Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-05-27

for silver gets dreadfully black'-then
more tenderly, as she marked the pain
full effort to move the tortured fingers
"Let me cut the chicken, sir"
Grimly wondering, the old man sui
fered himself to be fed, finding appetite
as the well-prepared food was eaten, and
listening well pleased to the CHEEKY voice
so unfamiliar in his lonely life.
Jane" Margaret said, setting down
the tray in the kitchen again, 81 don't
wonder he is sick. No carpet, no cur
tains, that great hearse of a bed, and
nothing pretty near him."
It's all clean," said Jane.
Clean as wax, but oh! so doleful.
CAM we fix up a cosy room?"
There's rooms enough. Six on that
floor" said Jane, land none used but the
one Mr.. Franklins IN, and Mr.. Roberts
the little one next to it,
"Well, We'll see tomorrow. Can l
have man to send to town if l want
anythipg?'
There's men enough. Will you sleep
down here tonight, or in one OF the
rooms up-stairs?g"
down here in the room next yours"
"It's all ready. I'll go up now and
make Mr.. Franklin comfortable for the
night
Comfortable" Margaret said, SILVER
ing.
But the next morning, after putting
tempting breakfast before the invalid,
Margaret selected the vacant bedroom
she meant to beautity for his use. 1t
was large, with four windows, light and
cheerful, and we'll suited to her purpose.
In the intervals of directing Jane, send
ing the man to town with her orders and
giving her own dainty touch to every
| thing Margaret visited the invalid,
reading to him, chatting with him, and
making the long hours fly by. 1t was
| late in the afternoon when she came in
to say:
"Mr. Franklin, the room across 1.-THE
hall has a southern exposure, and think
you will find it more comfortable than
this one. Will you try to get there if
Aunt Jane and help your"
I'm very well here"
"But you win be better there. Please
Gomez
SO he yielded, but once fairly in the
room could not repress cry of amaze
ment. Softly-carpeted, white curtained,
bright ire cracking in the stove, a
dainty supper spread upon the table, the
room was cosy and CHEEKY enough to
coax "a smile from the grimmest lips
| Yet when James Franklin sank into
the bright, chintz-covered easy-chair
and looked around him everything was
| strangely familiar. That was the parlor
carpet, taken from the never-opened room
below, those were the parlor curtains,
| freshly ironed and starched and held
| back with knots of broad sphinx ribbon.
| The bed, bureau, wardrobe, chairs, all
were his own, polished till they shone
again. The snowy bedlinen, the white
Counterpart, the bureau covers with
their knot.ed fringe were all his sisters
! work, stored away in chests since she
died, long, long years ago. Even the
chintz on the chair was part of some Old
curtains he had stuffed away in q long
| forgotten corner of closet.
alt is very comfortable, and you are a
good, thoughtful girl" he said, looking
! round with keen appreciation of the
added comfort. Il wonder we never
thought of using these things
4" Now let me read the rest Of our
! book to you. ! have some new periodi-
Gals in my trunk if you will look at
/ them"
The days flew by, cold weather
strengthening till Robert wrote he was
coming home one chill January day.
Margaret had been busy for fortnight
before in the lower part OF the house,
but Mr.. Franklin asked no questions.
He had been very i'll, but was recover
inc, so that he hoped to welcome Robert
in the sitting-room. How he shrank
from returning to its dreariness and
sending Margaret away, he told no one
till he held his nephew's hand fast clasped
in his own.
Il can never tell you, Robert, he said
then. what Margaret has been to me.
No daughter could have tended me mere
patiently and faithfully, and when !
could listen she read to me, and talked
as pleasantly as if | were companion to
her, instead of grumpy old bachelor
past sixty"
Il am glad you have been well cared
for" Robert said, turning his head to
hide a merry twinkle in his eyes; you
look very fine herem
But when he carefully led the old man
to the sitting-room, both stood amazed
Was the handsomely carpetec, cheer
fully-furnished room the dreary old
place in which they had been so vel
contented? While they wondered new
sound greeted them-the tones OF a
piano touched by skilled fingers, and
voice sweet and clear singing a song OF
welNme.