread, and few I
potatoes.
81 wanted to buy more things when
grandpa got his last five dollars, but he
needed most of it to buy another ticket,
% l couldn't" she said IN simple apel-
'gy, lifting her earnest eyes to Marion's
ace. And for the child's sake Marion
ried hard to partake with seeming rel
sh of the frugal fare. a
The last gleam of the gray daylight !.
and night fell dark and stor- +
ny, with a wild wind moaning through :,
he trees and knocking at doors and
windows. A chapter from some other
lfe-book than hers seemed the scene to ;,
iarion, trying to realize her own iden- :
ity as she sat there watching the flick ;.
ring freight flush and pale upon the :.
ingy cabin walls. A folded shawl
ad been thrown. upon the floor, and !,
ee reclined upon it, his wounded ankle =
wathed in wet cloths that Dosie had :,
houghtfully suggested. Over that bed :, >
n the farther corner the fire-shine :,
layed fitfully-now lighting up the g
7orn face with a sudden glow, now .,
hrowing it into deep shade; but 7,
Trough both CLEAN and gloom a deep :.
r, more lasting shadow was slowly set Q
ling upon it. Even Marion's inexpe- !,
fenced eyes could not but notice it, l. !.
nd she turned away with a shudder to =, =
leet Joe's significant glance silently = :,
onfirming her dread. = :,
If Dosle knew it also she gave no sign 81
ltting very quietly on low box by
le hearthstene, where the light reveal z
i plainly her fair, pure profile, the del
;ate, blue-veined temple, and the CLINT
gold in her bown hair. Her Sleep
,ss, earnest eyes scarcely for moment et
lrned their gaze from the couch, and h,
ne started at the slightest movement h;
+ its occupant. Less frequent these e,
ecame as the hours wore OH, and the h,
words grew less coherent. is
"Tickets, Dosie % a,
"Not yet, Grandpa; not yet." IN
"We'll have-we'll have-Dosie?" tb
"Horses and carriages and houses" &c
,peated Dosie mechanically. ps
"And pearl gates and harps-Dosie !? W
ct old violins-goldcn harps-eh Do he