The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-10-07

So he yielded. but once fairly in TIE
room, he could not Tepress cry Of
amaZement. Softly eaTpeted, white
curtained, a bright fire cracking ia
the stove, a dainty supper spread upon
the table, the room was coZy and
CHEEKY enough to cnsx a smile from
the grimmest lips. Yet when James
Franklin sank into the bright chintz-
covered easy chair and looked around
him, everything seemed strangely fa-
miliar. That was the FarlOr carpet,
taken from the never opened room be
low these were the parlOr curtains
freshly irOned stretched and held back
with knots Of broad, pink ribbon. Tie
bed, bureau, wardrobe, chairs, all were
his own. polished till they shone
again. The snowy bed linen. the
white counterpart, the npreGu covers
with their kDotted fringes were all
his sister's work, stored away in the
chests since she died, long, long years
ago. Even the chiniZ ON tie. chair
was part Of some old Curtains She haii
stuffed away in a loBg-for gotten car
ner of q closet.
at Is very comfortable. and yOu
are a good, thoughtful girl" he said,
looking around with a keen apprecia-
tion Of the added comfort. 81 woIi-
der We never Thought Of using these
things" -
snow let me read the rest o. our
bOnk 70 you. Ehave some new peri
Odicals in my trunk IL you vii look ST
them % t ~
The days flew by, csId weather
strengthening, till Robert wrote he
was coming home one chilly January
day. Margaret had been busy for a
fortnight before in the lower part of
the bouIe, but Mr.. Franklin asked no
qnestions. He had been Bl. but was
recovering, so that he hoped 10 vel
come Robert in the sitting-r0Om.
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.
al can never tell you, Robert" he
sad, then. "what Margaret has been
to me. No daughter could have tend
ed me mora patiently and faithfully.
AMI when cnuld listen she read to
ne and talked as pleasantly as if /
We're cOmpsniOn 10 her, Instead of q
grumpy old bachelor past sixty"
az am glad you have been we'll
cared fOr,p Robert said, turning his
head to hide q merry twinkle Ia his
eyes "you look very fine here"
But when he carefully led the old
man to the sitting-roOm, both stood
amazed. Was the handsomely car
peted, cheerfully furnished room the !
dreary old place in which they had |
been go well cOntented ? While they |
wondered a new sound greeted them |
the tone o! a piano, touched by |
skillful fingers, and voice sweet aud |
clear singing q song of praise. |
Throwing open a door 10 disclose y |
furnished parlOr, Robert |
saw also little figure on the piano |
stool, clad in a shining black silk,
with lace and pretty jewelry to adOrn
it. |
HMargaret,n Uncle Jamea cried,
But Robert said softly:
Margaret Franklin, Uncle James,
Daisy, my wife,"
Then sne came forward with shin
ing eyes.
AZ wanted TO make you love me-"
she said in a low, tender voice, "for |
s6k6.'l
"And fof your own,n lie answered
'but / am bewildered my dear.
Where did ttOse things come from 81
"From my old home. Tney are all |
mine, and you will let them stay here,
will you not for our new home ?" she |
added, shyly slipping her hand into
Roberts. 'l don't want To take Rob
srt from you, Uncle James, when he is
al you have to love, but if you will |
yive me place here, too, / will try
% be good daughter to you"
"Give you place here ~ the old |
nan cried az think no greater grief |
sOuld come to me now, Margaret, |
han the thought of losing yOI. God
sver bless you, child, for few at your
lge would have cared to so kindly j
Iverc0me 50 obstinate aHs old mans |
stupid prejudieesp N - !
.rhank you, 'Iehe whispered, touch
ing her lips to his for the first time |
i'yOu have made me very happy"
And as she presided over the care |
fully appointed table in n costly fur
nished dining-room Uncle James had |
used for spare harness and bags of
grain, but which was transformed be-
yond recognition, there was no cloud |
ID the brightness of the face of Rob |
ert's wife"